Researching John Wood

He was born in Addison in Canada West in 1852 (some sources say 1850), the son of a Scottish immigrant. He taught school in Farmersville (Athens). He later studied law with Christopher Finlay Fraser in Brockville, was called to the bar in 1876 and set up practice in Brockville. In 1890, he was named Queen's Counsel. He served as solicitor for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and was also vice-president of the Brockville, Westport and Sault Ste. Marie Railway. In 1882, he was elected to the House of Commons. He was deputy speaker in the House from 1890 to 1891. From 1892 to 1895, he served as Controller of Inland Revenue; he served as Controller of Customs from 1895 to 1896. Controllers were government ministers. Wood was part of the "nest of traitors" who forced Mackenzie Bowell to resign as Prime Minister in 1896.

He died in Toronto in 1899 of heart failure.

John Wood (uncle of Alan Wood, Jr.) was born in Philadelphia. He attended the Friends Society schools of Philadelphia, and was employed by his father in the manufacture of tools and agricultural machinery from 1832 to 1840. He was engaged in the manufacture of iron and steel near Wilmington, Delaware, from 1841 to 1844. He moved to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, in 1844 and engaged in the milling of iron and steel. He was first burgess of Conshohocken.

Wood was elected as a Republican to the Thirty-sixth Congress. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1860. He resumed his former manufacturing pursuits and died in Conshohocken in 1898. He was interred in Montgomery Cemetery in West Norriton Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, near Norristown, Pennsylvania.

After finishing 5th in the USAC Formula Super Vee standings in 1978 with a win at Trenton Speedway, Wood moved up to the CART/USAC Championship Car series in 1980 with Mergard Racing. He made his debut at the Ontario Motor Speedway and finished a respectable 12th place. He then failed to qualify for the 1980 Indianapolis 500. He returned in July to race on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course but crashed out on the first lap. He then failed to qualify for the fall race at the Milwaukee Mile and his Champ Car adventure was over.

He returned to sports car racing, including both the World Sportscar Championship and the Trans Am Series. Although he never won a major race, he competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona several times.

He was born in London, the son of Samuel Wood and Henrietta James, and came to Canada in 1871. Wood was educated in London and returned to Canada in 1889. In 1893, he married Ethel M. Jones. Wood was elected by acclamation in 1912. He was defeated when he ran for reelection to the assembly in 1916, losing to Harlan Carey Brewster. Wood died in Victoria.

He attended Louisiana State University, where he was selected to the Associated Press and United Press first-team All-Southeastern Conference teams in 1972 while playing for the LSU Tigers. He was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana and attended Lake Charles High School.