Samuel Newitt Wood (December 30, 1825 – June 23, 1891) was an American attorney, politician, newspaper publisher-editor, and Free State advocate in Kansas. Wood, who was also an early supporter of

Women's Suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

, was assassinated in 1891 in a bitter fight over the naming of a new county seat in the state's southeastern corner. A native of

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, Wood settled in Kansas in 1854 following its establishment as a U.S. territory. He represented

Chase Chase or CHASE may refer to: Businesses * Chase Bank, a national bank based in New York City, New York * Chase Aircraft (1943–1954), a defunct American aircraft manufacturing company * Chase Coaches, a defunct bus operator in England * Chase Co ...

Morris Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manitob ...

, and Madison counties in the Kansas Territorial Legislature in 1860 and 1861. Wood was subsequently elected to the first

Kansas State Senate The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 senators elected from single-member districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members o ...

in 1861, the year the state was admitted into the Union, and completed another term as State Senator in 1867. He was also a member of the

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...

in 1864, 1866, 1876, and 1877, serving as speaker during his final term. In the 1850s and 1860s, Wood owned and operated several newspapers and was editor of several other Kansas papers in the 1870s and 1880s.

Early life and family

Samuel Newitt Wood was born at

Mount Gilead, Ohio Mount Gilead is a village and the county seat of Morrow County, Ohio, United States. It is located 41 miles (66 km) northeast of Columbus. The population was 3,660 at the 2010 census. It is the center of population of Ohio. The village was esta ...

, December 30, 1825, fifth child to David and Esther Ward (Mosher) Wood. His paternal grandfather was a leader in the meetings of the Orthodox Quakers until his death. His maternal grandfather became a leader in the more progressive wing of the

Society of Friends Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abili ...

known as the

Hicksites Elias Hicks (March 19, 1748 – February 27, 1830) was a traveling Quaker minister from Long Island, New York. In his ministry he promoted unorthodox doctrines that led to controversy, which caused the second major schism within the Religious Soc ...

. Having been raised a

Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...

, Wood's hatred for

slavery Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

grew very strong. His family home was the site of a station on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

. In 1849, during one of his many attempts to carry runaway slaves to freedom, he met his future wife, Margaret Lyon, daughter of William and Elizabeth Lyon. They were married on October 3, 1850. Their children were: David, born August 25, 1851; William Lyon, born March 10, 1853; Florence, born January 20, 1857; Dearie, born July 7, 1865.

Bleeding Kansas

Following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act on May 30, 1854, Samuel moved his family to Lawrence, Kansas. After the murder of Charles Dow on November 21, 1855, Samuel took part in the Rescue of Jacob Branson which occurred on November 26, 1855.

Newspaper publisher

In the 1850s Wood was part owner of the ''Kansas Tribune'' of

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

. In 1859 he established the first newspapers at Cottonwood Falls, ''The Kansas Press'', and at Council Grove, ''The Council Grove Press.'' In the late 1870s, he served as editor of ''The Kansas Greenbacker'' of Emporia. He was also associated with ''The Topeka State Journal'', ''The Woodsdale Democrat'', and ''The Woodsdale Sentinel'' of

Stevens County, Kansas Stevens County (standard abbreviation: SV) is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the county population was 5,250. Its county seat is Hugoton, Kansas, Hugoton. T ...

. In 1881 he was editor-in-chief of the ''Kansas State Journal.''

Military career

Wood's service in the Civil War began as

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of Company I (nicknamed the "Kansas Rangers"), 2nd Kansas Infantry, which fought at the

Battle of Wilson's Creek The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Missou ...

. Afterward he was assigned to the 6th Missouri Cavalry Regiment (Union), " Fremont's Battalion", which he had recruited, serving as

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

and subsequently

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

. He fought at the battle near Salem, and formed a part of the command of

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Samuel Curtis Samuel Curtis (born in Walworth, Surrey on 29 August 1779-died at La Chaire, Rozel Bay, Jersey, on 6 January 1860

in his campaign through

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

. In 1864, Wood was appointed

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

of the Kansas State Militia.

Suffrage Movements

On November 18, 1852, Samuel's mother Esther Ward (Mosher) Wood served as President of the Ohio Women's Rights Convention held at the Presbyterian church in Mount Gilead. The Vice-Presidents were Charlotte Cook and Mrs. A. E. Gurley. Phoebe Spencer was secretary and Mrs. Frances Dana Gage gave an address. On January 21, 1860, S. N. Wood introduced House Bill No.6, entitled "An act to prohibit slavery or involuntary servitude in Kansas", and it was referred to the Committee on Judiciary, of which he was chairman. On February 2 it passed the House by a vote of 30 to 6. On February 11 the Council passed it by a vote of 9 to 4. This bill called out a veto message from Governor Medary of fifteen pages in length; and on February 21 it was passed over his veto by a vote of 30 to 7 in the House, and 9 to 4 in the Council. In 1866, Samuel was one of the leaders who proposed an amendment to the Kansas State Constitution which would strike out the words "male" and "white". On April 2, 1867, Samuel organized the Impartial Suffrage movement in Topeka, Kansas. Through this group he brought in the speakers; Henry B. Blackwell, of New Jersey, Mrs.

Lucy Stone Lucy Stone (August 13, 1818 – October 18, 1893) was an American orator, abolitionist and suffragist who was a vocal advocate for and organizer promoting rights for women. In 1847, Stone became the first woman from Massachusetts to earn a colle ...

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12, 1815 – October 26, 1902) was an American writer and activist who was a leader of the women's rights movement in the U.S. during the mid- to late-19th century. She was the main force behind the 1848 Seneca ...

Olympia Brown Olympia Brown (January 5, 1835 – October 23, 1926) was an American minister and suffragist. She was the first woman to be ordained as clergy with the consent of her denomination. Brown was also an articulate advocate for women's rights and one ...

, Bessie Bisbee, and

Susan B. Anthony Susan B. Anthony (born Susan Anthony; February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was an American social reformer and women's rights activist who played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement. Born into a Quaker family committed to s ...

Political career

Involved in politics from an early age, Wood was chairman of the Liberty Party's Central Committee in his home county in 1844. He was admitted to the bar in Morrow County, Ohio in 1854 and when the Kansas-Nebraska act was passed, Wood and his family moved to near Lawrence at Wakarusa, Kansas where he joined the Free State Party. He also participated in Jacob Branson's rescue which brought about the short-lived

Wakarusa War The Wakarusa War was an armed standoff that took place in the Kansas Territory during November and December 1855. It is often cited by historians as the first instance of violence during the "Bleeding Kansas" conflict between anti-slavery and pro- ...

in 1855. Wood was a delegate to and spoke at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Convention which organized the Republican Party in 1856. He was a delegate to the

Leavenworth Constitution The Leavenworth Constitution was one of four Kansas state constitutions proposed during the era of Bleeding Kansas. It was never adopted. The Leavenworth Constitution was drafted by a convention of Free-Staters, and was the most progressive of the ...

Convention in 1858. On July 27, 1861, he was appointed and commissioned by President

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

as ollector of Customsat Paso del Norte,

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. He resigned this position at the start of the Civil War. In 1867, Wood was appointed Judge of the 9th Judicial District.

Stevens County seat war

As the founder of

Woodsdale, Kansas Woodsdale is a ghost town in Stevens County, Kansas, United States. It was involved in a county seat war with Hugoton during the 19th century. History Woodsdale was laid out in 1886 near the geographical center of the county, with the hope ...

, Wood strongly advocated for establishing his town as the county seat of Stevens County, which locked him in a contentious battle with the rival town of Hugoton. One of the events in this confrontation was the Hay Meadow Massacre, in which Hugoton supporters disarmed and murdered four Woodsdale supporters. Wood attempted to prosecute the men, but it was ruled that no court had jurisdiction in "No Man's Land" (the

Oklahoma Panhandle The Oklahoma Panhandle (formerly called No Man's Land, the Public Land Strip, the Neutral Strip, or Cimarron Territory) is a salient in the extreme northwestern region of the U.S. state of Oklahoma, consisting of Cimarron County, Texas Count ...

) where the event took place. Woodsdale is now a

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...

. Nothing of Wood's settlement remains.

Death

As a direct result of the vicious county seat fight, Wood was assassinated outside the Hugoton courthouse on June 23, 1891, by James Brennen. Wood was buried in Prairie Grove Cemetery in Cottonwood Falls. His murderer was never prosecuted for the assassination. His brother, Indian Agent, Rev. David John Mosher Wood spoke at his funeral.

Legacy

Woods County, Oklahoma Woods County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,878. Its county seat is Alva. The county is named after Samuel Newitt Wood, a renowned Kansas populist.Reichen ...

was named in his honor. "Song of Samuel Wood" © words & music by Carl Reed 2014, performed by Tallgrass Express. Sister Jeanne McKenna wrote her 1968 St. Louis University dissertation on Sam Wood, entitled "Samuel N. Wood: Chronic Agitator." Part of it was printed in the Kansas Historical Quarterly 36 (1970) pages 13–21 entitled "With the Help of God and Lucy Stone." Although it contains many false assumptions and inaccuracies.

Notes

References

* Butler, Ken
''Kansas Blood Spilled Into Oklahoma''
(retrieved October 27, 2006) * Mason, Henry F

''The Kansas Historical Quarterly'' 2:1 (February 1933) 45-65. (retrieved fro
''The Kansas Collection''
October 27, 2006) * Least Heat-Moon, William. ''PrairyErth'' (1991) * Wood, Margaret Lyon
''The Memorial of Samuel N. Wood''
(1891) * PBS abolitionist ma
''The first fugitive slave in Kansas Territory''
* PBS abolitionist ma
''Laid to rest, on troubled soil''
* PBS abolitionist ma
''Kansas Territory’s abolitionists fight back''
* PBS abolitionist ma
''Kansas Territory becomes deadly''
* Findagrave.co
''Col. Samuel Newitt Wood''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, Samuel Newitt People from Mount Gilead, Ohio People from Stevens County, Kansas 1825 births 1891 deaths Ohio Libertyites People of Kansas in the American Civil War Kansas state court judges Members of the Kansas Territorial Legislature Republican Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives Republican Party Kansas state senators Assassinated American politicians People murdered in Kansas Underground Railroad people 19th-century American judges Union Army officers Union militia generals