Preceded by Compton White, Sr. Name John Wood Battles and wars World War I Children 5 Succeeded by Gracie Pfost | Political party Republican Party Republican Party Nationality United States Role Physician Resigned January 3, 1953 | |
Born November 25, 1878
Wakefield, England ( 1878-11-25 ) Resting place Forest Cemetery
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Spouse(s) Margaret O. Thomson
(1889–1978)
(m. 1907–1954, his death) Died November 2, 1954, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States Education Wayne State University School of Medicine | ||
John Travers Wood (November 25, 1878 – November 2, 1954) was an American physician and one-term congressman from northern Idaho.
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Early life and education
Born in the UK at Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Wood immigrated with his parents to the United States in 1889. They settled in Woodridge, North Dakota, and he was naturalized a citizen in 1901. After graduating public schools there, he taught school for six years; he then graduated from Detroit College of Medicine. He moved to Hannah, North Dakota, and set up a practice there for one year, before moving west to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Career
From 1910 to 1950, he worked as a surgeon for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. In addition, he served as the mayor of Coeur d'Alene during 1911 and 1912, and founded the town's hospital. During World War I, he served as a lieutenant in the medical corps of the U.S. Army.
In the 1950 election, Wood ran as a Republican for the open seat in Congress from Idaho's first district. He took office at age 72 and served a single term, narrowly losing his re-election bid in 1952 to Gracie Pfost. During his term, he also mentioned his distrust of the United Nations, citing its charter's similarities to the Soviet Union's constitution, and mentioned as much to the U.S. Flag Committee.
Later life and death
Wood left the House on January 1953 and returned to Coeur d'Alene, where he died less than two years later.
Election results
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