JOSEPH J. WOODS GRAVESTONE PHOTO
The Parsons Sun, Friday, Thursday, October 3, 1889, Pg. 1:
Col. J. J. Woods died at his residence in Montana township, of hemorage of the kidneys at the age of 66 years Friday morning, after an illness of ten days. Col. Woods was an old settler of this county, a substantial and highly respected citizen, and his death will be deplored throughout the entire county, his acquaintance extending into every township. He was a graduate of West Point, graduating in 1846, and was from the same congressional district from which Ulysses S. Grant went to West Point, the colonel being the next cadet chosen after Grant. After he graduated he was commissioned to a regiment in the Mexican war as a lieutenant and was placed in charge of the citadel near the city of Veracruz. After peace was declared he turned over the citadel to the Mexican authorities. At the breaking out of the rebellion he recruited the 12th Iowa infantry, of which he was made colonel. He was wounded twice at the battle of Shiloh and was taken prisoner alone with his regiment and held over night, but was recaptured the next morning by the Union forces and sent home, and as soon as his wounds would permit he recruited men for the war until his regiment was exchanged, when he again took command of it and fought, many a hard battle until the close of the war. He was twice appointed by President Grant to the office of inspector at West Point. He removed from Iowa to Kansas in May, 1869 and settled on the farm in Montana township, this county, where he died, and which is now occupied by his family, consisting of a wife and grown children. He was a staunch Republican, twice represented his district in the legislature, and was always prominent in politics. The remains were interred in the G. A. R. lot at Oakwood cemetery at 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon, the G. A. R. of this city forming in procession at their hall on Forest avenue and marching to the junction of the Johnson avenue road and the road leading to the cemetery, where they met and escorted the remains to the cemetery.