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Memoranda respecting the late
Hon. Joseph Wood,
New Haven, 1856.

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From the Library of
SIMEON E. BALDWIN, Y '6i
Gift of his children
HELEN BALDWIN GILMAN
ROGER SHERMAN BALDWIN, Y '90
1927

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NEW HAVEM, GONK..

MEMORANDA

BESFECTINQ THE LATE

HON. JOSEPH VOOD,

NEW HAVEN. CONN.

PRINTED FOB TBE USE OF THE FAMILT.

NEW HAVEN:
PRINTED BY J. H. BENHAM, GLEBE BUILDING.
1856.

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SKETCH OF LIFE, &c.

The paternal ancestors of Mr. Wood in this country, were
Jonas, Samuel, Joseph, Joseph, 2d, and David.*
Jonas Wood came to New England, probably Plymouth or
Boston, from Halifax, in Yorkshire, Eng., in 1630, and sub
sequently settled in Stamford, Conn., whence, in 1644, he
removed to Huntington, (formerly Hempsted,) L. I. He was
a man of great piety, respectability and influence, of excel
lent education, and possessed of a large estate. Joseph
Wood, 2d, great-grandson of Jonas, removed from Hunting
ton to Stanwich parish in the town of Greenwich, Conn. ;
at which place Joseph, (the late Judge Wood,) second son
of David, and grandson of Joseph 2d, was born March 24th,
1779. His father was a respectable farmer and a man of
piety. His mother was Sarah Ingersoll, a woman of great
cheerfulness and amiability of disposition.
Mr. Wood pursued farming till about sixteen years of age,
when he commenced study preparatory to entering college.

* The facts here stated respecting the ancestry of Mr. Wood, are from a
paper found among his manuscripts, and were obtained by him in 1840 from
Hon. Silas Wood, of Huntiagton, L. I.

and in 1801 graduated at Yale College, New Haven. He
read law under the direction of Judge Chauncey of New
Haven, and was there admitted to the bar.
He followed his profession in Stamford till the year 1826,
when he removed to Bridgeport, and thence, in 1837, to New
York city. In 1841, he removed to New Haven, where he
continued to reside till the time of his death. For about
ten years he held the office of Judge of Probate for the Dis
trict of Stamford. After removing to New Haven he was
for rsome itime Judge of the County Court, and in later years
iheld the office of City Clerk. While residing in New York
Ihe edited a periodical devoted to Agriculture, a subject in
\which he always took a deep interest. In addition to pro-
:fessional .duties, he spent much time and labor in collecting
materials and preparing a memoir of Chief Justice Ellsworth,
to whose second daughter, Frances, he was married May
10th, 1809. The work was never printed, and not long
since he plaiced the manuscript in the hands of Mr. Flan
ders, of Philadelphia, who is engaged in the preparation of
" Lives of the Chief Justices," in several volumes, the first
of which is already published.
During the later years of his life, Mr. Wood devoted much
itime to the study of the Scriptures and the investigation of
tquestions of theology, particularly redemption, the resurrec-
ition and the future life. His manuscripts on these subjects,
however, are fragmentary and incomplete, for in the midst
of his investigations he was called to exchange theory in
these matters for experimental knowledge — faith for sight.
In 1843, September 24th, he made a public profession of re
ligion, (a step which he had long contemplated,) uniting with

the First Church in New Haven, under the pastoral care of
Rev. Dr. Bacon. He was chosen a deacon of this Church
in 1848, and dischai-ged the duties of the office till the time
of his death.
As a Christian, he was consistent and uniform — not im
pulsive, but making religion a matter of principle. Natu
rally inclined to reserve, he seldom expressed freely his re
ligious feelings to others. His views on theological subjects
were clear, and in many respects original, for he was accus
tomed to think for himself ; and taking the plain teachings
of Scripture for his guide, he thought little of mere human
authority in matters of religion.
During his whole life, Mr. Wood enjoyed, in general, very
excellent health. The only critical illness through which
he passed, was a prolonged attack of pleurisy, in 1842. The
disease which resulted in his death, as shown by a post mor
tem exeimination, was ossification of the coronal artery of the
heart. Other arteries, also, were similarly affected. So
stealthy had been the approach of this disease, that he was
not at £dl aware of its' existence, inasmuch as his general
health was not sensibly impaired. He had indeed, at times,
experienced pain and difficulty of breathing when walking
rapidly, but had regarded it as arising from weakness of
the lungs.
Considering his constitutional shrinking from suff"ering
and timidity in view of death, the manner of his removal
from life — so free from conscious pain, so unassociated with
sickness and the ordinary terrors of dissolution, so really a
translation — can scarcely be looked upon as otherwise than
merciful. He had finished his course, and suddenly "he
was not, for God took him."

The last moments of Judge Wood, and the manner of his
death, are described in the following communication, kindly
sent to the family by the Club of literary gentlemen to which
he belonged, and at one of the weekly meetings of which,
Thursday forenoon, Nov. 13, 1856, at the house of Presi
dent Day, he was so suddenly taken from among the living.

The following paper was adopted by the Club of retired
gentlemen, at their session held in the study of Rev. Presi
dent Day, D. D., Nov. 27th, 1856.
" This Association would bow in reverent submission be
fore the Supreme Ruler, who, by a most impressive act of
his Providence, appeared in the midst of their circle at the
last session, and called one of their number, instantaneously,
out of this life into his eternal state. In a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, a highly respected and beloved mem
ber. Judge Wood — after speaking for about thirty minutes
in a clear and thorough manner to the question of the morn
ing, and listening a few moments to the speaker who imme
diately succeeded him — started from his chair, aS if with an
instinctive impulse to rush to the door for breath, and fell
down lifelesss upon the floor. Thus were the words with
which he had just before concluded his speech — " This is
all I have to say" — literally fulfilled, being the last utter
ance ever to escape from his lips.
In this solemn and impressive manner is this body again
called to sorrow over the inroads made by death upon their

rapidly thinning circle. Already within a few months have
they recorded the deaths of those eminent inen, the Rev.
James Murdock, D. D., and the Rev. Samuel Merwin. And
now they have to add to the list the name of the Hon. Joseph
Wood. On this occasion of their first meeting since that event,
the Association would express their feelings in the following
resolutions :
Resolved, That in the death of Judge Wood, this body
deplores the loss of -a fellow associate, highly esteemed for
the pleasant society and the enlightened conference which
he added to it by his presence.
Resolved, That in the death which we deplore, the State
has lost a virtuous citizen and an upright jurist ; the Church
a devoted member and an efficient officer ; and the world a
good and righteous man.
Resolved, That we deeply sympathise in the affliction of
the widow and children of the deceased, so suddenly be
reaved of the presence, the counsels and the cares of an af
fectionate husband and father ; and would record, for their
consolation, the grace of God the Savior made manifest in
enabling him during life to witness a good confession, and
in taking him at death away from all his trials without a
pang or struggle, to enter, we trust, upon his perfected state
in glory."
After adopting the above paper, it was voted that a copy,
signed by the Chairman of the meeting, be presented to the
widow and family of the deceased.
JEREMIAH DAY, Chairman.

Appended to the preceding paper, is the following report
of the remarks of Mr. Wood on the occasion referred to,
recorded from memory by the Rev. Dr. Fitch.
The question before the Club on the morning on which
Judge Wood died, was this : " What are the appropriate du
ties of ministers of the Gospel, in reference to the civil gov
ernment under which they live?"
It was conceded that under this Republican government
ministers of the Gospel, in their character as citizens, shared
alike, in common with all citizens, in the duties and privi
leges of controlling the course of government in the use of
the elective franchise. It was conceded, too, that in their
character as public preachers of the Gospel, it was an appro
priate duty for them to intercede, they and their flocks, for
the blessing of heaven to descend upon rulers ; and to teach
the people the duty of submission to civil government. The
chief point in the discussion turned upon the duty of their
preaching in respect to questions of government at issue be
fore the people ; political questions, or issues on which the
people themselves are to act and decide, as the controlling
power in this representative government.
The Judge spoke to the following purport : That he might
answer the general question somewhat difi"erently in respect
to the different civil gorernments under which the ministers
of Christ performed their office. In speaking to the sub
jects of the Czar of Russia, the preacher did not speak to
those who were responsible for the measures of government,
and he had no duty to inculcate upon them as citizens but
quiet submission to the government in all godliness and
honesty, or in all things consistent with godliness and hon-

esty. Under the constitutional government of Great Britain
and the United States, there might be occasion for thc
preachers of the Gospel to speak to the people of cases of
politiccil duty, or to warn them against active fellowship in
political crimes or sins.
The ground which the Judge took was, the comprehen
sive duty of the ministers of Christ to inculcate on the peo
ple all the principles of religion and morality. Ministers,
said he, are appointed of God to teach mankind the prin
ciples of religion and morality. This was the commission
of the Savior to the preachers of his Gospel, that they go
out to all nations, " teaching them to observe all things what
soever I have commanded you." There can be no question
that the principles of morality upheld in the law of God and
inculcated in the precepts of Christ, are comprehended in
the instructions which they are to give to the people while
ministering to them in the name of Christ. They are to
inculcate on all, obedience to the laws of the Sabbath, of
the family, of righteousness, of temperance, of kindness to
the poor £md needy, and to reprove and rebuke, for the sake
of correction, all sins against these laws. They act in their
appropriate sphere of duty, when, in the name of God the
Savior, they inculcate as they have opportunity and as the
people need, these principles of morality. What then shall
we say of cases in which the action of civil government is
concerned in the plotting or execution of crime, and the
people are called upon to aid the scheme ? Has the minis
ter of God no warning to give ? Must he be silent ? But
it is said that the preacher can have nothing to say in mat
ters in which the action of civil government is concerned —

10
that it is no part of his business to preach politics. I do not
pretend that it is an appropriate duty of preachers of the
Gospel to give lectures on state policy, on questions that re
late to merely temporal matters, and worldly expediency.
But if measures contemplated by government, or any part of
the people, which solicit public support, are themselves a
manifest invasion upon the principles of morality — such as
the extension of polygamy, or intemperance, or public rob
bery, or unjust exaction and cruelty — then it is that politics
have invaded the domain of the preacher ; and come up
against these injunctions of moral duty which he is to pro
claim and uphold in the name of God, whether men will
hear or forbear. He remains in his appropriate sphere of
duty, when, in the name of Christ, he warns and rebukes
those who, with their politics, thus come up against the do
main of moral duty. The formation of a political party,
committed to the enaction of any law or scheme involving
moral evil, cannot revoke the authority of Christ ; or the
duties of the preachers of his Gospel to uphold that autho
rity against invasion. There have been parties in the State,
in reference to the Sabbath, to temperance, and other moral
duties ; and ministers have inculcated moral obligation on
these topics, not to put down a mere political party, as such,
but to persuade men to righteousness, to confirm the faith
ful, to enlist the undecided, to convert the erring, and aid
the cause of God and righteousness against its enemies.
Now if we pass from thei broad commission given by
Christ to the preachers of his Gospel, we have an example
in Paul, an inspired apostle of Christ, to show particularly
that ministers of the Gospel are to apply the principles of

11
religion and morality to the sphere of political action. It is
found in a precept which he gives in his epistle to the Phi-
lippians, (i : 27*) ; that they conform their political life in
the State to the Gospel. " Let your conversation be," it is
rendered in our translation, " as becometh the Gospel of
Christ :" — in accordance with its religious and moral teach
ings. " iroXjrEusrf^s" is the Greek word which the apostle uses.
Act politically, as becometh the Gospel of Christ. Let your
conduct as citizens, your conduct in the State, correspond
with the teachings of Christ. In other words, let the Gospel
rule you as you act in society, and with the citizens of the
State — and be not withdrawn from your duty, (as the context
shows,) by fear of adversaries in the State around you. It
would seem fi-om this precept, therefore, that ministers are to
teach the christian religion and its morality as the duty of
men, not merely individually, but in their relation to their
fellow citizens and the State.
This is all I have to say.

The funeral of Judge Wood was attended at his late resi
dence, on Monday, Nov. 17th, on which occasion were
present all his children, except a son who arrived the day
following, and before the remains were finally deposited.

* This text was found written in Greek and English among some business
memoranda in Mr. Wood's pocket-book — doubtless for use on this occasion.

Famptiisji Binder
Gaylord Bros.. Inc.
Makers
Syracuse, N. Y.
PAI. JAN 21, 1308

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