Judge Samuel WOOD was born in Madison county, Ky., October 16, 1813. He is the oldest son of Richard WOOD, who was a native of Amherst county, Virginia, and who emigrated to Madison county, Ky., in 1806. He was married to Miss Celia GREGORY, several years before he left Virginia. He had by this union ten children, four of whom died in youth; the others, in after life, became citizens of Morgan county. They were, in the order of their birth: Nancy, deceased, former wife of Andrew SAMPLES, now residing near Waverly; Jane, deceased, former wife of Robert HARDIN, of California; Polly, present wife of Nathan MOORE, of La Plata, Mo.; Samuel, the subject of this sketch, residing on Section 16, township 14, range 9; James, of Labette county, Kansas; Rebecca, deceased, former wife of James ANTYL, of Morgan county. Mr. Wood's first wife died in Madison county, Ill., in November 1819. He was again married in 1821, to Mrs. Hessie CONLEE, relict of Rev. John CONLEE. He settled on Section 9, township 14, range 9, in March 1826.

Mr. WOOD was one of the pioneers of Morgan County, who, by a practical industry and moral life, was an ornament to the early community in which he lived, and a blessing to his family. His wife died in September 1861. Mr. WOOD died June 20, 1865. They were both esteemed for their many virtues. The subject of this sketch first settled on Section 16, in the township where he now resides. He purchased, entirely on credit, forty acres, in 1837, which he has from time to time increased, until, at this present, he has nearly three thousand acres of land, being the largest improved farm in the county. True, Judge WOOD had but a small financial capital with which to begin life, but he possessed that which was more valuable; viz., an enduring basis of moral principles, with an energy untiring and persistent, which, combined, have not only made him a good farmer, but a useful citizen. He is strictly a self-made man. His education is practical, and he possesses those business qualifications which insure success. His citizenship outranks the state, as he became a citizen of Illinois one year before it was admitted into the Union. He has devoted an active and industrious life, thus far to the developing of a county and state which take pride in claiming him as one of their prominent and useful citizens. He was married January 5, 1831, to Mrs. Martha SMITH, relict of Harvey SMITH, by which union he had eight children, in the following order of birth; viz.: James, born March 16, 1833, residing two miles east of his father; Elizabeth, born September 24, 1835, who died July 27, 1844; David, born April 4, 1838, residing three miles east of his father; Milton, born September 4, 1839, residing five miles west of Springfield; Iven, born February 24, 1841, residing near his father; George, born December 9, 1842, also residing near his father; Julia A., born June 17, 1847, present wife of James B. BECKMAN, residing near her father; and Richard S., born October 20, 1854, now residing with his parents.

Judge WOOD and his wife are still living in the enjoyment of mental and physical strength almost unimpaired by age, and they may still remain for years a blessing to their family and to the community of which, for so many years, they have been active and useful members. Mr. WOOD was elected Associate Judge of the County Court, in November 1869, which position he fills with ability, and satisfactorily to his fellow citizens. He, like his father before him, has made farming and stock growing a specialty.

ATLAS MAP OF MORGAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Davenport, Iowa, Andreas, Lyter & Co., 1872.