John Woods
Rep. John Woods would have earned his place in local history on the basis of his two productive terms in the United States Congress. His efforts in Washington helped save Ohio's canal system and bring its benefits to Hamilton.
But the 33-year-old Woods didn't rest on his laurels when his second congressional term expired in 1828.
Instead, he worked for a number of Hamilton improvements, including schools, turnpikes, a water-power system, three railroads and the merger of Hamilton and Rossville.
After leaving Congress, Woods became owner of the Hamilton Intelligencer in 1829 and a year later its editor. He sold the weekly newspaper in 1832 to Lewis D. Campbell.
In January 1845 he was elected state auditor by the Ohio General Assembly and served two three-year terms until 1851.
Woods also was on local committees on a variety of civic matters. He suggested formation of several of these groups which promoted the growth and stability of the area.
During the 1830s and 1840s, Woods was associated with several area turnpikes. For example, he was president of the Hamilton, Rossville, Darrtown, Oxford and Fairhaven Turnpike and a director of the Cincinnati & Hamilton Turnpike.
He was an original director of the Hamilton & Rossville Hydraulic in the 1840s, serving mostly behind the scenes to secure political and financial support.
Woods had a strong hand in the political and financial negotiations that brought three railroads into Hamilton in the late 1840s and early 1850s.
He joined Lewis D. Campbell in drafting the original charter for the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad in 1846, was one of its original incorporators in the same year and remained a CH&D director until his death in 1855.
From 1852 through 1854, Woods was president of the Eaton & Hamilton Railroad, a 28-mile line which opened May 1, 1853. This line eventually connected Hamilton to Chicago via Richmond, Muncie and other Indiana points and remains in use today as part of the Norfolk Southern system.
From 1851 until his death in 1855, Woods was president of the Junction Railroad. Through his leadership, the Junction overcame several obstacles that had delayed the road which would link Hamilton, Oxford and Indianapolis. Construction started in September 1853, but Woods didn't live to see it open in 1859.
Woods' final project was unification of Hamilton on the east side of the Great Miami River and Rossville on the western bank. The two towns had been commercial rivals since the formation of Rossville in 1804, and earlier attempts at merging the communities had failed.
As president of the Junction Railroad, which would serve both towns, Woods saw great advantages in a merger.
In October 1853, Woods was a Hamilton representative on a joint committee considering unification.
Jan. 5, 1854, Woods opened his home for a dinner for leaders in the two towns. He used the event to express his views, and as president of the company, he offered to have a free bridge built under the Junction Railroad's proposed bridge between Hamilton and Rossville.
Within a few weeks, Woods joined Thomas Millikin, M. C. Ryan, William Hunter, Samuel Snively and Alfred Thomas on a joint committee which drafted the terms and conditions of combining the communities.
At an election in April 1854 the merger was approved by a margin of 261 votes out of 719 cast. It was favored by 68.9 percent in Hamilton (331 for, 149 against) and 66.5 percent of Rossville residents, a total of 490 for and 229 against.
The Hamilton-Rossville merger was completed in February 1855, but 60-year-old John Woods didn't live long enough to see the full results of his leadership. He died July 30, 1855.
But the 33-year-old Woods didn't rest on his laurels when his second congressional term expired in 1828.
Instead, he worked for a number of Hamilton improvements, including schools, turnpikes, a water-power system, three railroads and the merger of Hamilton and Rossville.
After leaving Congress, Woods became owner of the Hamilton Intelligencer in 1829 and a year later its editor. He sold the weekly newspaper in 1832 to Lewis D. Campbell.
In January 1845 he was elected state auditor by the Ohio General Assembly and served two three-year terms until 1851.
Woods also was on local committees on a variety of civic matters. He suggested formation of several of these groups which promoted the growth and stability of the area.
During the 1830s and 1840s, Woods was associated with several area turnpikes. For example, he was president of the Hamilton, Rossville, Darrtown, Oxford and Fairhaven Turnpike and a director of the Cincinnati & Hamilton Turnpike.
He was an original director of the Hamilton & Rossville Hydraulic in the 1840s, serving mostly behind the scenes to secure political and financial support.
Woods had a strong hand in the political and financial negotiations that brought three railroads into Hamilton in the late 1840s and early 1850s.
He joined Lewis D. Campbell in drafting the original charter for the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad in 1846, was one of its original incorporators in the same year and remained a CH&D director until his death in 1855.
From 1852 through 1854, Woods was president of the Eaton & Hamilton Railroad, a 28-mile line which opened May 1, 1853. This line eventually connected Hamilton to Chicago via Richmond, Muncie and other Indiana points and remains in use today as part of the Norfolk Southern system.
From 1851 until his death in 1855, Woods was president of the Junction Railroad. Through his leadership, the Junction overcame several obstacles that had delayed the road which would link Hamilton, Oxford and Indianapolis. Construction started in September 1853, but Woods didn't live to see it open in 1859.
Woods' final project was unification of Hamilton on the east side of the Great Miami River and Rossville on the western bank. The two towns had been commercial rivals since the formation of Rossville in 1804, and earlier attempts at merging the communities had failed.
As president of the Junction Railroad, which would serve both towns, Woods saw great advantages in a merger.
In October 1853, Woods was a Hamilton representative on a joint committee considering unification.
Jan. 5, 1854, Woods opened his home for a dinner for leaders in the two towns. He used the event to express his views, and as president of the company, he offered to have a free bridge built under the Junction Railroad's proposed bridge between Hamilton and Rossville.
Within a few weeks, Woods joined Thomas Millikin, M. C. Ryan, William Hunter, Samuel Snively and Alfred Thomas on a joint committee which drafted the terms and conditions of combining the communities.
At an election in April 1854 the merger was approved by a margin of 261 votes out of 719 cast. It was favored by 68.9 percent in Hamilton (331 for, 149 against) and 66.5 percent of Rossville residents, a total of 490 for and 229 against.
The Hamilton-Rossville merger was completed in February 1855, but 60-year-old John Woods didn't live long enough to see the full results of his leadership. He died July 30, 1855.