WOOD, William, colonist, b. in England about 1580; d. in Sandwich, Mass., in 1(339. He emigrated to this country in 1629, and returned to England in 1633. He soon afterward sailed again for Massachusetts, and settled at Lynn, which town he represented in the general court in 1636. He removed to Sandwich the following year, became town-clerk, and resided there until his death. After his return to London he published " New England's Prospect," the first printed account of Massachusetts, and styled it " A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that part of America commonly called New England ; discovering the State of that Countrie, both as it stands to our New-Come English Planters and to the old Native Inhabitants ; Laying downe that which may both enrich the Knowledge of the Mind-travelling Reader, or benefit the future Voyager" (1634). The perfect copies are enriched with a curious map of the country, and the text is interspersed with rhymed descriptions of natural history that strongly resemble those of Spenser. The "Prospect" was republished with an "Introductory Essay," which is ascribed to James Otis (Boston, 1764), and again by the Prince society (1865).
WOOD, William, publisher, b. on Long Island
in April, 1797; d. in New York city, 9 April, 1877.
In 1822 he became a member of the publishing-
firm of Samuel Wood and Sons, which his father,
Samuel Wood, an English Quaker, had established
in New York city. This house did a large jobbing
trade in books and stationery, and early became
noted for the publication of juvenile books. Soon
after the admission of William Wood he turned
his attention to publishing medical books, which
has become the leading business of the house. He
also began the publication of the "Medical Record" and the "American Journal of Obstetrics." Mr. Wood was a member of the Society of Friends,
and held the chief executive office of the society for the state of New York for many years.
WOOD, William B., actor, b. in Montreal,
Canada, 26 May, 1779; d. in Philadelphia, 23
Sept., 1861. He was brought in childhood to New
York city, where he began life as a clerk. Feeling
that he had a vocation for the stage, he set out for
Annapolis, Md., with a capital of three doubloons,
and through the courtesy of Manager Wignell, an
old family friend, he made his first appearance
there on 26 June, 1798, as George Barnwell. He
was partially successful, and began an engagement
the same year in Philadelphia in “Secrets Worth
Knowing.” On 30 Jan., 1804, he married Juliana
Westray, an actress, and in the autumn of 1809 he
purchased of William Warren one half of his interest
in the Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington
theatres. Previous to entering upon the duties
of management he visited New York city and
played De Valmont. In the autumn of 1810 he
began his career as manager in Baltimore, and
from September, 1812, till the close of the season
of 1820, he divided his time between that city and
Philadelphia, where his company played at the
Chestnut street theatre. On 2 April, 1820, the
latter edifice was destroyed by fire, and, as the
insurance had expired a few days before, the loss
was heavy. Having secured a lease of the Walnut
street theatre, the Warren-Wood company began
to play again in Philadelphia the following November.
On the 27th of that month Master Edwin
Forrest made his first appearance there on any
stage in “Douglas.” The Chestnut street theatre
having been rebuilt, it was opened by the same
managers on 2 Dec., 1822, with the “School for
Scandal,” Warren playing Sir Peter Teazle, and
Wood, Charles Surface. In 1826 the sixteen years'
partnership between the two managers was
terminated by the withdrawal of Mr. Wood. On 1
Oct., 1828, the latter undertook the management of
the Arch street theatre, Philadelphia, then just
built; but the enterprise was not successful, and
the rest of his theatrical career was divided between
management and acting in the same city. He
retired finally from the stage, 18 Nov., 1846, on the
occasion of a benefit at the Walnut street theatre.
For an account of his career, and much information
regarding the American stage, see his “Personal
Recollections of the Stage” (Philadelphia, 1855). —
His wife, Juliana, whose maiden name was Westray,
first appeared at the Haymarket theatre,
Boston, in 1797. The following year she came to
New York, where she made her début at the Park
as Sarsnet in “The Deserted Daughter.” She soon
after joined the company in which Mr. Wood was
playing, and after her marriage continued to act
in the theatres that he managed.
WOOD, William Maxwell, surgeon, b. in Baltimore, Md., 27 May, 1809; d. in Owing 7 s Mills, Baltimore co., Md., 1 March, 1880. He entered the
navy as an assistant surgeon, 10 May, 1829, became a passed assistant surgeon, 1 Jan., 1835, and was commissioned surgeon, 20 Feb., 1838. He served
on the steamer " Poinsett " on the coast of Florida during the Seminole war in 1838-'41, was appointed fleet-surgeon of the Pacific squadron in 1843, and
brought the first intelligence of the opening of the Mexican war from Guadalajara to Mazatlan to Com. Sloat. This information induced the commodore
to go immediately to California, when he captured Monterey and began the operations which resulted in the conquest of the state. He was fleet-surgeon
of the East India squadron in 1856-'8 and present at the capture of the Barrier forts in Canton river, China. He was fleet-surgeon of the North Atlantic blockading squadron in the flag-ship "Minnesota" in 1861-'4, and was present at the capture of the forts at Hatteras inlet, 28 Aug., 1861, in the engagements with the " Merrimac," 8-9 March, 1862, at the capture of Sewall's point and Norfolk in May, 1862, in the sounds of North Carolina in 1863, and on blockade and other operations on the coast in 1863-5. On 1 July, 1869, he was appointed surgeon-general of the navy and chief of the bureau
of medicine and surgery, in which he served until 24 Oct., 1871, though he was retired by operation of law on 27 May, 1871. He was commissioned a
medical director, 3 March, 1871, and resided at Owing's Mills, Baltimore co., Md., until his death. Dr. Wood was the author of " Wandering Sketches
of People and Things in South America, Polynesia, California, and Other Places visited during a Cruise in the U. S. ships 'Levant,' 'Portsmouth,' and 'Savannah'" (Philadelphia, 1849); "A Shoulder to the Wheel of Progress" (New York, 1849); " Hints to the People on the Profession of Medicine " (Buffalo, 1852) ; and " Fankwei, or the 'San Jacinto ' in the Seas of India, China, and Japan" (New York, 1859).— His son, William Maxwell, naval officer, b. in Baltimore, Md., 9 March, 1850, was graduated at the U. S. naval academy in 1870, was promoted to master, 9 Aug., 1874, and to lieutenant, 11 Dec, 1877. He has patented a boat-detaching apparatus (1871), which has been adopted
in the U. S. navy and merchant service, and is the author of the article on "Life-Boats and Boat-detaching Apparatus" in Hamersly's "Naval
Cyclopaedia" (Philadelphia, 1881).
WOOD, William Willis Wiley, naval engineer. b. in Wake countv, N. C. 30 May, 1818 ; d. near Jutland, St. Mary's co., Md., 31 Aug., 1882. He
