Biography of Wellington Wood, Sr.
by Nora W. Carter
Biography of Wellington Wood, Sr.
by Nora W. Carter
Wellington Wood was from a pioneer family. His grandparents, John and Sarah Thurston Wood came from Massachusetts to Jaffrey, New Hampshire as pioneers All the streams and ponds contained fish. Wild animals roamed among the trees. Wild fruits were found such as blackberry, raspberry, (chockcherry?)checkerberry, blueberry and huckleberry.
Land had to be cleared of forests; rye was raised at first; afterwards clover or herdgrass and later corn. When the ground was in a better condition barley, wheat, oats and potatoes were raised and finally flax for the manufacturing of cloth.
Cattle were raised and were driven 62 miles to Boston, the nearest market. The farmers hauled pork, poultry, butter and cheese to Boston and brought back salt, sugar, and other necessities
Daniel Wood, the father of Wellington Wood was born in Jaffrey, New Hampshire 27 Jun 1788. He was a twin and a tiny infanct, but grew to be a large man. He lived in Jaffrey until after his marriage.
He married a neighbor, Abby Wellington, daughter of Enoch Wellington and Sarah Richardson. They were married in 1813 and had seven children - two boys and five girls.
They moved to New York state, living in Niagara County where all except the last two children were born. The last two were born in Royal Oak, Oakland County, Michigan, where the family moved about 1824.
Abby Wellington Wood died 8 December 1834 and Daniel was left without a companion. He was a farmer and stock raiser and was also a soldier in the War of 1812, for which he received a pension for his service in that war.
The mother of Wellington Wood was Sarah Sweet, daughter of Amos and Dorcas Sweet. She was born 13 January 1799 in Hoosick, Rensselaer County, New York. She grew to womanhood in New York State. She was a small woman with dark hair and dark brown eyes. She met Zenos c. Warren, a pioneer of New Jersey and later became his wife.
They had five children - four boys and the last a girl. The family of Zenos C. and Sarah Sweet Warren moved to Oakland County, Michigan where he died 4 March 1836.
Daniel and Sarah had both lost their companions and a friendship was formed which resulted in their marriage 2 April 1837 in Oakland County, Michigan.
Daniel and Sarah Sweet Warren Wood had only one child. Wellington Wood born 17 August 1841 in Royal Oak, Oakland, Michigan. He probably received his name from his father's first wife, Abby Wellington as she was also born in August.
After their pioneer life in Michigan, Daniel and Sarah Wood joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and endured the hardships which followed the Saints on their journey from place to place until they crossed the plains and found a home of peace and rest in the Rocky Mountains.
Wellington Wood could well remember his childhood days. he gathered hazelnuts where they grew wild. He also drove the cows to and from the places where they grazed and did what he could to help his parents. He had to endure many hardships and was only nine years old when he crossed the plains.
The children of Abby Wellington Wood remained in Michigan but the time had come for Daniel and Sarah Wood and their son Wellington, also the four children of her first marriage - Charles Wesley Warren, William James Warren, Amos Sweet Warren and Mary d. Warren to join the companies crossing the plains.
They crossed the plains in the Aaron Johnson Company. Aaron Johnson was captain of the company of 150 wagons crossing the plains. They left Kanesville, Iowa on June 12, 1850 and arrived in salt Lake on September 12.
When they arrived in Salt Lake, Aaron Johnson was met by William Miller, his son-in-law, who told him of Hobble Creek which he had seen. Not being satisfied to lead the company there without first seeing it, Aaron Johnson rode fifty more miles down to what is now Springville.
He was delighted with the prospects the new site offered and returned and asked permission of Brigham Young to settle there. Eight families of the weary travelers then moved on until they came to the place chosen by their leaders for their future home.
They reached Springville 18 September 1850. The long journey was ended.
The next day they sharpened scythes and cut tons of wild hay from the meadow around them. Axes were sharpened and wagons repaired to prepare to go to the hills for logs to build their home.
The mothers and children began picking wild berries. Bushels of ground cherries, choke cherries, and service berries were dried.
By December of the same year logs had been cut and the "Old Fort" was built in a square with six cabins on each side and only one gateway. The roofs were covered with clay. Aaron Johnson was bishop and director in civil affairs for 20 years.
Wellington Wood was baptized in Springville 30 March 1851. His parents were re-baptized the same date. All the family settled in Springville, but all except Amos Sweet Warren and Mary D. Warre, moved to Spanish Fork later.
Wellington Wood's father was getting old and when he had to assume the responsibility of earning a living for the family. Like some of his ancestors he also became a farmer and stock raiser.
At first they lived southeast of Spanish Fork in what is known as the "bottoms"; later at Spanish Fork in an adobe house.
After coming to Utah Wellington Wood drove a team across the plains to assist others in making the journey to Utah. When the Indians were hostile he took part in protecting the property and families of the Saints during the Black Hawk War.
Wellington's mother died 4 July 1863 and was buried in Springville. Daniel Wood later married a Mrs. Whittemore, who also preceded him in death. Wellington's father, Daniel Wood, lived to be ninety years old and died 12 October 1878. He was blind the last six years or more of his life.
While his father's last wife was living Wellington built a four room frame house for her, but she told him she would never live to move in it. Her words proved true, for she died when the house was nearly finished. Wellington Wood married Susannah Warner 10 July 1871 in the Endowment House. She was the daughter of William and Mary Reynolds Warner. Nine children were born to them - five living to have families.
The 4th of February 1874 Wellington married in the Endowment House Mary Elizabeth Warner, a sister of Susannah. By this marriage he became the father of five children - four living to have families.
His ten living children were Wellington, Morris, Amos, Sophronia, Nora, Mary Violet, Geneva, and Abbie.
His three sons filled missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Wellington Wood was among the few who lived the second great commandment "Love they neighbor as thyself." He went about doing good and few, besides the ones he helped, knew anything about it.
At the funeral of Wellington Wood a tribute was paid him by a friend and neighbor, Enoch Ludlow. In substance he said, "Wellington Wood was a man who did not preach religion, but lived it in his every day life." He told of the hardships he endured in coming from England and trying to get a start in a new country, with a large family to keep. He said one year while with others cleaning an irrigation ditch, he got to telling Wellington Wood what a hard time he was having and happened to say he id not know how he was going to keep his family in flour until harvest time. Wellington Wood said nothing, but next morning at five o'clock he sacked up some wheat and called to Enoch to come and go to the flour mill and get some flour and he could pay the wheat back in the fall. This was only one of the many acts of kindness he did for his neighbors.
Another neighbor, a widow, was trying to support herself and family. She worked hard, and besides the work, she had to carry the water to use in cooking and cleaning half a mile, as that was the nearest well. Wellington told her if she would buy the piping, he would see that she had a well. She did get the piping and he drove an Artesian well for her, paying the one who helped him out of his own pocket.
Wellington Wood had one of the old time horse power threshing machines and many came to him for work. He did the best he could for them by letting them follow the machine and asking the farmers to give them work.
He took no toll from widows who were in need. An aged negro and wife who lived in Spanish Fork used to come to him for meat and potatoes. When he had more potatoes than he needed, he would tell those who needed aid to come and help themselves.
He was always kind to the Indians and never turned them away without feeding them. He was among the first beet raisers; when farmers used push-hoes to cultivate them, and a four-inch hoe to cut out the beets for thinning.
Wellington Wood raised hay and decided to try dairy cows. He bought some good cows and a separator. He also had a large butter-worker made to mix the butter, ready for pressing into pounds for the market.
At one time, he made most of the butter sold at the Oran Lewis Store. Where the butter was sold he requested that it be kept away from onions and vegetables that might cause the butter to be tainted. He was quite satisfied with his dairy and was successful in selling butter instead of taking the milk to the creamery.
Wellington Wood worked from early morn until late in the evening. Each fall found him with his winter's wood and flour, potatoes, beans, meat and vegetables. He believed in looking out for a rainy day.
In December 1905 Wellington Wood was at the Spanish Fork Foundry. While descending the stairs, he tripped on a pebble which caused him to fall, displacing his knee caps and from this time on he was a cripple and had to go in a wheel chair.
Although a cripple, he carried wood, coal and water on his chair; chopped wood, made trips to town, built fires, and did many other things to pass the time away and keep himself cheerful.
He taught his children to be honest and truthful, never speak of others unless you have something good so say, help those in need, never get in the habit of borrowing and never make a promise unless you think you can keep it. If for any reason you cannot keep a promise, send word to the one expecting you and make an explanation. An honest explanation is never outlawed.
He loved good music, especially violin solos. he was honest, truthful, kind and generous and was well known and respected in the community where he lived.
He died of pneumonia, 24 March 1920 after a very short illness. He is buried in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery.
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