Benson Wood

Benson Wood
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 19th district
In office March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
Preceded by	James R. Williams
Succeeded by	Andrew J. Hunter
Personal details
Born	(1839-03-31)March 31, 1839 Bridgewater, Pennsylvania
Died	August 27, 1915(1915-08-27) (aged 76) Effingham, Illinois
Political party	Republican Party

Benson Wood (March 31, 1839 – August 27, 1915) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Early life and military service

Born near Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, Wood attended the common schools, Montrose (Pennsylvania) Academy, and Wyoming (Pennsylvania) Seminary. He moved to Illinois in 1859 and for two years was principal of a village school in Lee County. During the Civil War, he enlisted as first lieutenant of Company C, thirty-fourth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, September 7, 1861. He was promoted to captain May 1, 1862. He was honorably discharged on January 29, 1863.

Legal career and entry into politics

Wood graduated from the University of Chicago Law School in 1864. He was admitted to the bar in 1864 and engaged in the practice of law in Effingham, Illinois. He served as member of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1872, and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1876 and 1888. He served as mayor of Effingham, Illinois 1881-1883.

Congressional career

Wood was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1895-March 3, 1897). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1896 to the Fifty-fifth Congress. He resumed the practice of law in Effingham, Illinois. He served as president of the Effingham State Bank 1903-1912, and chairman of the board of directors 1912-1915. He died in Effingham on August 27, 1915. He was interred in Oakridge Cemetery.

References

• Benson Wood at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved on 2009-03-26

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.