NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID
RG1074.AM: William Henry Woods, 1839-1927
Papers: 1864-1927
Fort Calhoun, Washington County, Nebraska: Journalist, historian
Size: 5.0 cu.ft.; 10 boxes + oversize
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
William Henry Woods was born in England, and was brought to America in 1849 because of poor health. He was orphaned in 1850 and made his way as a printer’s devil, boot black, or stable boy. In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, 10th Missouri Infantry, where he was given medical training. He married in 1863, and was discharged from the Army in 1864. Then he worked as a drug store clerk, and got into mission and YMCA work. Between 1870 and 1872, he was a circuit rider around Ft. Calhoun. In the early 1880’s he seems to have gone into journalism and, at the urging of Governor Furnas, began his study of Ft. Atkinson. He wrote a series of articles on pioneer history and was recognized as an authority on early Nebraska. Woods died on February 8, 1927 and was buried in the Fort Calhoun Cemetery.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of ten manuscript boxes of material consisting mainly of information accumulated by William Henry Woods for his newspaper column, “Pioneer Days.” Also included are various materials relating to people and events around Washington County. There is a great deal of information in letters and clippings concerned with the history and location of Fort Atkinson.
Correspondents include: Jacob Adriance, 1919; Robert J. Burdette, 1902, 1905, 1913; Lorenzo Crounse, 1906; Eugene Fontanelle, 1915, 1918-1919; Robert W. Furnas, 1902; John Goss, 1905-1906, 1909; Gilbert M. Hitchcock, 1903, 1910-1911; Robert R. Latta, 1919; Charles S. Lobingier, 1902-1905; Nellie Magee, 1913; Samuel R. McKelvie, 1921; Roscoe Pound, 1904; Charles W. Pool, 1916; and A.E. Sheldon.
INVENTORY
Box 1
Folder
- Correspondence, 1874-1906
- Correspondence, 1907-1911
- Correspondence, 1912-1918
- Correspondence, 1919-1927
- Correspondence, undated and fragments
- Diary/register, 1898-1899
- Diary/register, 1908-1909, 1915-1917
Diary/register, 1908-1910, 1922 - Diary/register, 1909-1923
Diary/register, 1909-1910, 1918-1926
Box 2
Folder
- Diary/register, 1910-1915
Diary/register, 1912-1915 - Diary/register, 1912-1921
Diary/register, 1913-1922
Diary/register, 1921 - Diary/register, 1921-1923
Diary/register, 1923-1925
Diary/register, 1925 - Diary/register, 1925-1926
Diary/register, 1926-1927
Box 3
Folder
- Autobiographical information, W.H. Woods and Woods family
- Civil War reminiscences and clippings
- Washington County Centennial Association minutes, 1921
- Biographical sketches and notes, including:
Black, Isaac
Cruickshank, James A. and wife (poem read at their 66th wedding anniversary)
Kountze, Herman
McMullen, Adam
Montrieul, Joseph - Historical notes (used in “Pioneer History” column)
- Scrapbook, 1889, Jan.-1890, May
- Scrapbook, 1890
Box 4
Item
- Scrapbook, 1890, May-1891, Aug.
- Scrapbook, 1891, Aug.-1894, Nov.
Box 5
Item
- Scrapbook, ca. 1898-1901
- Scrapbook, “Veter’n,” 1902-1924
- Scrapbook, “Pioneer History for Schools, 1912-1915
- Scrapbook, “Pioneer History for Schools – D.A.R.,” 1912-1915
- Scrapbook, “Officers’ Graves,” 1914
- Scrapbook, “Fort Cal City,” ca. 1915-1923
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R. 2,” 1916
- Scrapbook, “Pioneer History 2,” 1916-1917
Box 6
Item
- Scrapbook, “Pioneer History – D.A.R. 3,” 1917
- Scrapbook, “Fort,” 1918
- Scrapbook, “A War Album,” ca. 1919
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R. – W. Hist.,” 1919
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R.,” 1920
- Scrapbook, “Woods History & C.,” ca. 1905-1916
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R.,” 1922-1923
Box 7
Item
- Scrapbook, “Cannon, 1920 – Depot Celebration”
- Scrapbook, ca. 1922-1926
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., 1924”
- Scrapbook, “Feb. 15-1924”
- Scrapbook, “Apr. 1924”
Box 8
Item
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., Jul. 11, 1924”
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., Nov. 7, 1924”
- Scrapbook, “PION.,” ca. 1924
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., Jan. 16, 1925”
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., May 6, 1925”
- Scrapbook, “May 8, 1925”
- Scrapbook, “Fontenelle, 1925”
- Scrapbook, “Old Fort, 1925”
- Scrapbook, “1926 Woods”
- Scrapbook, “Woods, July 30, 1926”
- Scrapbook, “D.A.R., November 1926”
- Scrapbook, 1924 (see oversize)
Box 9
Folder
- Newspaper clippings
- Newspaper clippings
- Newspaper clippings
- Newspaper clippings
- Newspaper clippings
- Blair High School – events, programs, etc.
- Business cards, calling cards, etc.
Box 10
Folder
- Certificates
- Douglas County Veterans’ Association
- Elections/politics
- Fort Calhoun – events, programs, meetings, etc.
- Fort Calhoun/Fort Atkinson Centennial, 1919
- Fort Calhoun Historical Association
- Invitations – weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, commencements, etc.
- McKeith, Rev. George R.
- Nebraska Academy of Sciences
- Nebraska and Washington County
- Rally Day
- Territorial warrants
- Washington County – meetings, events, programs, etc.
- Washington County Pioneers and Old Settlers Association
- Washington County Veteran Association
- Miscellaneous
Subject headings:
Adriance, Jacob, 1835-1922
Burdette, Robert J.
Crounse, Lorenzo, 1834-1909
Fontenelle Family
Fontenelle, Eugene, 1863-1944
Fort Atkinson (Neb.) — History
Fort Calhoun (Neb.) — History
Frontier and pioneer life
Furnas, Robert Wilkinson, 1824-1905
Goss, John Q., 1827-1918
Hitchcock, Gilbert Monell, 1859-1934
Journalists — Nebraska
Lobingier, Charles Sumner, 1866-
Magee, Nellie Throop, 1874-1964
McKelvie, Samuel Roy, 1881-1956
Pound, Roscoe, 1870-1964
Pool, Charles Wesley, 1856-1930
Sheldon, Addison Erwin, 1861-1943
Washington County (Neb.) — History
Woods, William Henry, 1839-1927
WFS/HEK/js 08-31-1965
TMM 02-27-2017