This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 27, 1945
Gen. George H. Wood Dies At Dayton Home
Brig. Gen. George H. Wood, native Daytonian well known for his efficient command of Dayton and Montgomery County during the great 1913 flood, died at 8:30 a.m. today at his home, 25 West Schantz avenue in Oakwood.
During his 78 years, General Wood was active in many civic, state and national affairs.
He was born Nov. 3, 1867, in Dayton. His father was Gen. Thomas J. Wood, a West Point graduate in 1845 and a distinguished officer during the Civil War. His mother was the former Caroline Greer.
General Wood attended the Dayton Collegiate institute and was graduated from the Sheffield Scientific school, Yale university, in 1887 with a degree of bachelor of philosophy.
Studies Law
In 1889, he was graduated from the Cincinnati law school and first honors in his class. He practiced law in Dayton from 1890 to 1898.
In 1898, at President McKinley’s call for troops, he climbed from a private in the ranks of the infantry to a second lieutenant before he was mustered out that year.
Appointed a first lieutenant in the 28th infantry in 1899, he served until 1901 in the Philippine islands. He took part in campaigns and expeditions in Luzon and Mindanao.
He refused a commission in the regular Army and returned to Dayton to go into partnership with Henry Loy in the brokerage business until 1913.
In 1907, he acted as secretary of the citizens’ relief association which handled the depression conditions locally that year.
Ohio Adjutant General
Appointed a member of the Civil Service commission in Dayton in 1910, he aided in drafting a code and building up the system from ground-level.
Gov. James M. Cox appointed him adjutant general of Ohio in 1913.
When the flood devastated Dayton that year, General Wood took command of Dayton and Montgomery county. At one time, he had more than 3,000 soldiers of the Ohio National Guard carrying out his orders. The strictest martial law was enforced, and order was restored in a surprisingly short time. His work received the highest commendation from Gen. Leonard Wood, at that time chief of staff of the U.S. Army, who visited Dayton during the flood.
During his two years in the adjutant general’s office, he saved $120,000 from appropriations for that department. Part of the money he allocated to the erection of four additional armories for the Ohio National Guard.
He was reappointed adjutant general of Ohio by Governor Cox in 1917.
When World War I broke out, General Wood was most active in mobilization of the National Guard of Ohio. Over 20,000 men were enlisted in the Ohio Guard, the largest number enlisted in any state with the exception of New York. When the guard went into service, the 37th division was complete in every unit.
Commissioned A Colonel
Operation and management of the selective service act in Ohio was entrusted to General Wood from May, 1916 to June, 1918. He then accepted commission as colonel in the active military service and went almost immediately to France. He saw action in the Bacarat sector, the Marne, at St. Mihiel and in the Meuse-Argonne offensive. He became a brigadier general in connection with his work with the Oho National Guard.
Upon being mustered out of the Army, he resumed his work with the National Military Home. He had been elected president of the board of managers of the Home in 1916, and he served with it until 1930.
When all veteran relief activities were consolidated in 1930, the National Military home was merged with the Veterans’ Administration. The headquarters of the home moved from Dayton to Washington.
General Wood was asked to continue in charge of the Soldiers’ Home work in Washington, but he was unwilling to give up his home in Dayton. He remained in service as the administrator’s special representative covering Soldiers’ Home activities. In 1933, he became consultant in connection with the hospitalization work.
From 1932 to 1935, General Wood was quite active in various movements concerning rural rehabilitation and production-for-use work. As a resident of Oakwood, he was particularly active in various community affairs – especially in building up of the school system there.
Among the survivors are his wife, the former Virginia Peirce, daughter of the late Peirce of Dayton. Also surviving are two sons, Thomas J. and Peirce Wood, a Dayton attorney, and three grandchildren.
General Wood was the last surviving charter member of the Buz Fuz club. He also was a member of the Spanish-American War Veterans and the American Legion. He was affiliated with the Westminster Presbyterian church.
