 | John WoodsEARLY DAYS IN GREENBUSH John Woods
 John Woods was born in Sullivan, Madison county, New York, March 11, 1824. He was a son of Asa and Mary (Wilford) Woods. Asa was born in New York, January 2, 1792; and died August 4, 1855. His wife Mary was born in Connecticut, May 1, 1793; and died March 27, 1868. Samuel Woods, the father of Asa and grandfather of John Woods, came from Scotland after having married an English wife. Asa Woods, his wife and seven children-five boys and two girls-came to Illinois by wagon, in 1836, being six weeks on the way, and were the second family to locate in the vicinity in which they settled. John Woods at that time was only twelve years of age. He drove one of the teams a good portion of the way. John Woods was married to Lucy A. Chatterton, August 6, 1848. She was born in Virgil, Cortland county, New York, March 5, 1819, and was a daughter of Cornelius and Lucy (Ball) Chatterton, both natives of Virgil, Cortland county, New York. Mrs. Woods came with her parents to Illinois, in 1836. To John Woods and wife were born the following-named children: Addie, born October 10, 1849; now resides in Avon, Illinois. Lewis Seldon, born February 2, 1851; married Elizabeth Yeoman, October 13, 1880. He died May 13, 1881. Mary Lunette, born September 21, 1856; married Joseph Ross, September 15, 1880. She died June 1, 1894. Frank C., born March 8, 1858; married Hattie A. Holden, October 10, 1889. John Woods, the subject of this sketch, settled in Greenbush township, in 1851. He was a blacksmith, having commenced to learn the trade when he was 14 years old. He was also a farmer and stockraiser, in which business he was engaged for about thirty-eight years on his farm in Greenbush township, after which he removed to Avon, Illinois, where he was engaged as president of the Milling and Manufacturing company until the time of his death, August 4, 1894, resulting from cholera morbus. His wife, Lucy A., died March 29, 1898. All of the Woods family have been Universalists. John Woods gave the land on which the Universalist church in Avon was built. In politics Mr. Woods was a republican.    |