DR. H. D. WOOD CLOSES USEFUL LIFE

ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT PHYSICIANS IN NORTHERN INDIANA

Had Practiced Medicine in the County Nearly Sixty Years.
Funeral Services Friday Morning.

	Dr. H. D. Wood, the dean of the medical fraternity of Steuben 
county, passed away at his home in Angola yesterday forenoon, 
December 17, after a long illness and decline due to the infirmities 
of advancing age.  The funeral services will be held at the late 
residence on East Gale street Friday morning at 10 a.m.  The burial 
will be in the Powers cemetery, north of Metz.  The casket will be 
open for friends who wish to call Thursday afternoon and evening at 
the home.
	The removal of Dr. Wood from our midst is like the passing of 
an old landmark.  At the same time he continued his activities until 
recent weeks, and he had a wide acquaintance here covering a period 
of two full generations.  Probably no one has been more intimately 
known in the community in its entire history.  He practiced medicine 
and surgery here for nearly sixty years, and enjoyed in a rare 
degree the utmost confidence of his patients throughout all this 
time.  Not only was he esteemed locally as a competent physician, 
but his fame extended throughout all this section of the country and 
in the prime of his years he was frequently called into consultation 
throughout a wide section of country, and as a surgeon was counted 
the peer of any in several states.  He was a doctor of the old 
school but was peculiarly amenable to all the advancing changes in 
his profession and kept his knowledge thoroughly abreast of the 
times.  Despite his advancing years, there were many who still held 
to him for counsel and assistance, and he was kept constantly busy 
until worn by his duties and the infirmities of his years he took to 
his bed a few weeks ago, and steadily declined until the end quietly 
came yesterday.  Thus he will be greatly missed in the community and 
he will be genuinely mourned by a large number of people. 	

                          His Life

	Hugh Dudgeon Wood was born in Bainbridge, Chenango county, New 
York, June 28, 1835, and died in Angola, Indiana, December 17, 1918, 
aged 83 years, 5 months and 19 days.  He was the son of Joseph 
Wheeler Wood, of English descent, a native of New York, and Sarah 
Farnham Wood, of Welsh ancestry and born in Connecticut.  There were 
eight children of Joseph and Sarah Wood, and another daughter by the 
father's former marriage.  Hugh D. Wood was the sixth of 9 children 
of whom only Dr. T. F. Wood, of Angola, and Mrs. Melvina Ferrier, of 
Parsons, Kans. Survive.  About 1843, the family moved to Williams 
County, Ohio, and at some time later to DeKalb County, Ind., where 
the father died in 1851 and the mother in 1859.  The subject of this 
sketch attended the district schools of Williams and DeKalb 
counties, paying for his expenses most of the time by doing chores.  
In 1856 he attended the Northeastern Institute at Orland, Ind., one 
year and subsequently was a student at Hillsdale college where he 
completed his literary and scientific education in 1859.  During his 
college life he taught several terms and was thus enabled to work 
his way thru college independent and unaided.  His vacations and 
leisure hours were spent in reading medicine with his brother, Dr. 
W. A. Wood at that time a resident of Metz, this county.
	In 1860-'61, he attended a course of lectures at the medical 
department of the University of Buffalo, N.Y., and in February, 
1861, began his practice in connection with his brother at Metz, and 
the following year began to practice alone.  In 1863, he attended 
lectures at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York, and 
in Philadelphia, and in 1866-'67 attended the Bellevue Hospital 
College in New York, where he graduated in 1867.  In 1869 he came to 
Angola to take up the practice left off by his brother W. A. Wood on 
his death, and in 1873-74 attended a general course of lectures at 
three of the medical schools in New York.  Thus by constant study 
and practice he attained a thorough education in the science of 
medicine and surgery, which he kept up-to-date by repeated 
attendance on clinics, medical societies and by reading until his 
death.  In 1887, in company with his brother, Dr. T. F., he went 
abroad in further pursuit of medical knowledge and attended lectures 
under some of the world's most famous scientists in various large 
cities.  Thus by constant study and assiduous application to his 
practice, he became one of the most competent and successful 
practitioners in the state of Indiana; and he was called oftimes 
long distances in these three adjoining states in consultation and 
practice.  As a surgeon he was especially skilled and his services 
were highly esteemed and in great demand even until recent years.  
There are few in Northern Indiana who have attained to the same 
eminence that he reached in this profession. 
	He lived thoroughly in his profession and was active in every 
work that would further it.  He was one of the organizers and for a 
considerable time was a member of the faculty of the Fort Wayne 
Medical College.  He was president several times and for a long term 
of years was secretary and a leading factor in the Northeastern 
Indiana Medical Society, and also held official position with the 
Tri-State Medical Society and the Southern Michigan Medical Society.  
He was a member of the Allen County Medical Society, of the American 
Medical Association, of the International Medical Congress as well 
as of our own local county Medical Society.  In 1879 he received the 
degree of A. M. from Hillsdale College as a recognition of his 
distinguished achievements.
	It would be difficult to estimate the debt of the community to 
Dr. Wood.  The learning, the skill and the experience he acquired 
were shared in generous measure to all of the people of the county, 
of whatever station and whether or not of means.  The moan of the 
sufferer was a clarion call to him, and no night was too stormy or 
journey too long or difficult to hinder him from going to the relief 
of the sufferer.  To the older ones who know what long journeys over 
difficult country roads were required in the practice of the 
profession a generation ago there can be some little realization of 
the demands that were made upon him.  Oftentimes his strength was 
worn to the limit but he never refused the summons to an errand of 
mercy.  He practiced his profession because he loved it, and because 
he loved the people among whom he ministered.  His was a great, 
large heart which responded not alone to the sufferings of the 
patient but to the sorrows and oftimes poverty of the homes as well.  
If the people were poor and unfortunate he made no charge for his 
services, and the amount of free service which he has given to the 
people of the community would aggregate a handsome fortune could it 
be computed now.  His greatest legacy today is the grateful 
appreciation of thousands who have benefited by his ministrations.
	He touched the life of the community in many other activities, 
aside from professional.  He was always interested in and aided 
every public movement for the advancement of the community's 
interests. He was one of the first workers in the movement to 
establish Tri-State College in Angola, and was the first president 
of the Board of Trustees, and assisted actively in the work of 
securing the funds for it.  He was a close student of current 
events, and a staunch republican in politics, and was often tendered 
political honors, which he refused because he would allow no other 
interest to interfere with his professional activities.  He was a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, a Knight Templar and a member of 
the Fort Wayne consistory of Scottish Rite Masons. 
	Dr. Wood was married December 3, 1863, to Joanna Powers, 
daughter of Clark and Hannah Powers, natives of New York, and early 
settlers of Steuben country.  She died Jun 17, 1917.  Four children 
were born to them of whom two survive; Dr. Weir wood, of Wood 
County, Ohio, and Mrs. Robert B. Spilman of Manhattan, Kans.
	Note:  The above information was found in Book #22 in the black 
notebook collection, #1 through #22, compiled by Audree Siebel Lewis, 
located at the Steuben County Library, Angola, Indiana.

ADDITONAL INFORMATION: 
 Children:  Dr. W. Wier Wood was born 14 Jan 1874.  No information in 
cemetery book. 
	Wills Wood, 16 Jan 1876 - 31 Aug 1876.
`	Infant son, 27 Aug 1877 - 31 Aug 1877.
	Willa Sally Spilman (Mrs. Robert B. Spilman). No information in 
cemetery book.

Brothers buried at Circle Hill Cemetery, Angola, Indiana:
	Theodore Freylinghuysen Wood, M.D., 02 Jun 1840 - 30 Aug 1925, 
married Elizabeth (Powers) Wood, 18 Jan 1842 - 05 May 1908, daughter of 
Calvin Powers and 1st wife Maria Emeline (Corey) Powers.
	Warren Alphonso Wood, M.D., 23 Feb 1827 - 09 Oct 1868, married Levina 
(Thompson) Wood.

Information from the Powers Family History, page 80; and "Cemeteries of 
Steuben Co., Ind., 1990" by Audree Siebel Lewis, Vol. II, pages 1991, 1993, 
1994.