Near Lost City in Hardy County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Woodlawn

Home of James W. Wood

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 22, 2011

1. Woodlawn Marker

Inscription.

Woodlawn. Home of James W. Wood. , The frame house across the road is Woodlawn, the home of James Ward Wood, who served as a private in Co. F (originally the Hampshire Riflemen), 7th Virginia Cavalry (CS), from January to August 1864. During this period, the unit fought in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. In the summer of 1864, it served in the Shenandoah Valley in Gen. Jubal A. Early's army. , When the war began in 1861, James Wood was fifteen years old; his mother died when he was twelve. He lived at Woodlawn with his father, two younger brothers, a grandmother, and a cousin. Wood’s father cultivated 750 out of his 2,250 acres, utilizing the labor of his slaves, two families totaling nine people. They raised cattle, sheep, and hogs and grew wheat, cotton, and burley tobacco for cigars. As a boy, James Wood learned to ride, shoe horses, repair wagons, and handle firearms, skills that served him well in the cavalry. Confederate cavalrymen owned their own mounts and equipment and frequently (especially late in the war) returned home as did Wood to acquire fresh horses. Wood also came back here more than once to recuperate from wounds and illnesses., After the war, he attended Washington College in Lexington, Virginia, and helped found Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He farmed in Missouri for four years and then returned home, where he was a farmer and justice of the peace and served three terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates. He died in 1926 at Woodlawn and is buried in Lost City Presbyterian Church Cemetery., “4 Feb. 1864. Yankees advance on [Gen. Jubal A.] Early and [Gen. Thomas L.] Rosser at Moorefield. … [Rosser] retreated by Harpers and Early by Mathias’ [and] arrived safely in the valley. The Yankees shelled the woods for Six hours but hurt no one, the[re] being no one there to hurt. They then retreated to Romney stealing a great number of horses … and in some instances all the bacon from the Citizens. Taking as usual all the ladies’ clothes and Jewelry of Value that they could get.” , , James W Wood, diary, on nearby military actions

The frame house across the road is Woodlawn, the home of James Ward Wood, who served as a private in Co. F (originally the Hampshire Riflemen), 7th Virginia Cavalry (CS), from January to August 1864. During this period, the unit fought in the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, and Cold Harbor. In the summer of 1864, it served in the Shenandoah Valley in Gen. Jubal A. Early's army.

When the war began in 1861, James Wood was fifteen years old; his mother died when he was twelve. He lived at Woodlawn with his father, two younger brothers, a grandmother, and a cousin. Wood’s father cultivated 750 out of his 2,250 acres, utilizing the labor of his slaves, two families totaling nine people. They raised cattle, sheep, and hogs and grew wheat, cotton, and burley tobacco for cigars. As a boy, James Wood learned to ride, shoe horses, repair wagons, and handle firearms—skills that served him well in the cavalry. Confederate cavalrymen owned their own mounts and equipment and frequently (especially late in the war) returned home as did Wood to acquire fresh horses. Wood also came back here more than once to recuperate from wounds and illnesses.

After the war, he attended Washington College in Lexington,

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Virginia, and helped found Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He farmed in Missouri for four years and then returned home, where he was a farmer and justice of the peace and served three terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates. He died in 1926 at Woodlawn and is buried in Lost City Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

“4 Feb. 1864. Yankees advance on [Gen. Jubal A.] Early and [Gen. Thomas L.] Rosser at Moorefield. … [Rosser] retreated by Harpers and Early by Mathias’ [and] arrived safely in the valley. The Yankees shelled the woods for Six hours but hurt no one, the[re] being no one there to hurt. They then retreated to Romney stealing a great number of horses … and in some instances all the bacon from the Citizens. Taking as usual all the ladies’ clothes and Jewelry of Value that they could get.”
—James W Wood, diary, on nearby military actions

Erected by Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 4, 1864.

Location. 38° 56.405′ N, 78° 48.993′ W. Marker is near Lost City, West Virginia, in Hardy

Woodlawn and the Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 22, 2011

2. Woodlawn and the Marker

County. Marker is on West Virginia Route 259 south of Dove Hollow Road (Local Route 14), on the left when traveling south. It is north of Lost City. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8079 State Road 259, Lost City WV 26810, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lost River (approx. one mile away); James Ward Wood (approx. 1.1 miles away); Lost River’s First Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Howard's Lick / Jackson Home (approx. 4.9 miles away); Mathias Homestead (approx. 5.1 miles away); Mathias Veterans Memorial (approx. 5.1 miles away); Lee House Museum (approx. 6.6 miles away); Oriskany Sand (approx. 9.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lost City.

More about this marker. There are two photographs on the marker. At the lower left is a portrait of James Ward Wood and at the upper right is a photograph captioned “Old image of Woodlawn.”

Photographed By J. J. Prats, October 22, 2011

3. Woodlawn

Gravesite of James Ward Wood image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Forest McDermott, November 13, 2011

4. Gravesite of James Ward Wood

Grave is located in the Ivanhoe Presbyterian Church cemetery in Lost City, WV about 1.2 miles south of this marker on Lower Cove Run Road.

Photographed By Amelia Wagner, May 15, 2021

5. Woodlawn

A picture of Woodlawn's reverse prepared for the memorial service of James Ward Wood's great granddaughter (the contributor's mother).

Credits. This page was last revised on January 8, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 30, 2011, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 903 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 30, 2011, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on November 14, 2011, by Forest McDermott of Masontown, Pennsylvania. 5. submitted on December 28, 2021, by Amelia Wagner of Coalton, West Virginia.