John B. Wood
Encyclopedia
John B. Wood was a 19th century journalist from Lebanon, Maine
. At various times he
was employed by the New York Times, New York Tribune
, The Sun (New York), New York Herald
, and the New York Evening News. He was educated at
the Kennebunk Academy until he was sixteen. He entered a printing office where he learned to set type prior to working for several newspapers in Maine
and New Hampshire
. When he was eighteen Wood journeyed from New York City
to Washington, DC to attend the inauguration of President James Knox Polk.
than reporting. He stayed for four years before he joined the composing room of the New York Tribune. Shifting to the proof-room of the
Tribune, Wood was presented with the task of deciphering the hieroglyphics of Horace Greeley
. After several years he left this position to
become a full time correspondent of the Sacramento Union
. Following the conclusion of the American Civil War
Wood became a reporter for
the New York Times and afterward became head of the New York Evening News. He left this post to assume the role of assistant city editor and later night editor of the New York Tribune.
Wood left the Tribune in 1869 to become night editor of The Sun when Charles A. Dana and Isaac W. England took control of the newspaper. He earned a reputation for skilled journalism during his twelve year tenure at The Sun. With limitations on space he displayed a talent for eliminating unnecessary words and became known as The Great American Condenser. On weekends Wood served as city editor of
the Sunday Mercury
. In 1881 he moved from The Sun to the New York Herald to work as a reporter. He was unhappy in this position and
left it to become proprietor of the St. Louis Chronicle in St. Louis, Missouri
. His final employment was editing the Sunbeam column in The Sun.
Typographical Union No. 6, of which he was president for several terms. His appearance was benignant. He was squarely built with broad shoulders and a deep chest. His head was large with a broad forehead and bushy hair sprinkled with gray. Wood had a long white, wavy beard.
He resided at No. 67 East Tenth Street in New York City.
between North River Piers No. 3 and 4 at 12:20 a.m. on January 28, 1884. He fell a distance of twelve feet, breaking through the ice and sinking to his arms. His fall was witnessed by a man on a canal boat
who shouted Man overboard!. He was taken unconscious by policeman to a bar on West Street and died within fifteen minutes of being taken from the water.
He is buried in the Press Club lot in Cypress Hills Cemetery.
Lebanon, Maine
Lebanon is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,083 at the 2000 census. Lebanon includes the villages of Center Lebanon, West Lebanon, North Lebanon, South Lebanon and East Lebanon. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan...
. At various times he
was employed by the New York Times, New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, The Sun (New York), New York Herald
New York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
, and the New York Evening News. He was educated at
the Kennebunk Academy until he was sixteen. He entered a printing office where he learned to set type prior to working for several newspapers in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. When he was eighteen Wood journeyed from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Washington, DC to attend the inauguration of President James Knox Polk.
Career as a journalist
In 1847 he established a newspaper, the Thursday Sketcher, in Great Falls, New Hampshire. He ran the newspaper for four years before coming to New York City to report for a number of papers. He set type for the New York Times, a task which was more profitable in this erathan reporting. He stayed for four years before he joined the composing room of the New York Tribune. Shifting to the proof-room of the
Tribune, Wood was presented with the task of deciphering the hieroglyphics of Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
. After several years he left this position to
become a full time correspondent of the Sacramento Union
Sacramento Union
The Sacramento Union was a daily newspaper founded in 1851 in Sacramento, California. It was the oldest daily newspaper west of the Mississippi River before it closed its doors after 143 years in January 1994, no longer able to compete with The Sacramento Bee, which was founded in 1857, just six...
. Following the conclusion of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Wood became a reporter for
the New York Times and afterward became head of the New York Evening News. He left this post to assume the role of assistant city editor and later night editor of the New York Tribune.
Wood left the Tribune in 1869 to become night editor of The Sun when Charles A. Dana and Isaac W. England took control of the newspaper. He earned a reputation for skilled journalism during his twelve year tenure at The Sun. With limitations on space he displayed a talent for eliminating unnecessary words and became known as The Great American Condenser. On weekends Wood served as city editor of
the Sunday Mercury
Sunday Mercury (New York)
The Sunday Mercury was a weekly Sunday newspaper published in New York City that grew to become the highest-circulation weekly newspaper in the United States at its peak...
. In 1881 he moved from The Sun to the New York Herald to work as a reporter. He was unhappy in this position and
left it to become proprietor of the St. Louis Chronicle in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. His final employment was editing the Sunbeam column in The Sun.
Personal life and appearance
Wood was a member of the New York Press Club and served as its president in 1878 and 1879. He was a Freemason and was a member ofTypographical Union No. 6, of which he was president for several terms. His appearance was benignant. He was squarely built with broad shoulders and a deep chest. His head was large with a broad forehead and bushy hair sprinkled with gray. Wood had a long white, wavy beard.
He resided at No. 67 East Tenth Street in New York City.
Death
Wood died following a fall from a bulkheadBulkhead
Bulkhead may refer to:* Bulkhead, a compartment of a building for preventing spread of fires, see Compartmentalization * Bulkhead , a retaining wall used as a form of coastal management, akin to a seawall, or as a structural device such as a bulkhead partition* Bulkhead , a wall within the hull of...
between North River Piers No. 3 and 4 at 12:20 a.m. on January 28, 1884. He fell a distance of twelve feet, breaking through the ice and sinking to his arms. His fall was witnessed by a man on a canal boat
Canal boat
There are three articles associated with canal watercraft:* The Volunteer - A replica 1848 canal boat docked on the Illinois and Michigan Canal at LaSalle, Illinois* Narrowboat - a specialized craft for operation in early narrow canals...
who shouted Man overboard!. He was taken unconscious by policeman to a bar on West Street and died within fifteen minutes of being taken from the water.
He is buried in the Press Club lot in Cypress Hills Cemetery.