E. d. wood lumber company
E. D. Wood lumber company -- owned by Elmer D. Wood -- was on the south side of Luzerne Street in the present location of Binder Brothers, across from the library. When E. D. Wood retired, he sold his business to brothers Willard and Leland ("Hook") Binder, in about 1949 or 1950.
Elmer established his lumber business in 1919, as best as can be said. A 1940 entry in Who's Who of Nebraska gives his occupational history. He farmed from 1890 to 1900. From 1900 to 1903, he worked in the stockyards in St. Joe. He then went to the Elk Creek lumberyard of Charles Smith, where he worked until 1910. Then he went back to farming. From 1914 to 1916, he worked for Zook & Edie, lumber dealers in Humboldt, but also farmed after the first year. He continued farming until 1919, when he became "secretary and manager" of "Table Rock Lumber Company." We're not sure how to reconcile this with the advertisements for the "E. D. Wood Lumber Company." When did the latter come into existence or is one simply "doing business as" the other?157317646
Elmer established his lumber business in 1919, as best as can be said. A 1940 entry in Who's Who of Nebraska gives his occupational history. He farmed from 1890 to 1900. From 1900 to 1903, he worked in the stockyards in St. Joe. He then went to the Elk Creek lumberyard of Charles Smith, where he worked until 1910. Then he went back to farming. From 1914 to 1916, he worked for Zook & Edie, lumber dealers in Humboldt, but also farmed after the first year. He continued farming until 1919, when he became "secretary and manager" of "Table Rock Lumber Company." We're not sure how to reconcile this with the advertisements for the "E. D. Wood Lumber Company." When did the latter come into existence or is one simply "doing business as" the other?157317646
In this photo taken from the water tower on November 10, 1941, you can see the lumber company to the upper right, two light-colored buildings beyond the opera house and bank. Photo 2304, by Arvid Blecha.
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Front door of the lumberyard. Photo 4913, donated by Ines Madden.
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June 1948 Argus
stories about a "wood" board
Photo 10900, a piece of wood from E. D. Wood Lumber Company, photo shared by Shelly Jame in July 2022
As Shelly James of Table Rock did some construction on her home, she found two boards that had inscriptions on the back identifying them as from the E. D. Wood Lumber Company. Here is a picture of one of the inscriptions. Shelly believes that the home was built around 1900 but it may have been later. The house was owned by Marvin Kent at one point.
There is quite a bit of history in the two names on this board -- the E. W. Wood Lumber Company and Robert S. Wood.
What relation was Robert S. Wood to E. D. Wood? Despite having the same last name, apparently none.
There is quite a bit of history in the two names on this board -- the E. W. Wood Lumber Company and Robert S. Wood.
What relation was Robert S. Wood to E. D. Wood? Despite having the same last name, apparently none.
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ELMER WOOD
Elmer D. Wood was a son of Charles Shaver ("C. S.") Wood and Nancy Slayton Wood. C. S. and Nancy came from Conquest, New York. According to Nancy's obituary, they had married in 1867 Elmer was born in 1873, and they came here in 1874. In June 1905, Elmer married Dollye Mann, who had grown up in Humboldt. The wedding was apparently in Kansas City, Missouri. He was about 32 years old at the time, and she was 24. In 1906, they had a son Frederic. (He died in 1976). In August 1905, Elmer's mother came down with typhoid fever, and a dramatic series of events followed. His father was off in the remote wilds of North Dakota on a business trip and great efforts were made to locate him and get him home, followed by a remarkable journey that culminated in a special train for him from Lincoln to Table Rock that traveled at the immense rate of a mile a minute. His mother died before the father could reach her bedside. Elmer, his brother Charles Wood and his sister Emma Wood Pierce must have been at her side, though. At leasts one other dramatic event followed. In 1918, Elmer's brother-in-law Harvey Mann was killed in World War I, in the battle of the Argonne Forest; his body could not be brought back to Nebraska until 1921. The Humboldt American Legion Post is named after Harvey Mann. Elmer died in 1955 at the age of 81. His wife Dollye had died in 1950. Elmer and Dollye are buried in Macomb, Illinois. |
ROBERT S. WOOD
This board bears the name Robert S. Wood, in addition to the name of the lumber company. Robert S. Wood, born here in 1876. If Shelly's home was built in 1900, Robert would have been 24 years old at the time. Robert was the son of Edgar & Elizabeth Lane Wood. Edgar was a Civil War veteran who had served with the 16th Wisconsin. According to his obituary, he had "enlisted in the 16th Wisconsin Infantry, when only sixteen years of age. He was wounded in the battle of Shiloh, and lay on the battlefield for forty-eight hours before help came." Edgar married Elizabeth Lane in 1868, and in the Spring of 1871 they came to Table Rock. They had 4 children, William, Nellie, Robert, and Leland. Of the four children of Edgar & Elizabeth, only their daughter, Nellie, lived an uninterrupted life. In 1897, William was killed in an accident near Tecumseh while working for the railroad. He was coupling an engine to a box car and somehow fell under the wheels. He was 27. In 1907, Leland drowned in raging flood waters near Table Rock while trying to save a neighbor's horses from a barn. He was 20. And in 1918, Robert himself died in the 1918 influenza pandemic. He had been in San Diego, California for one or two years, and his body was brought back to Table Rock. He was 41. The family -- Edgar & Elizabeth and all four of their children, are buried in the Table Rock Cemetery. |
AND SO.....
If Shelley's homer were built in 1900, Elmer was still a single man. His mother Nancy would still have been alive and well. She and E. D. Wood's father had been married in 1867, so were married 33 years. And in 1900, with Robert S. Wood somehow involved -- as carpenter, salesman, lumber inspector? -- Robert's brother William would have been dead a few years, his brother Leland would have been 13 years old but fated to live only another 7 years, and he himself would have had about 18 years of life left.
The construction of the house may have fallen in a different part of these life events. It is a bit confusing that the Who's Who entry identifies Wood's occupation as the lumberyard only beginning in 1919, and yet it is unlikely that the house was built after 1918 because Robert S. Wood died that year, and had been gone for one or two years before.
If Shelley's homer were built in 1900, Elmer was still a single man. His mother Nancy would still have been alive and well. She and E. D. Wood's father had been married in 1867, so were married 33 years. And in 1900, with Robert S. Wood somehow involved -- as carpenter, salesman, lumber inspector? -- Robert's brother William would have been dead a few years, his brother Leland would have been 13 years old but fated to live only another 7 years, and he himself would have had about 18 years of life left.
The construction of the house may have fallen in a different part of these life events. It is a bit confusing that the Who's Who entry identifies Wood's occupation as the lumberyard only beginning in 1919, and yet it is unlikely that the house was built after 1918 because Robert S. Wood died that year, and had been gone for one or two years before.
POST SCRIPTS
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THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE DESPERATE ATTEMPT OF HIS FATHER TO REACH HIS MOTHER'S DEATHBED can be read in this issue of the Historical Society's newsletter. The newsletter is a benefit of membership in the Historical Society. To join, send $10 for annual dues or $100 for a lifetime membership to the Historical Society, PO Box 66, Table Rock, Nebraska 68447. Many other such stories appear in each of the 4 issues per year.
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ELMER WOOD'S NIECE EMMA WOOD CUNNINGHAM. A niece of Elmer Wood's is still remembered by many in Table Rock, Emma Wood Cunningham. Emma was the daughter of Elmer's brother Charles ("Charlie") J. Wood and was born in 1904. Carl & Emma Cunningham lived in Omaha but eventually moved back to her hometown of Table Rock. They had a daughter Janice, who married Norman Marfice of Table Rock. As of 2022, Norman is a lifetime member of the Historical Society.
OTHER LUMBER BUSINESSES. Wood's business was not the first lumber related business in Table Rock. A sawmill was buillt on the Nemaha River, around 1856 and was one of the first businesses here, augmenting the grain mill that was the very first business here. The first lumber company was probably that of Linn & Cooper -- O. A. Cooper and Thomas Linn. Linn & Cooper expanded to a flouring mill in Humboldt, and eventually split up, with Cooper keeping the Humboldt business and Linn the Table Rock business.
source information
Obituaries are posted on the memorial pages of each on the site FindaGrave.com.
Who’s Who in Nebraska, transcribed at http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/topic/resources/OLLibrary/who1940/co/pawnee.htm
WOOD, ELMER DAVID: Lumber Dealer; b Cayuga Co, N Y July 26, 1873; s of Charles S Wood-Nancy J Slayton: ed Table Rock; comml course, Lincoln; m Dollye Mann June 18, 1907 Humboldt; s Fredric E; came with parents to Neb in Aug 1874, settled in Pawnee Co; 1890-1900 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1900-03 worked in the stockyards in St Joseph Mo; 1905-10 ptr of Charles Smith in lbr yd at Elk Creek; 1910-14 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1914-16 with Zook & Edie, lbr dirs in Humboldt; 1915-19 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1919- secy & mgr of Table Rock Lbr Co, Table Rock; mbr village bd; mbr sch bd many years; Comml Club; AF&AM, past master; Rep; hobby, fishing; res Table Rock.
WOOD, ELMER DAVID: Lumber Dealer; b Cayuga Co, N Y July 26, 1873; s of Charles S Wood-Nancy J Slayton: ed Table Rock; comml course, Lincoln; m Dollye Mann June 18, 1907 Humboldt; s Fredric E; came with parents to Neb in Aug 1874, settled in Pawnee Co; 1890-1900 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1900-03 worked in the stockyards in St Joseph Mo; 1905-10 ptr of Charles Smith in lbr yd at Elk Creek; 1910-14 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1914-16 with Zook & Edie, lbr dirs in Humboldt; 1915-19 farmed in Pawnee Co; 1919- secy & mgr of Table Rock Lbr Co, Table Rock; mbr village bd; mbr sch bd many years; Comml Club; AF&AM, past master; Rep; hobby, fishing; res Table Rock.