Wood, Samuel (1), Dd

Wood, Samuel (1), D.D.

a Congregational minister, was born at Mansfield, Conn., May 11,1752. From an early period he determined to enter the ministry, but it was not till he was twenty-two years old-that he began his preparation for it. Under Rev. Isaiah Potter, of Lebanon, N.H., he prepared to enter Dartmouth College, from which he graduated in 1779. Seven weeks after his graduation he was licensed to preach. In October, 1781, he accepted a call to the Church at Boscawen, and here he continued to preach until May, 1802. A new society was formed in the town at that time, and of this, although the smaller, parish, he became the pastor. He never fully recovered from an attack of a violent disease in 1828. Rev. Salmon Bennett was installed as colleague pastor with Dr. Wood in December, 1832, but after four years Dr. Wood was again sole pastor. For twenty years he officiated gratuitously as superintendent of the schools in the town; and was influential in establishing a library and an academy. He died in Boscawen, N. H., Dec. 24,1838. He fitted a large number of young men for college. He was an earnest and impressive preacher.' See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 2, 169.