William Wood, second County judge of Marion County in 1838-1840, lived at one time on land where the old Yellville jail was located. He died during the Civil War. His children were: John, Abe, George, Bitsy, Solman, Jeff, and Charity.
John Wood, it is believed, married a daughter of Jesse Hudson. Their children were: Thomas D., who married an Everett; John, Jr. was killed during the war; Minta, who married her cousin, son of Obe; Cinda, who married Zeke Hampton; Mary, who married a man from Yell County. John settled at the mouth of Georges Creek and, it is believed, he and his son Thomas D. owned the bottom on both sides of Georges Creek, as well as the bottom across Crooked Creek. The U. S. Land Survey of 1830 shows that John Wood had an improvement at the mouth of Georges Creek prior to that vear. Johnny's Creek, which flows into Georges Creek near the railroad bridge, was probably named for John Wood.
John was a man of substance: he grew fine horses, traded in cattle, had gold, and Negroes. Three of his Negroes are still remembered: "Green", "Joe", and "Morg". The latter cost ten fine horses, valued at $100 each, just before the war broke out.
William Wood, Jr., son of the judge, was a sheriff and a County Judge of Marion County and married Elizabeth Goodman. Their children were: Frank, who married Jane Davis; W. B. (Dick), who married Margaret Duren; Elizabeth, who married Andy Hudspeth; Arminta, who married, first, a Bench and second, James Burns; Agnes who married Sam Davis, brother of Frank Wood's wife.
George Wood, son of Judge William, Sr., married Nancy Coker, daughter of Ned Coker, one of the pioneer Cokers of Marion County. Their descendants were: Dicie, who married James Laremore ... who had Martha Jane, who married Cyrus (Si) Wilson, who became parents of Dora B., who married Will Patterson; Elder John T., who married Reese Young; Keisie, who married Mary Ebee.
George's daughter "Janie" married "Dud" Coker; Hard married a daughter of John Dixon; Hard's brother, Ned, also married a Dixon; George, Jr. joined the Federal Army and went to Texas after the war; Sarah Ann married Elihu Henderson; Winnie married a Stalcup; Patsy never married; William and Soloman were killed in the Mountain Meadow Massacre on their way to California.
Winnie's children were: George, who never married, and Rachel Ann, who was the first wife of John Hampton.
Reprinted with permission from History of Marion County edited by Earl Berry, copyright 1977.