Fayette County Ohio Genealogy Trails A part of the Genealogy Trails History Group   Fayette County Biographies Samuel McCloud McKeever Wood was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1845. His father, Layton J. Wood, who was born in Virginia in 1811, represented an old Virginia family which furnished soldiers to the American army during the Revolution. The Wood family had no kindly fellowship with the institution of slavery which flourished in the South, and their aversion to that institution caused them to remove to Ohio. Layton J. Wood was married about 1828 to Miss Mary A. Lydy, who was also born in Virginia, in the year 1814. Her parents also left Virginia because of their dislike to slavery. Layton J. Wood and wife had eight children and those who reached maturity were: Sally Mary, James Layton, Sarah C., Samuel M. and Flora C.  Not long after the close of the war (1869), and nearly forty-seven years ago, Sam Wood came to Kansas and took a government homestead not far from Burlingame, Kansas. In those days the country was open, the woods and prairies were filled with game, and hunting was one of the great sports. As soon as he had secured possession of his claim Mr. Wood prohibited hunters from coming on his land. This was not due to any especial animosity against the hunters, but he had a higher regard for the innocent wild game than he did for the sport which so rapidly decimated these specimens of our wild life. Thus the Wood farm became almost a natural game preserve. Many a deer, chased by hunters, would flee to his homestead, and some of them became so tame that they would lie about on his farm and even feed and lie down and chew their cud within forty rods of the house, and watch him work.  Mr. Wood came to Topeka in 1873, where he served as clerk in the post office for seven years, and in 1880 was elected register of deeds, in which office he served for four years. Then for many years Mr. Wood successfully engaged in the real estate business, taking up that as his chief line after retiring from office. In 1877 he married Miss Francees N. Gill. Her father was Judge D. B. Gill, of Clarksboro, New Jersey, her mother of a Revolution family in Connecticut. Very few women of Kansas were so much loved and revered as Mrs. Wood. She was well known in public life, was an ardent worker among the ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, was national president of that order and also president of the department of Kansas and president of the Lincoln Circle, and at one time filled the office of president of the State Federation of Women's Class. Ad here  Source: "A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans", compiled by William E. Connelley, Lewis Publishing  Submitted by JoAnn Scott COLEMAN HENTON came to Miami County in 1837, and is a native of Washington, Fayette County, Ohio,. He was born March 7, 1822, and is the eldest son of Benjamin and Rachel (Stinson) Henton, natives of Rockingham County, Virginia, and Ross County, Ohio, respectively, the former being born in 1793 and the latter in 1801. They came to Peru in 1837, where the husband followed the practice of medicine until March, 1863, when his death occurred. He was elected to the Legislature in 1846 and to the State Senate in 1852, serving one term in each house. The subject was reared principally in Peru where he secured a very good education, He was elected Sheriff on the Democratic ticket in 1847 and served two terms, and was a mail agent from 1856 to 1860, running over the I., P. & C. route. In 1854 he held! the responsible position of cashier of the State Stock Bank of Peru, which he held for one year, and he then moved on a farm of 120 acres a short distance north of Peru. His marriage to Miss Caroline Skinner was solemnized November 1, 1855, she being a daughter of Corsen C. Skinner (deceased), of this county. Three children were born as the result of this union. Mr. Henton's political views are Democratic. (Submitted by Barb Zigenmeyer) DEDICATED TO FREE GENEALOGY Submitters retain all copyrights ©2010 Genealogy Trails