Samuel Newitt Wood was born in Mount Gilead, Ohio, December 30, 1825, of Quaker parents, from whom he received his anti-slavery views. One of the lines of the underground railroad passed near his home, he being one of the conductors. In 1849, on his return from a trip with some negros, he made the acquaintance of his future wife, Margaret W. Lyon. He admitted to the bar in 1854 and two days after, he was on his way to Kansas. Early in July he located on a claim four miles west of Lawrence. Mr. Wood immediately entered into the political and social life of the locality and became an acknowledged local leader of the free state party.

He was the first Eastern correspondent. He wrote to the National Era from Independence, MO, June 20, 1854, “A dozen Free State families friendly to making Kansas a Free State is called for July, 8.” On the 27th of June he writes, “We arrived here about a week ago for the purpose of settling in Kansas, and contributing our mite to prevent slavery.” In July, he says, “Emigrants are arriving in scores, tents are stretched all over the prairies, cabins are going up in all directions, labor is plenty. A man, though poor, if he can and will work can do well here. A man with only a team is independent. But to those who have no means, who can’t work, or wont work, Kansas is no place for you.”

He was one of the men that rescued Jacob Branson from Sheriff Jones, an act which brought on the Wakarusa War, Dec. 1, 1855. He was a delegate to the Pittsburgh, PA, convention which organized the Republican party in 1856, to the Philadelphia convention the same year, and to the Leavenworth Constitutional Convention in 1858.

In 1860, he was a member of the House which met in Lecompton, Kansas Territory, January 2, 1860. At different times he was connected with various Kansas newspapers; Kansas Tribune of Lawrence, Cottonwood Falls, The Kansas Press, Council Grove Press, Woodsdale Democrat and Woodsdale Sentinel, The Kansas Greenbacker of Emporia, and the Topeka State Journal. He was one of the original stockholders of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Co. Mr. Wood was killed June 23, 1891 by Jim Brennen as the result of a county seat fight in Stevens County.

This picture was given to the library by Mrs. George J. Barker, June 1, 1932.