SAMUEL T. WOOD, the popular and efficient sheriff of Ottawa county, was born in Seneca county, Ohio, Feb. 28, 1841, and is a son of David and Patience (Rolfe) Wood, both natives of Greene county, N. Y., the father born May 25, 1803, the mother born Mar. 7, 1806, and died in Seneca county, Ohio, Mar. 8, 1848.  The father passed away in Clay township, Ottawa county, Aug. 10, 1888.  They were the parents of ten children, six of whom still survive namely: Dorcas, wife of T. P. Taylor, who is living in Genoa, Ohio; Mercy, wife of John Tiplady, who is living in Clay Township, Ottawa county; Samuel T.; Louisa, wife of William Armstrong¸ of Genoa, Ohio; Felinda, wife of Albert Sponable, a resident of Hastings, Mich.; and Francis V., who is located in Fremont, Ohio.  The second in the family of ten children was Mary J., who married Michael Tompkins (now deceased), and died in Genoa, Ottawa Co., Ohio, Nov. 13, 1876; Elizabeth A., the third one of the children, died at Genoa, Oct. 24, 1854; and George, the eighth child, born in September, 1846, died in infancy.
     Our subject was educated in the district schools of his native county, and his boyhood was passed upon the old farm amidst the surroundings of a comfortable home and the care of kind indulgent parents.   When about thirteen years of age he removed to Clay township, Ottawa county, with the family, and continued to aid in the farm work until after he had attained to manhood, when he began farming in his own interest.  For over forty years he was an honored and respected resident of Clay township, where his agricultural pursuits by their success proved his energy and perseverance, while the high estimation in which he was held by the people of the county bore its tribute to his sterling qualities and upright, honorable principles.  On Nov. 6, 1894, he was elected sheriff of the county on the Republican ticket, and abandoning the pursuit he had so long followed, he on Jan. 7, 1895, took possession of the office, removing his family to Port Clinton.
     In Fremont, Ohio, Sept. 28, 1865, Mr. Wood married Maria E. Jones, a native of Ohio, who was born in Pickaway county, Jan. 29, 1842, a daughter of Noah and Ruth Jones.  Her mother still survives at the advanced age of ninety-one years, and resides with our subject in Port Clinton, being probably the oldest living resident of Ottawa county, and undoubtedly one of the most intelligent and interesting old ladies, having a most remarkable memory for dates and events.  She was born in Pendleton county, Va., June 20, 1804, and is a daughter of Uriah and Catherine (Loother) ____, who are also natives of Virginia.  In 1805 the mother and children removed to Pickaway county, Ohio, and six months later was joined by the husband, who at the time of the first removal was serving as sheriff of Pendleton county.  Here he passed away in 1812.  His widow continued to reside in Pickaway county, Ohio, until 1850, when she removed to Fairfield county, this State, where her death occurred in 1858.  In 1826 the mother of Mrs. Wood was married to Noah Jones, and to their union came nine children, as follows:  Benjamin F., born July 14, 1827, now living in Findlay, Ohio; Uriah, born Aug. 28, 1829, now residing in Columbus, Ohio; Rebecca, born Mar. 28, 1832, now the wife of William Adams, of Lithopolis, Ohio; John W., born Aug. 10, 1834, is living at Burnips Corners, Mich.; Daniel W., born May 3, 1837, is living in Genoa, Ohio; Samuel, born June 27, 1839, died Aug. 3, 1846; Maria E. is the wife of our subject; Noah, born May 14, 1844, is located in Toledo; and Nelson A., born Aug. 17, 1846, died June 19, 1880.
     The union of Mr. and Mrs. Wood has been blessed with six children, as follows:  Alonzo, born July 6, 1866, died in infancy; Mary and Martha (twins), born Aug. 10, 1871, and died in infancy; Charles, born July 7, 1875; Lizzie, born Dec. 27, 1872, died Mar. 6, 1876; and Nelson J., born Mar. 18, 1879.
     Mr. Wood manifested his loyalty to the government during the Civil War by joining Company A, Fourteenth O. V. I., Sept. 5, 1861.  He served for three years, participating with his regiment in numerous skirmishes, and some of the most important battles of the war.  AT the battle of Chickamauga, he was taken prisoner by the Confederates, and for forty-three days was held as a captive in the Smith tobacco-house prison, opposite the renowned Libby Prison, in Richmond, Va.  At the expiration of that time with a nuber of others he was removed to a prison in Danville, Va., where he was held until Feb. 21, 1864, when he succeeded in making his escape, and reaching the lines of the Union army at Brownstown.  For twenty-one days he was travelling toward the Northern army, and enduring untold hardships before he reached his destination.  He was then granted a thirty-days’ furlough, which he spent in visiting his family, rejoining his regiment at Ringgold, Ga., and with his command participating in the Atlanta campaign.  At the capture of Jonesboro, five days after the expiration of his term of service, he was seriously wounded, and when hostilities ceased was sent to the hospital.  Fourteen days later he was honorably discharged, returning to his home in Clay township, Ottawa county.  He had been a faithful soldier, always true to his duties and the cause of the Union arms.
     Mr. Wood is a member of Clay Lodge, No. 584, I. O. O. F., and Elliott Wyman Post, G. A. R.  He is an active worker in the ranks of the Republican party, and in the discharge of his official duties has won the commendation of all concerned.  The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he and his estimable wife are constant members. Source 1: Commemorative Biographical Records of the
Counties of Sandusky and Ottawa, Ohio: Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1896 ~ Page 446