Home of James W. Wood

The frame house across the road is Woodlawn, the home of James Ward Wood, who served as a private in Co. F (originally the Hampshire Riflemen), 7th Virginia Cavalry (CS), from January to August 1864. During this period, the unit fought in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. In the summer of 1864, it served in the Shenandoah Valley in Gen. Jubal A. Early's army.

When the war began in 1861, James Woodwas fifteen years old; his mother died when hewas twelve. He lived at Woodlawn with his father,two younger brothers, a grandmother, and a cousin. Wood's father cultivated 750 out of his 2,250 acres, utilizing the labor of his slaves, two families totaling nine people. They raised cattle, sheep, and hogs and grew wheat, cotton,and burley tobacco for cigars. As a boy, James Wood learned to ride, shoe horses, repair wagons, and handle firearms—skills that served him well in the cavalry. Confederate cavalrymen owned their own mounts and equipment and frequently (especially late in the war) returned home asdid Wood to acquire fresh horses. Wood also came back here more than once to recuperate from wounds and illnesses.

After the war, he attended Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, and helped found Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He farmed in Missouri for four years and thenreturned home, wherehe was a farmer andjustice of the peace andserved three terms inthe West VirginiaHouse of Delegates. Hedied in 1926 at Woodlawn and is buried inLost City PresbyterianChurch Cemetery.

"4 Feb. 1864. Yankees advance on [Gen. Jubal A.] Early and [Gen.Thomas L.] Rosser at Moorefield. ... [Rosser] retreated by Harpersand Early by Mathias' [and] arrived safely in the valley. TheYankees shelled the woods for Six hours but hurt no one, the[re]being no one there to hurt. They then retreated to Romney stealinga great number of horses ... and in some instances all the baconfrom the Citizens. Taking as usual all the ladies' clothes andJewelry of Value that they could get."—James W Wood, diary, on nearby military actions

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Show me all markers in:  Lost City, WV  |  Hardy County  |  26810  |  West Virginia  |  United States of America

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James Ward Wood
Lost River's First Church
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