Patrick County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Wood, Daniel Hillsman November 3, 1860 - January 22, 1954
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ron Martin cindyandron@bellsouth.net December 13, 2025, 2:25 pm

Author: Ron Martin

  Daniel Hillsman Wood was born on November 3, 1860, the fourth child of Richard 
Johnson Wood and Judith Ann Short who resided in Patrick County.  His father 
Richard was a Justice of the Peace and was known as a man of the strictest 
integrity and noted for faithfulness to every duty.   His mother Judith was 
thrifty and quite industrious.   Both of his parents were obviously a huge 
influence on all of their children judging by their commitment to excellence.
  Much like every young man that was born during this era, he worked on the farm 
to help support the family until such time as he married.
  On April 14, 1881, 20-year-old Daniel and 16-year-old Malinda Ruth Corn, the 
daughter of the Elder Peter Corn, a Primitive Baptist Elder and Nancy Clementine 
Jane Tinie Turner Corn exchanged marital vows in Franklin County, Virginia in 
a ceremony performed by Asa D. Shortt.  The couple made their home in Floyd 
County.
  In March 1882, the Wood family welcomed their first daughter Susan Audella 
Della Wood.  In November 1884, the family welcomed their first son George 
Cleveland Wood.  By the time, their second daughter Katharine Wood was born in 
October 1887, the couple had moved to Patrick County, Virginia.   The couple's 
last daughter Isabella Mae was born on May 31, 1889.
  Unfortunately, Malinda contracted tuberculosis and she passed away on November 
26, 1892 due to scrofula which is a form of this insidious disease.
  In 1894, he married 40-year-old Judith Frances Fannie Stovall who was 
Daniel's first wife's second cousin.  It was whispered through the community as 
well as written in a book titled Poems by Bradley which is a book dedicated to 
his poetry that his first wife Malinda had picked her unmarried cousin as his 
second wife.
  Sometime during this period, he became quite active in the Patrick County 
Democratic Party as he was named a delegate to the Democratic convention several 
times beginning in May 1901.   He was also named Justice of the Peace during the 
early part of the 20th century as his name appears as justice as early as 1906 
on deeds.   Back in those days, the Justice of the Peace also served as a local 
judge and had the normal responsibilities associated with the position which 
included sentencing people to jail terms.  
  In 1907, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates and served during 
the 1908 session before returning home to his family in Patrick County as he did 
not seek re-election.
  After he returned to life in Patrick County, he held several positions in the 
county.  In 1925, he was elected as the Commissioner of Revenue from the Smith 
River District.   He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Patrick County 
Democratic Party.  He was an election judge for over fifty years.
  During this time, he built a beautiful two-story home several miles from 
Fairystone State Park.  
  During the 1920's he became a contributor for the Dodson, Route 2 news for The 
Enterprise, a weekly newspaper that has been The Voice of the People Since 
1876 in Patrick County and has been delivered via mail since that point.   In 
some of his columns, he began using the pen name of Bradley.  He had also 
written some poetry under the pen name of Bradley.   It is also believed that me 
might have written some community news columns for The Martinsville Bulletin.   
Many of the stories during the 1920's through the 1940's included the details of 
visits at his home from family and friends which usually appeared in the opening 
or second paragraph of the story. 
  On January 30, 1936, his second wife Fannie passed away after a bout with 
pneumonia.  She had suffered with rheumatism for years but had been relatively 
healthy prior to her death.  Her husband was also sick with pneumonia hence 
there was no service at the home but only at the gravesite.   She was buried at 
the family cemetery which is just over the knoll from the home place along with 
her husband and his first wife.  That same year he became a member at Stuart 
Primitive Baptist Church as he was previously a member and deacon at Goblintown 
Primitive Baptist Church.
  After her death, he continued to be quite active in the Patrick County 
Democratic party and was very active in the Patrick County School Board 
electoral board.  He was eventually named as the chairman of this board.
  Just seven months prior to his death on June 21, 1953, he was selected by the 
Patrick-Henry Allied Families Association for special honors.   This gathering 
historically took place at the picnic shelter at Fairy Stone State Park.    
  On January 22, 1954, Daniel Hillsman Wood passed away at the age of 93.   He 
was active up until his death as he served as the election judge in the previous 
election in November.  His funeral was held at Stuart Primitive Baptist Church 
with music provided by the Stuart Baptist Church quartet.  The service was 
presided over by Elder Joel E. Marshall and D.P. Helms.  He was buried in the 
family cemetery along with his two wives which was located just behind his 
beautiful home at the time.   As of 2025, the cemetery which sits behind an old, 
abandoned restaurant/apartment building off to the right of the previous 
location of his home has basically been abandoned and neglected as nature has 
taken over.


Additional Comments:
This is an update to a biography that I previously wrote but more information has 
been located which necessitates the update.  Can you please remove the current 
biography and replace it with this one?



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