Page 738-39
Dr. P. W. WOOD, physician, surgeon, and minister, Fordyce,
Ark. Among the citizens of Dallas, as well as surrounding
counties, the name that heads this sketch is by no means
an unfamiliar one, for it is borne by one who is actively
and successfully occupied in the prosecution of his chosen
profession, and who is actively and successfully occupied
in the prosecution of his chosen profession, and whose
career as a practitioner and thorough student of medicine
has won for him on less a reputation than has his personal
characteristics as a citizen and neighbor. Dr. WOOD was
born in Pontotoc County, Miss., in 1840, and is the son
of Solomon L. WOOD, a native, probably of Alabama. The
father was married to Miss Lucinda WHITE (mother of subject),
a native of Lawrence County, Tenn., and they afterward
removed to Mississippi, where the mother died when our
subject was but one day old. Mr. WOOD returned to Tennessee,
and was married again, and he is now living in Fulton County,
Ark., with his fourth wife. Dr. P. W. WOOD was left with
E. B. SHANNON, and was reared by that gentleman, never
seeing his father until eighteen years of age. He received
his education in the country schools until seventeen years
of age, and then spent ten months at Okolona Academy, preparatory
to attending a higher school. At the breaking out of the
war he joined the Okolona Rifles of the Eleventh Mississippi Infantry, operated
in Virginia, and after the first Bull Run fight was discharged on account
of ill health. He returned home, and soon after joined
Company E, First Mississippi, as a private, but was soon
promoted to adjutant. He was at Fort Donelson, made his
escape and came home, where he was sick for some time.
After recovering he joined the Forty-first Mississippi
Infantry, and was with Gen. Bragg in Kentucky. He fought
at Perryville, and just before the Murfreesboro fight the
Fort Donelson refugees received orders to return to their original command.
Dr. WOOD received his old position as adjutant, and was in the service at
Port Hudson. He was also in the battles at Atlanta, Peachtree
Creek, Franklin, Tenn., and surrendered with J. E. Johnston.
After the war he taught school for about eleven years,
and then began the practice of medicine, which he had studied
before the war. Since then he has practiced his profession, and has made
a success of the same. He was married in 1862, to Miss
Lina D. SINGLETON, a native of Mississippi, and a daughter
of Lemuel and Elsie SINGLETON, natives of South Carolina.
Mr. and Mrs. SINGLETON were married in Alabama, and removed
from there to Mississippi, where Mr. SINGLETON died, when
his daughter Lina D., was an infant. Mrs. SINGLETON died
in 1889. Both were members of the Baptist Church. To Dr.
and Mrs. WOOD were born five living children. During the
winter of 1878-79 the Doctor removed to Pike County, Ark.,
where he practice his profession until 1881, and then removed
to near Chambersville, Calhoun County, Ark. Two years later
he removed to his present farm of eighty acres, seven miles
northwest of Fordyce, where he has a splendid practice.
Politically he was reared a Whig, voted for Bell in 1860,
and since the war has been a Democrat. He and wife have
been members in good standing in the Primitive Baptist
Church since 1865, and in 1868 he was licensed to preach.
In 1870 he was ordained, and has preached more or less
ever since, now having two regular charges.