Andrew T. Wood

Andrew T. Wood
Wood in 1897
Born	(1834-11-18)November 18, 1834 Fleming County, Kentucky, U.S.
Died	February 3, 1915(1915-02-03) (aged 80) Mount Sterling, Kentucky, U.S.
Buried	Machpelah Cemetery Mount Sterling, Kentucky, U.S.
Allegiance	Union army
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1862–1863
Rank	Major
Unit	10th Kentucky Cavalry Regiment 71st Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War
Spouse(s)	Matilda Pickrell (m. 1852)
Children	10
Signature

Major Andrew Thompson Wood (November 18, 1834 – February 3, 1915) was an American lawyer and politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Republican, he had a lengthy career in Kentucky politics, including a run for the United States House of Representatives in 1872, a failed bid for Attorney General of Kentucky in 1887, and a failed bid for Governor of Kentucky in 1891.

Born in rural Fleming County, Kentucky, Wood received a common education, and became a stagecoach driver. Later, he became a school teacher in the schools of Fleming County, before he enlisted as a Union soldier, and eventually climbed to the rank of major. After the war, he studied law under J.S. Dury and Thomas Turner, and was admitted to the bar in 1873.

As a Republican in a heavily Democratic state, Wood found little success in his political career. He suffered a failed bid for a seat in the United States House of Representatives in 1872, a failed bid for attorney general of Kentucky in 1887, and a failed bid for governor of Kentucky in 1891. He also faced many threats from the Ku Klux Klan to kill him and burn his home. In 1897, he was appointed a United States senator by governor William O. Bradley to fill the vacancy caused by failure of the Kentucky General Assembly to elect a successor to J. C. S. Blackburn, but his appointment was ignored in the senate, and they instead chose William J. Deboe to succeed Blackburn. In 1904, Wood was appointed United States pension agent from Kentucky, and served until 1915. Wood died on February 3, 1915, after several years of failing health.