George Lemuel Woods (July 30, 1832 – January 7, 1890) was an American lawyer, judge, and politician. A member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, Woods served as the

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Governor of Oregon from 1866 to 1870. Failing to win renomination, Woods was then appointed Territorial Governor of Utah by President

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

, serving in that position from 1871 to 1875.

Biography

Early years

George Lemuel Woods was born July 30, 1832 in Boone County, Missouri, the second of four boys born to Caleb Woods and the former Margaret McBride.John B. Horner, ''Oregon: Her History, Her Great Men, Her Literature.'' J.K. Gill Co.: Portland, 1921; pp. 125, 153–154, 176. His ancestors came to North America from Scotland in the late 17th Century, settling first in Virginia before moving to the Kentucky frontier.Oscar T. Shuck, ''Representative and Leading Men of the Pacific.'' San Francisco: Bacon and Co., 1870; pg. 271. His father had moved to Missouri in 1808. In 1847, when George was just 15, his parents moved to the Oregon Territory.Howard M. Corning, ''Dictionary of Oregon History.'' Binfords & Mort Publishing, 1956. In Oregon, the family settled in

Yamhill County Yamhill County is one of the 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville. Yamhill County was named after the Yamhelas, members of the Kalapuya Tribe. Yamhill Cou ...

, George was educated in the public schools. In April 1852, Woods was married to Louisa A. McBride. The couple had two sons. The young couple took a homestead on unimproved government land, which Woods cleared, fenced, and plowed.Shuck, ''Representative and Leading Men of the Pacific,'' pg. 272. Unsatisfied with rural life, in 1856 Woods sold his property and enrolled at

McMinnville College Linfield University is a private university with campuses in McMinnville, and Portland, Oregon. Linfield Wildcats athletics participates in the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference. Linfield reported a combined 1,755 students after the fall ...

, where he studied law. Working as a carpenter during the day and studying at night, Woods purchased a small law library and was eventually admitted to the

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in 1858, setting up a private practice. Woods proved capable at the task and gained recognition as a proficient attorney.

Political career

In 1857, Woods organized Republican clubs in the state and was a noted speaker of the party. Woods was appointed a judge in Wasco County in 1863. He was nominated as a presidential elector in March 1864 and was active in the campaign to re-elect Abraham Lincoln to the presidency, gaining a following as an eloquent and effective orator and

stump speaker A political stump speech is a standard speech used by a politician running for office. Typically a candidate who schedules many appearances prepares a short standardized stump speech that is repeated verbatim to each audience, before opening t ...

. Woods toured the state as leading representative of the

National Union Party National Union may refer to: Political organisations *National Union (Chad), a political party *National Union (Chile), an alliance during the Government Junta of Chile (1924) *National Union Movement, a pro-Pinochet political party from 1983 to 1 ...

(Republican-Pro-War Democrat coalition), debating the anti-war

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

Aaron E. Wait Aaron E. Waite (December 26, 1813 – December 12, 1898) was an American judge and politician. He was the 4th Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court serving from 1859 to 1862. He was the first chief justice after Oregon became a state ...

, Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. In 1865 he was appointed to serve on the

Idaho Territory The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho. History 1860s The territory w ...

’s

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

, but before his formal commission arrived he was nominated for governor by the Union Party.Shuck, ''Representative and Leading Men of the Pacific,'' pg. 273. Woods won election over his Democratic opponent, prominent attorney

James L. Kelly James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

, in a heated and intense campaign, becoming the third Governor of the state of Oregon. His term began on September 12, 1866 and continued until September 14, 1870.Oregon Blue Book: Elections Process and History
/ref> An 1870 portrait of Woods by one who had heard him speak on numerous occasions characterized the "positive and magnetic" Governor as

"...tall, graceful, and commanding, with a handsome, cheerful face, which is set off by a full, flowing beard and manifesting the utmost mental activity.... His manner of speaking is rapid, but distinct and impressive, never using long or high-sounding words or indulging in any extravagance or impropriety or metaphor. He seems to depend on the natural forces of ideas rather than upon the sonorousness of words; and although never written, unless by some very swift reporter at the time of their delivery, his speeches would be considered well adapted to the most refined of lecture-rooms.... Perhaps no American orator is capable of a quicker or keener retort, but it is a cut from a rapier, rather than a stroke with a bludgeon."

Woods' prowess as a public speaker placed him in demand for other candidates around the country, and he made campaign speaking tours on behalf of Republican candidates in California in 1867 — where he made 30 speeches in 35 nights — and the New England states of New Hampshire and Connecticut in 1868. Woods failed to win re-election but was immediately appointed by new Republican President

as the Governor of Utah Territory in 1871. Woods proved to be a critic of Mormon leader Brigham Young, and was not reappointed in 1875 at the conclusion of his term.

Later life

After leaving the Utah governorship Woods moved to California, where he remained for ten years. He then returned to Oregon in 1885, where he died on January 7, 1890. Woods was buried at River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.Lawrence Kestenbaum (ed.)
"George Lemuel Woods (1832-1890),"
politicalgraveyard.com/

Footnotes

External links