Biography

1761 - 12/16/1816

John Woods (Federalist11) Allegheny and Washington Counties 1797-1801 

Early Life:

John Woods, born 1761, Bedford, Bedford County, Province of Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; son of Colonel George and Jane McDowell; studied law; admitted, Washington County bar, 1783, Westmoreland County bar, Fayette County bar, 1784, Allegheny County bar, 1788, Bedford County bar, 1791, practiced extensively in those counties; assisted in laying out the city of Pittsburgh, 1784; unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 1791; unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 1794; unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 1796; elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1797-1801, elected, Speaker, 1799-1801; unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 1798; unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 1812; elected, Federalist, Fourteenth Congress, 1815-1817; owing to illness never attended or qualified; died, December 16, 1816, Brunswick County, Virginia, while on a journey to the South to regain his health. Burial location unknown.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 8th district Pennsylvania, 1791.

Unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 12th district Pennsylvania, 1794.

Unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 12th district Pennsylvania, 1796.

Elected, Federalist, Pennsylvania State Senate, 11th district Allegheny and Washington Counties, 1797-1801; elected, Speaker, 1799-1801. 

Unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 12th district Pennsylvania, 1798.

Unsuccessful campaign, United States House of Representatives, 14th district Pennsylvania, 1812.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Elected, Federalist, United States House of Representatives, Fourteenth Congress, 14th district Pennsylvania 1815-1817, owing to illness never attended or qualified. 

Legacy:

John, his father and his brother George, Jr performed the original survey of Pittsburgh. September 30, 1784, the laying out of the "Town of Pittsburgh" was completed by Thomas Vickroy and John Woods and approved by the attorney (Tench Francis) of the Penns (John & John Penn, Jr.) in Philadelphia. The survey established the future boundaries of Pittsburgh including a tract called "John Woods Plan"

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "W" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)