When Texas seceded from the Union and the armies in the state were taking sides, John H. Woods responded to Colonel Van Dare’s call for volunteers and was mustered on April 20, 1861, at San Antonio. Later he was placed in Parsons’ Brigade and served in Missouri and Arkansas, taking part in many conflicts. It was during the war maneuvers that he tramped through the west and had his first glimpse of Young County.

Mary Wade was the daughter of Isaac Middlebrooks Wade and Susan Bartee Hale. She was born in Murray County, Georgia on June 24, 1849, her parents moved to Texas that same year.  According to family records, her parents came to Young County in 1876.

After John Woods returned from the Confederate Army, he married Miss Mary Wade on July 18. 1866. The next spring the young couple took up life in Denton County. A short time later they decided to move to California and started westward in a wagon with an ox team. On this trip a daughter was born in Arizona and given the name of the territory.

Only three years were spent in California, before returning to Rusk County for a short time. Next, they moved to Keese, Texas, where they spent five years. In 1876, John Woods selected Young County for his home and brought his wife and three children, Arizona, James, and John, Jr., to a farm on the river near South Bend. A few years later the family took up residence in Graham and there remained more than fifty years.

John Henderson Wood was on the charter list of subscribers for the Graham Leader in August 1876.

John Woods became engaged in brick making in 1879, even having as many as 100,000 bricks burning at one time. Many of the buildings that he built are still standing and are in use today. The bricks were hauled by wagons as far as Weatherford. Sometimes – due to the roads – it would take several days to make the trips. The demand was always greater than the supply.

In 1899, a contract was let for John H. Wood to erect a one-story building on the west side of the square. The building was constructed in 5-1/4 days. That same year, a two-story building was built by John H. Wood on the north side of the square.

So ended the century of the 1800s in which the bulk of John Henderson Wood’s early frontier life ended. With the year, 1900, Graham was passing from a small frontier town to the beginnings of the railroad when bricks could be made cheaper and shipped cheaper and brick makers weren’t in such high demand.

Here are John H. Wood’s own words:

“When Texas withdrew from the Union some of the regulars on the coast refused to give up their arms, so a call was made for volunteers to keep them from going North. At time, my home was in the town of Henderson, Texas. A company was soon raised at that place, commanded by Capt. M.M. Boggess, and on the 6th day of April 1861, we mounted the best horses that could be had and started for San Antonio. On arriving there we met other companies of volunteers, 10 in all. Forming a regiment [Frontier Regiment], we were commanded by the noted Henry E. McCulloch, and were known as the First Texas Mounted Riflemen. There we took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate government and were mustered into the service for twelve months. Gen. Earl Van Dorn was Commander-in-Chief. We soon met 400 regulars at Adams Hill where they surrendered as prisoners of war. The Indians were committing all kinds of depredations, killing men, women, and children, and driving off their stock, so our regiment was sent to the frontier for the remaining time of enlistment. We were stationed at different places, namely: Camp Colorado, Fort Chadbourne, Camp Phantom Hill, Fort Concho, Camp Belknap, and Camp Cooper. During the year we had several engagements with the Indians. At one time Capt. Buck Barry’s horse was killed under him. At the expiration of twelve months, we were mustered out, reorganized, and went to Missouri, where we first met the Federals [Yankees]. Our company and Capt. McKey’s Company from Corsicana, Texas, consolidated and were known as McKey’s Squadron. Soon Capt. Johnson’s spy company was attached to ours, forming a battalion commanded by Maj. Charley Morgan of Hays County. We were then joined to Parson’s Brigade of cavalry, where we remained till the close. I was with Gen. Marmaduke when he made the attack on Pine Bluff, Ark. Was in the rear of Banks’ army all the way from Mansfield, La., to the mouth of Atchafalaya on his retreat. We went through sufferings and privations that the present generation cannot realize. We were overpowered and had to lay down our arms, and for a while we were under carpet bag rule and every disadvantage. From the ashes of homes destroyed have sprung many of the most beautiful homes on the American continent. All over our dear Southland stand hundreds of cities with their dense populations and with our grand institutions of learning. I love my dear old Dixie Land and am always ready to applaud when I hear that grand old tune, “Dixie.”

Unfortunately, John Henderson Wood never spoke about his activities to a roving “Graham Leader” reporter as so many other Civil War Veterans did for the Graham newspapers. Perhaps it was the calamity of war, or just war itself. But then his name does appear in the court material of Jack County in the spring of 1889, just after the Marlow Brother incident on Dry Creek, but then, I guess that would make for another story, now, wouldn’t it?

During all the frontier hardships and the rearing of a family of seven children Mrs. Woods’ hospitality never abated. Her wit and humor were a mainstay, not only for her family but for all the pioneers who were enduring the privations and dangers.

Mr. and Mrs. Woods had seven children.

John Henderson Wood died on July 30, 1929 in Graham, Texas and is buried in the Oak Grove cemetery. His wife, Mary Ann Wood, died June 6, 1944 and is buried by his side.