Born July 3, 1852 in Gallatin Co., KY; Died March 30, 1921 in Carroll Co., KY

Orville was elected Mayor of the town of Carrollton, Kentucky January 1894 to January 1898.

Orville Monroe Wood, Mayor of Carrollton and the leading merchant in that city, son of William Wood and Mary S. Anderson, was born in Gallatin County, Kentucky, July 3, 1852.

His father, now a resident of Carroll County, is a native of Mercer County, Kentucky; removed to Gallatin County in 1845, and thence to Trimble County in 1859 and finally to his present home in Carroll County in 1892. He has been actively engaged in farming nearly all his life; has been a member of the Baptist Church for over fifty years and has always enjoyed the respect and confidence of his neighbors.

David Wood (grandfather) a native of Virginia of English descent, spent most of his seventy-five years of his useful life in farming and was a resident of Carroll County for twenty years prior to his death. He was a devout member of the Baptist Church and was noted for his devotion to religious principles.

Mary S. Anderson Wood (mother), now residing with her husband in Carroll County, was born in Gallatin County in 1829. Her father, Richard Anderson, was a native of Virginia, who came to Kentucky when he was a young man and died in Carroll County in 1885, aged seventy-seven years. He was an intelligent farmer and like the Woods he and his house belonged to the Baptist Church. His son, Rev. James O. Anderson, who died a few years ago in Kansas City, was one of the most eminent divines in that denomination. The Andersons belonged to an old family of prominence of Virginia.

Orville M. Wood was reared and educated principally in Trimble County, remaining on his father's farm until 1879, when he engaged in the mercantile business in Trimble County, continuing there, however, but one year when he removed to Prestonville, Carroll County, where he was engaged as a merchant until 1891, sold out and removed to Carrollton, and in 1891 formed a partnership with M. L. Downs under the firm name of Downs & Wood--in a general fire insurance agency. This firm was dissolved in November 1891, when Mr. Wood purchased the store of W. L. Smith, who was the oldest merchant in the place since which time he has given his attention to the business of this establishment, now the leading store of the kind in Carrollton.

In November, 1893, Mr. Wood was elected Mayor of the city for a term of four years and assumed the duties of that office in January, 1894. This election was a deserved compliment to Mr. Wood's ability and integrity as a business man rather than a political triumph, for he has not sought or cared for prominence in politics.

He is a prominent Mason and a Knight of Pythias, and has not forsaken the church of his father and mother and his grandfathers.

Mr. Wood was married February 3, 1873 to Esther J. Robinson, daughter of Samuel Robinson of Wetzel County, West Virginia and has one son, named Gideon G. Wood. (Note: Article apparently was written after January, 1894 when Orville took office as Mayor and before the 1897 deaths of William (father) and Mary Wood (mother). Both died in July 1897--William on July 23 at age 74 and Mary on July 18 at age 67.)

Orville and wife, Esther are buried in the I.O.O.F. cemetery, Carrollton, Kentucky

Source: "Kentucky Biographies"