Born 24 Jan. 1841 in Burlington, Des Moines Co., Iowa Territory.[1] Son of James Weston Woods and Catherine Chapin Wells.[2] Served in the Civil War, Nov. 1861–Aug. 1864.[3] Studied and practiced law in Iowa, 1866–1871.[4] Moved to Utah Territory, 1872.[5] Practiced law and was a notary public in Salt Lake City, 1873–1888.[6] Member of the Wasatch Literary Association, 1874.[7] Married Melvina Carolina Whitney, 7 Nov. 1874.[8] Moved his family to Shoshone Co., Idaho Territory, 1888.[9] Visited regularly by EBW in Idaho.[10] Lawyer and district judge in Shoshone Co., 1888–1920.[11] Participant in and signer of the Idaho constitutional convention, 4–6 July 1889.[12] Member of the Masons, Elks, and Grand Army of the Republic.[13] Sponsored the first woman lawyer in Idaho, 1895.[14] Ran for the U.S. Senate, 1909.[15] Died 10 Nov. 1920 in Wallace, Shoshone Co.[16] Buried in Salt Lake City.[17]
[1] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. EBW, Diary, 24 Jan. 1901 and 1902. Utah State Archives, Military Records, “Records of Veterans with Federal Service Buried in Utah, Territorial to 1966,” Salt Lake Co., William Wells Woods, microfilm 485494, DGS 4236477, image 459/1338, FHL. 1860 U.S. Census, Burlington City, Des Moines Co., IA, p. 153, William W. Woods. “Family Tree,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org, accessed 30 Aug. 2019), William Wells Woods (KN8P-JRL).
[2] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. 1860 U.S. Census, Burlington City, Des Moines Co., IA, p. 152, William W. Woods.
[3] “William W. Woods,” Civil War/Search for Soldiers, National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers-detail.htm?soldierId=35BAEBE0-DC7A-DF11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A, accessed 3 Sept. 2019). Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in the War of the Rebellion Together with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organizations, 1861–1866, vol. 4 (Des Moines: Iowa General Assembly, 1910), 667, 837.
[4] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. “Death Summons Judge W. Woods,” Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), 11 Nov. 1920, 5.
[5] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. “Professional Cards,” Salt Lake Daily Tribune, 1 Jan. 1873, 1.
[6] “Professional Cards,” Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Jan. 1873, 1. Utah Directory for 1883–84 (Salt Lake City: J. C. Graham, 1883), 608. Salt Lake City Directory (New York: U.S. Directory Publishing, 1885), [318], [320].
[7] Ronald W. Walker, “Growing Up in Early Utah: The Wasatch Literary Association 1874–1878,” BYU Studies Quarterly 43, no. 1, 63, 66. “The Wasatch Literary Association,” Improvement Era, Sept. 1925, 1019. “Professional Cards,” Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Jan. 1873, 1.
[8] EBW, Diary, 31 Oct. 1874; 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 Nov. 1874. 1880 U.S. Census, Salt Lake City Eighteenth Ward, Salt Lake Co., Utah Territory, p. 24, William Woods.
[9] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. “Auction! Auction!,” Deseret Evening News (Salt Lake City), 24 Aug. 1888, 2.
[10] EBW, Diary, 10 Sept. 1896; 7 Nov. 1899; 25 Dec. 1902.
[11] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. EBW, Diary, 16 Sept. 1896; 23 Nov. 1899. “Notice,” Wallace (ID) Miner, 14 Sept. 1916, 2. “Death Summons Judge W. Woods,” Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), 11 Nov. 1920, 5.
[12] James H. Hawley, History of Idaho the Gem of the Mountains, vol. 1 (Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing, 1920), 199–200.
[13] Illustrated History of the State of Idaho (Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1899), 629. EBW, Diary, 28 Nov. 1899. “Death Summons Judge W. Woods,” Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), 11 Nov. 1920, 5.
[14] “Idaho’s First Woman Lawyer,” Idaho Legal History Society 2, no. 1 (Jan. 2010): 1.
[15] “United States Senators Chosen, 1909,” The Tribune Almanac and Political Register (New York: The Tribune Association, 1910), 271. Carol Cornwall Madsen, Emmeline B. Wells: An Intimate History (Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 2017), 427.
[16] “Idaho Death Certificates, 1911–1937,” file no. 32334, image 506/2700 (1920), William Wells Woods; Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Boise. “Death Summons Judge W. Woods,” Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), 11 Nov. 1920, 5.
[17] “William Wells Woods,” Salt Lake City Cemetery, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, Find a Grave, posted 2 July 2011, memorial no. 72455514 (http://findagrave.com, accessed 5 Sept. 2019). Utah State Archives, Military Records, “Records of Veterans with Federal Service Buried in Utah, Territorial to 1966,” Salt Lake Co., William Wells Woods, microfilm 485494, DGS 4236477, image 459/1338, FHL.