Page:One of a thousand.djvu/682

 668 WOOD. WOODBRIDGE. ing officer during the civil war. He was a director in the Middlesex Central Rail- road Corporation, president of the free public library of Bedford, and has been a trustee from the date of its incorporation. He has held the office of trustee of the Middlesex Agricultural Society for twenty- five years. WOOD, Nathan Montgomery, son of Colonel Haile and Mary Howard Wood, was born in Swansea, Bristol county, [anu- ary i6, [825. He is a descendant of Wil- liam Wood, who came from England, and after spending some time in the new colo- nies, returned tu England, and in n> 34 published in London the famous work en- titled " New England's 1'rospect." His education was obtained at the com- mon schools of his native town. His father was a farmer and miller, and he was brought up to the same business, and with the ex- ception of about one year passed in Maine, has always resided at the homestead in Swansea, which has been in the family for SO many generations. < In November 7. 1 S4.S, he married Abby I., daughter of Elisha and Mary (Mason) Kingslcy, of Swansea. She is descended on the maternal side from Samson Mason, who was an Englishman and an officer in the army of Oliver Cromwell until the lat- ter was made lord protector of England. He has had live children : Nathan 1 Ioward (who died in infancy), Abby Isabel. Mary R. I'., Angeline H., and Eloise K. VVood. M r. Wood is a Republican in politics, ami has held various official positions, including nearly all the principal town offices, having held some of them for more than twenty years. lie was a representative to the Legislature in 1S75. He is a member of the Christian church, and is also a member of Washington Lodge No. 3, !•'. & A. M., and Webb Council, Warren, R. 1. ; Royal Arch Chapter, fall River, and Calvary Commandery, Knights Templar, Provi- dence, R. I. Mr. Wood is one of Swansea's most prom- inent anil prosperous men, and aside from his farming and nulling business, is largely interested in a manufacturing business in fall River. WOODBRIDGE, SAMUEL FRANCIS, son of Samuel and Nancy (Russell) Wood- bridge, was born in Reading, Middlesex county, August 13, 1818. He is a lineal descendant in the eighth generation from Rev. John Woodbridge, of Wiltshire, England, who came to New England in 1634. Rev. John Woodbridge is the progenitor of all the American Woodbridges. His brother, Benjamin Woodbridge, a clergyman, came to New England in 1639, and entering Harvard, was the first graduate of that university, but returned to England, where he died November 1, 10.S4. His education was obtained in the public schools of those days. When he was three years old his father removed to Andover. At twelve years of age he went to Med- ford, and found employment in a grain stoic, where he remained seven years. He then left home, and walked to "the foot of the rocks," West Cambridge, where he hired out to work in a grain and spice SAMUEL F. WOODBRIDGE. mill for one year. He then worked live years for Charles Muzzey in a wholesale and retail grocery store, after which he started in business for himself, July 1, [842, in Medford, opening a market, ami slaugh- tering his own stock. In [846 he sold out his retail business and confined himself to wholesale beel business in Boston. Later he went into business with Horatio Locke, adding a retail department. These relations con- tinued nine years, the business being ex- tended to trade in live cattle. Having sold out his interest to Mr. Locke, for two years he engaged in west-