Martin Wood (1818-1864)

Martin Wood
Martin Wood
Born:	24 Feb 1818 Independence, Ohio
Died:	14 Sep 1864 Evanston, Wyoming
Father:	Henry Wood
Mother:	Esther
Siblings:	Martin Wood
Married:
Spouse:	Esther Ursula Egglestone
Children:	Harriett Wood

Story of Martin Wood
by
Kathleen Ann McIntyre

Martin Wood was the father of Harriett Wood Woolf. 

Harriett Wood Woolf married Absalom Woolf. Harriet Wood Woolf was the first wife of Absalom Woolf. His second wife was Lucy Ann Hembleton Woolf. After coming west with the pioneers, they were asked by Brigham Young to settle the Hyde Park, Cache County area. 

Martin Wood is the ancestor of Alice Marie Johnson McIntyre, the mother of Kathleen Ann McIntyre and Grandmother of Jordan Aaron Nicolaides. 

Martin Wood, father of Harriett Wood Woolf, was a member of the Seventeenth Quorum of Seventies. He was the first missionary to be called out of Milville, Cache County, Utah on a foreign mission. Because of ill health, he was transferred to the Eastern States Mission leaving England in April 1863. He never returned home, however, as he died in an accident while crossing the plains with a company of emigrants.

The following was copied from the diary of Henry Ballard, father of Apostle Melvin J. Ballard, September 10, 1864:

“We nooned at the pioneer ridge, after traveling one mile in the afternoon. We met with a very bad accident that happened to Brother Martin Wood. He was just returning from a mission to England and the Eastern States. At the time, Brother Wood was driving a team loaded with 4,000 pounds of stoves. At noon, he fixed up a foot board, but did not make it safe. As he started out, he got up to ride with his feet on the board. While going down a little incline, he lost his balance and the board tipped throwing him in front of the near wheel, and they both passed over his neck nearly killing him on the spot. We took him a short distance to Sulphur Creek near Bear River. We watched over him all night, and he felt like he would recover. On September 11, 1864, we left him at Bear River Station and Benjamin Garr with him to care for him. He appeared a little better, but we learned afterwards, he died in three days after we left him. We camped in our old camp grounds in Cache Cove.” 

It appears from the above information that Martin died September 14, 1864 and was buried at Bear River Station near Evanston, Wyoming; another grave along the way. His family heard the news three days later.