A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians:
The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities, Volume 3
Author E. Polk Johnson
Lewis Publishing Company - January 1, 1912:
"James J. Wood. — One of the most important institutions in which a man may serve and one in which his life is constantly endangered is the fire department of a large city. Any fire alarm may mean the loss of life to the plucky fireman, but courageous and undisturbed by the thought of personal danger they venture forth to fight the flames and to do their ut most to save public life and property, regardless of the risk always involved. The chief of the fire department of Paducah, Kentucky, is James J. Wood, who has made his home in the fine old Blue Grass commonwealth since he was an infant of but three years of age. He was born in Massac county, Illinois, on the 29th of April, 1863, a son of William and Carrie (Cook) Wood, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of whom claimed Kentucky as the place of her birth. The father emigrated to Kentucky when a young man and was there engaged in farming and stock-raising for a few years, at the expiration of which he went to the state of Illinois, returning to this state after a short sojourn there. In 1866 he located in McCracken county, where he became identified with the steamboat business, being familiarly known as Captain Wood. His boats were plying on the Mississippi river between Cincinnati, Ohio and, New Orleans and he continued in this line of enterprise until his death, which occurred in 1873. His wife, who long survived him, was summoned to the life eternal in 1904.
Chief James J. Wood was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and he was but ten years of age at the time of his father's death. He passed his boyhood and early school days in McCracken county and his educational discipline was such as was afforded in the public schools of the county. When he had attained his legal majority he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company, at Paducah, and some time later he was engaged in the Paducah Transfer Company. In 1883 he volunteered in the Paducah fire department and was therewith connected until 1887. when the institution was reorganized as a pay department. He served in the hose department up to 1895, in which year he was elected chief of the department. The first engine utilized was one of the old-fashioned kind, operated by hand. In 1898 was purchased the first fire engine. The hand engine had been donated to the city of Paducah by Dan Rice, the noted showman, as a token of his kind remembrance to the citizens of Paducah. The first fire station was equipped with one horse and one man, and as time passed a station with a truck ladder and four men formed the fire brigade. In 1904 were added two more stations and in 1910 the number was raised to five in all. The first steam engine was purchased in 1898, as already noted, and it is still in a state of good preservation. The department now boasts of a fine hose truck, a chemical engine and a ladder truck, one of the best equipments in the state of Kentucky. Twenty-three men are constantly employed and the horses utilized number about ten.
In politics Chief Wood is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party and though he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors of emoluments of public office he has ever contributed a generous measure to all matters promoted for the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is connected with Paducah Lodge, No. 127, Free and Accepted Masons; Paducah Chapter, No. 30, Royal Arch Masons; Paducah Council, No. 32, Royal and Select Masons, and Paducah Commandery. No. 11, Knights Templars. He is also a valued member in the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Redmen, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As chief of the fire department Mr. Wood is doing a noble work and he is recognized as a man of constancy, sincerity and broad human sympathy, a man of ability and the utmost genial kindness of spirit."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities, Volume 3
Author E. Polk Johnson
Lewis Publishing Company - January 1, 1912:
"James J. Wood. — One of the most important institutions in which a man may serve and one in which his life is constantly endangered is the fire department of a large city. Any fire alarm may mean the loss of life to the plucky fireman, but courageous and undisturbed by the thought of personal danger they venture forth to fight the flames and to do their ut most to save public life and property, regardless of the risk always involved. The chief of the fire department of Paducah, Kentucky, is James J. Wood, who has made his home in the fine old Blue Grass commonwealth since he was an infant of but three years of age. He was born in Massac county, Illinois, on the 29th of April, 1863, a son of William and Carrie (Cook) Wood, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of whom claimed Kentucky as the place of her birth. The father emigrated to Kentucky when a young man and was there engaged in farming and stock-raising for a few years, at the expiration of which he went to the state of Illinois, returning to this state after a short sojourn there. In 1866 he located in McCracken county, where he became identified with the steamboat business, being familiarly known as Captain Wood. His boats were plying on the Mississippi river between Cincinnati, Ohio and, New Orleans and he continued in this line of enterprise until his death, which occurred in 1873. His wife, who long survived him, was summoned to the life eternal in 1904.
Chief James J. Wood was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and he was but ten years of age at the time of his father's death. He passed his boyhood and early school days in McCracken county and his educational discipline was such as was afforded in the public schools of the county. When he had attained his legal majority he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company, at Paducah, and some time later he was engaged in the Paducah Transfer Company. In 1883 he volunteered in the Paducah fire department and was therewith connected until 1887. when the institution was reorganized as a pay department. He served in the hose department up to 1895, in which year he was elected chief of the department. The first engine utilized was one of the old-fashioned kind, operated by hand. In 1898 was purchased the first fire engine. The hand engine had been donated to the city of Paducah by Dan Rice, the noted showman, as a token of his kind remembrance to the citizens of Paducah. The first fire station was equipped with one horse and one man, and as time passed a station with a truck ladder and four men formed the fire brigade. In 1904 were added two more stations and in 1910 the number was raised to five in all. The first steam engine was purchased in 1898, as already noted, and it is still in a state of good preservation. The department now boasts of a fine hose truck, a chemical engine and a ladder truck, one of the best equipments in the state of Kentucky. Twenty-three men are constantly employed and the horses utilized number about ten.
In politics Chief Wood is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party and though he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors of emoluments of public office he has ever contributed a generous measure to all matters promoted for the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is connected with Paducah Lodge, No. 127, Free and Accepted Masons; Paducah Chapter, No. 30, Royal Arch Masons; Paducah Council, No. 32, Royal and Select Masons, and Paducah Commandery. No. 11, Knights Templars. He is also a valued member in the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Redmen, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As chief of the fire department Mr. Wood is doing a noble work and he is recognized as a man of constancy, sincerity and broad human sympathy, a man of ability and the utmost genial kindness of spirit."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians:
The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities, Volume 3
Author E. Polk Johnson
Lewis Publishing Company - January 1, 1912:
"James J. Wood. — One of the most important institutions in which a man may serve and one in which his life is constantly endangered is the fire department of a large city. Any fire alarm may mean the loss of life to the plucky fireman, but courageous and undisturbed by the thought of personal danger they venture forth to fight the flames and to do their ut most to save public life and property, regardless of the risk always involved. The chief of the fire department of Paducah, Kentucky, is James J. Wood, who has made his home in the fine old Blue Grass commonwealth since he was an infant of but three years of age. He was born in Massac county, Illinois, on the 29th of April, 1863, a son of William and Carrie (Cook) Wood, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of whom claimed Kentucky as the place of her birth. The father emigrated to Kentucky when a young man and was there engaged in farming and stock-raising for a few years, at the expiration of which he went to the state of Illinois, returning to this state after a short sojourn there. In 1866 he located in McCracken county, where he became identified with the steamboat business, being familiarly known as Captain Wood. His boats were plying on the Mississippi river between Cincinnati, Ohio and, New Orleans and he continued in this line of enterprise until his death, which occurred in 1873. His wife, who long survived him, was summoned to the life eternal in 1904.
Chief James J. Wood was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and he was but ten years of age at the time of his father's death. He passed his boyhood and early school days in McCracken county and his educational discipline was such as was afforded in the public schools of the county. When he had attained his legal majority he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company, at Paducah, and some time later he was engaged in the Paducah Transfer Company. In 1883 he volunteered in the Paducah fire department and was therewith connected until 1887. when the institution was reorganized as a pay department. He served in the hose department up to 1895, in which year he was elected chief of the department. The first engine utilized was one of the old-fashioned kind, operated by hand. In 1898 was purchased the first fire engine. The hand engine had been donated to the city of Paducah by Dan Rice, the noted showman, as a token of his kind remembrance to the citizens of Paducah. The first fire station was equipped with one horse and one man, and as time passed a station with a truck ladder and four men formed the fire brigade. In 1904 were added two more stations and in 1910 the number was raised to five in all. The first steam engine was purchased in 1898, as already noted, and it is still in a state of good preservation. The department now boasts of a fine hose truck, a chemical engine and a ladder truck, one of the best equipments in the state of Kentucky. Twenty-three men are constantly employed and the horses utilized number about ten.
In politics Chief Wood is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party and though he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors of emoluments of public office he has ever contributed a generous measure to all matters promoted for the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is connected with Paducah Lodge, No. 127, Free and Accepted Masons; Paducah Chapter, No. 30, Royal Arch Masons; Paducah Council, No. 32, Royal and Select Masons, and Paducah Commandery. No. 11, Knights Templars. He is also a valued member in the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Redmen, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As chief of the fire department Mr. Wood is doing a noble work and he is recognized as a man of constancy, sincerity and broad human sympathy, a man of ability and the utmost genial kindness of spirit."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities, Volume 3
Author E. Polk Johnson
Lewis Publishing Company - January 1, 1912:
"James J. Wood. — One of the most important institutions in which a man may serve and one in which his life is constantly endangered is the fire department of a large city. Any fire alarm may mean the loss of life to the plucky fireman, but courageous and undisturbed by the thought of personal danger they venture forth to fight the flames and to do their ut most to save public life and property, regardless of the risk always involved. The chief of the fire department of Paducah, Kentucky, is James J. Wood, who has made his home in the fine old Blue Grass commonwealth since he was an infant of but three years of age. He was born in Massac county, Illinois, on the 29th of April, 1863, a son of William and Carrie (Cook) Wood, the former of whom was a native of Virginia and the latter of whom claimed Kentucky as the place of her birth. The father emigrated to Kentucky when a young man and was there engaged in farming and stock-raising for a few years, at the expiration of which he went to the state of Illinois, returning to this state after a short sojourn there. In 1866 he located in McCracken county, where he became identified with the steamboat business, being familiarly known as Captain Wood. His boats were plying on the Mississippi river between Cincinnati, Ohio and, New Orleans and he continued in this line of enterprise until his death, which occurred in 1873. His wife, who long survived him, was summoned to the life eternal in 1904.
Chief James J. Wood was the second in order of birth in a family of four children, and he was but ten years of age at the time of his father's death. He passed his boyhood and early school days in McCracken county and his educational discipline was such as was afforded in the public schools of the county. When he had attained his legal majority he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company, at Paducah, and some time later he was engaged in the Paducah Transfer Company. In 1883 he volunteered in the Paducah fire department and was therewith connected until 1887. when the institution was reorganized as a pay department. He served in the hose department up to 1895, in which year he was elected chief of the department. The first engine utilized was one of the old-fashioned kind, operated by hand. In 1898 was purchased the first fire engine. The hand engine had been donated to the city of Paducah by Dan Rice, the noted showman, as a token of his kind remembrance to the citizens of Paducah. The first fire station was equipped with one horse and one man, and as time passed a station with a truck ladder and four men formed the fire brigade. In 1904 were added two more stations and in 1910 the number was raised to five in all. The first steam engine was purchased in 1898, as already noted, and it is still in a state of good preservation. The department now boasts of a fine hose truck, a chemical engine and a ladder truck, one of the best equipments in the state of Kentucky. Twenty-three men are constantly employed and the horses utilized number about ten.
In politics Chief Wood is aligned as a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party and though he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors of emoluments of public office he has ever contributed a generous measure to all matters promoted for the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is connected with Paducah Lodge, No. 127, Free and Accepted Masons; Paducah Chapter, No. 30, Royal Arch Masons; Paducah Council, No. 32, Royal and Select Masons, and Paducah Commandery. No. 11, Knights Templars. He is also a valued member in the Woodmen of the World, the Improved Order of Redmen, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. As chief of the fire department Mr. Wood is doing a noble work and he is recognized as a man of constancy, sincerity and broad human sympathy, a man of ability and the utmost genial kindness of spirit."
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