William H. Wood
July 20, 1919; Oregonian, p 10
"Pioneer of 1849 Dies"
Enterprise, Or., July 19
 
   William H. Wood died Thursday, July 20, 1919, at the home of his son, George D. Wood, near Lostine. He was 96 years and 10 months old, the oldest person in Wallowa county, and had served as a volunteer in the American army in the Mexican war, and had panned gold in the days of '49 in California.
 
   The funeral was held Friday at the Wood home and burial was in the Lostine cemetery. Rev. C. C. Pratt of Wallowa conducted the services.
 
   Mr. Wood was born August 26, 1822, in Cattaraugus county, New York. When he was 3 years old he was taken by his parents to Michigan. Their household effects were loaded into a one-horse wagon and hauled to Lake Erie, over which they sailed to the wilderness of Michigan. A few years later the family pushed out to the prairie country, going to Iowa, and later to Missouri. In the war with Mexico Mr. Wood was one of the runners who carried the peace terms to the Mexican lines, traveling 190 miles without food or rest, stopping only to change horses.
 
   At the close of the Mexican war he went to California, and then up to the Willamette valley. Gold had not been discovered then in California, but was found shortly after Mr. Wood came to Oregon. He returned to the southern state and panned gold in the California creeks through the excitement of the days of '49.
 
   After the first wave of the gold rush had subsided, Mr. Wood returned to Oregon, and was married near Salem to Elizabeth Tatum. To this union were born four children, all of whom are dead. The young wife died in 1859.
 
   Later Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary E. (Frances) Boatman. One child was born to them, George D. Wood. The mother passed away January 13, 1909.