Misplaced Pages

Benson Wood

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
American politician
Benson Wood
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 19th district
In office
March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
Preceded byJames R. Williams
Succeeded byAndrew J. Hunter
Member of the Illinois Senate
In office
1872
Personal details
Born(1839-03-31)March 31, 1839
Bridgewater, Pennsylvania
DiedAugust 27, 1915(1915-08-27) (aged 76)
Effingham, Illinois
Political partyRepublican Party

Benson Wood (March 31, 1839 – August 27, 1915) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Early life and military service

Born near Bridgewater, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, Wood attended the common schools, Montrose (Pennsylvania) Academy, and Wyoming (Pennsylvania) Seminary. He moved to Illinois in 1859 and for two years was principal of a village school in Lee County. During the Civil War, he enlisted as first lieutenant of Company C, thirty-fourth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, September 7, 1861. He was promoted to captain May 1, 1862. He was honorably discharged on January 29, 1863.

Legal career and entry into politics

Wood graduated from the Union College of Law in 1864. He was admitted to the bar in 1864 and engaged in the practice of law in Effingham, Illinois. He served as member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1872, and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876 and 1888. He served as mayor of Effingham, Illinois 1881-1883.

Congressional career

Wood was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1896 to the Fifty-fifth Congress. He resumed the practice of law in Effingham, Illinois. He served as president of the Effingham State Bank 1903-1912, and chairman of the board of directors 1912-1915. He died in Effingham on August 27, 1915. He was interred in Oakridge Cemetery.

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded byJames R. Williams Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 19th congressional district
1895-1897 		Succeeded byAndrew J. Hunter
Illinois's delegation(s) to the 54th United States Congresses (ordered by seniority)
54th Senate: ▌S. Cullom (R) · ▌J. Palmer (D) House:
Categories: