Biography of Hugh D. Wood, pages 854/855. Memorial Record of Northeastern 
Indiana, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1986.

	Hugh D. Wood, M. D., stands at the head of the medical profession of 
the State of Indiana and also is well known throughout the adjoining States.
	He was born in Bainbridge, Chenango county, New York, June 28, 1836, 
son of James Wheeler Wood and Sarah nee Farnham, both natives of 
Connecticut, the former born in 1801 and the latter in 1804, he of English 
descent and she of Welsh. The were married in New York and about 1843 moved 
to Williams county, Ohio, where they made their home until 1846, that year 
coming on west to Indiana and making permanent settlement in DeKalb county. 
Here James Wheeler Wood died in 1851, and his wife in 1859.
	Hugh D. was the sixth in line of birth in a family of nine children 
was a mere boy at the time of their removal to Indiana, and when quite 
young was left an orphan. He attended the district schools of Williams 
county, Ohio, and De Kalb county, Indiana, and in 1856 entered the 
Northeastern Indiana Institute at Orland, Indiana, where he spent one 
year. From that time until 1859 he was a student at Hillsdale College, 
Michigan, where he completed his literary education. At intervals 
throughout his college life he taught several terms of school, in this way 
earning the funds with which to maintain himself while a student, and 
worked his way unaided. During his vacations and odd moments he devoted 
his attention to the study of medicine, having for his preceptor his 
brother, Dr. W. A. Wood, at that time of Metz, Indiana. In 1860-1, after 
leaving college and while reading medicine under this brother’s 
instructions, he attended a course of lectures in the medical department 
of the University of Buffalo, New York. Late in 1861 he began practice at 
Metz , in partnership with his brother, and the following year he opened 
an office of his own. Here he continued practice and from time to time 
improved every opportunity to further prepare himself for his life work, 
and soon took rank with the leading member of his  profession. In the 
winter of 1863-4 he attended lectures at Bellevue Hospital Medical 
College, New York city, and later returned an finished his course, 
graduation in that institution in 1867. In the mean time he has attended 
medical college in Philadelphia. May 6, 1869, he removed to Angola to fill 
the vacancy caused by the death of his brother W. A. Wood.  In 1873-4 he 
attended a general course of lectures at three different medical schools 
in New York. In 1879 he received an honorary degree, that of A. M., from 
Hillsdale college, Michigan.
	Dr. Wood was one of the organizers of the Medical College of Fort 
Wayne, of which he was a trustee.  Also he was the originator of the 
reorganization of that college, and was treasurer and dean of the faculty.  
Following are the medical organizations with which he is connected: The 
Steuben County Medical Society, of which he was president from 1866 to 
1869, and its secretary several years; Northeastern Indiana Medical 
Society, of which he was president in 1872, and secretary from 1874 for a 
number of years; the Indiana State Medical Society; Indiana, Ohio, and 
Michigan Tri-State Medical Society, of which he was president in 1876; 
Allen County Medical Society; Michigan Southern Medical Society; American 
Medical Association; International Medical Congress; British Medical 
Society, of which he was made a member when he visited Europe, etc.
	Dr. Wood’s specialty is surgery. He is called in consultation and to 
perform difficult surgical operations on frequent occasions. And at points 
both near and distant, and his success in this line has indeed been 
remarkable. He has been Professor of Surgery, Gynecology and Clinical 
Surgery in the Fort Wayne Medical College, and while serving as such 
lectured twice a week.  For years he has kept a young doctor in his office 
to act as assistant and clerk, and each week he devotes two days to office 
practice, his rooms on these days always being crowded with suffering 
humanity, eager to secure his valued service.  His practice extends into 
both Michigan and Ohio; and while he has such a large number of calls he 
responds as readily to the poor as to the rich, his chief thought being to 
relieve the suffering with out stopping to question their ability to 
remunerate him for his service.  He is indeed a friend to the poor and to 
all who call upon him for encouragement and advice, none ever being turned 
away unheard.  He acts upon the belief that the world is large enough for 
all, never tires to crush out a rival or to discourage the aspirations of 
his young brethren in the profession.
	As a public-spirited citizen and useful member of society, the 
Doctor has few equals, and he is fearless in the expression of his 
opinions on all subject. In educational matters especially does he take a 
deep interest.  He has, without exception, the largest library in 
northeastern Indiana.  He was secretary to the Board of Education of 
Angola from 1888 to 1894, and it may be said of him that he is the father 
of the Tri-State Normal College of Angola.  The meeting in which the 
college was organized was held in his office, he was its first president, 
and he drafted the by-laws of the organization. Politically, the Doctor is 
and ardent Republican.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com