Background
James Frederick Wood was born on April 27, 1813, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He was a son of James Wood, a businessman, auctioneer and importer.
Podsmead Rd, Gloucester GL2 5AE, United Kingdom
In November 1821, Wood entered the Crypt School, where he studied for the next five years.
Via dei Santi Quattro, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
In October 1837, James entered the Pontifical Irish College, where he studied for several months under the guidance of Paul Cullen.
Via Urbano VIII, 16, 00165 Roma RM, Italy
Wood attended the College of the Propaganda (present-day the Pontifical Urban University) for seven years.
Podsmead Rd, Gloucester GL2 5AE, United Kingdom
In November 1821, Wood entered the Crypt School, where he studied for the next five years.
Via dei Santi Quattro, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
In October 1837, James entered the Pontifical Irish College, where he studied for several months under the guidance of Paul Cullen.
Via Urbano VIII, 16, 00165 Roma RM, Italy
Wood attended the College of the Propaganda (present-day the Pontifical Urban University) for seven years.
James Frederick Wood was born on April 27, 1813, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He was a son of James Wood, a businessman, auctioneer and importer.
After attending an elementary school in Philadelphia, Wood, in November 1821, was sent abroad to study at the Crypt School in Gloucester. Five years later, Wood returned to Philadelphia and enrolled at Mr. Sanderson's private school.
Later in life, in October 1837, James entered the Pontifical Irish College, where he studied for several months under the guidance of Paul Cullen. Wood also attended the College of the Propaganda (present-day the Pontifical Urban University), where he remained for seven years.
In November 1827, Wood, together with his family, relocated from Philadelphia to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was appointed a clerk at the Branch Bank of the United States. Then, after being advanced to individual book-keeper discount clerk, James, in 1833, was made a paying and receiving teller at the Franklin Bank of Cincinnati, where, in 1836, he was promoted to the post of a cashier.
On April 7, 1836, Wood converted to Catholicism and, in September 1837, left the post of a cashier at the Franklin Bank of Cincinnati as he decided to enter the priesthood. In October of the same year, James was sent to the Pontifical Irish College, where he spent several months, studying under Paul Cullen (later Paul Cardinal Cullen). Some time later, Wood also attended the College of the Propaganda (present-day the Pontifical Urban University) for seven years. While at the College of the Propaganda, Wood specialized in higher theological studies and canon law.
After his ordination to the priesthood by Cardinal Giacomo Filippo Fransoni on March 25, 1844, Father Wood returned to the Diocese of Cincinnati and, in 1844, became a curate at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains, and later, in 1854, pastor of St. Patrick's Church, Cincinnati.
As early as 1848, Wood was third on the list of nominees for the vacant see of Louisville. Appointed Titular Bishop of Antigonia and Coadjutor to Bishop J. N. Neumann of Philadelphia on January 9, 1857, Wood was consecrated by Bishop Purcell on April 26, 1857.
After arriving in Philadelphia, Wood took over the financial administration of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Philadelphia and the management of the "Bishop's Bank", which was under the care of M. A. Frenaye. Obliged to carry the burdens of the office without the authority, the Coadjutor was not happy until he succeeded to the diocese on January 5, 1860. As a convert, Wood was rather rigorous, over-zealous and probably unsympathetic to the Irish. A bitter foe of secret societies, he condemned the Fenians, excommunicated Catholics, who belonged to the criminal Mollie Maguires, and reprobated all Irish political movements in the United States, although he dispatched at least $60,000 for Irish famine relief in 1880-1883.
During the Civil War, Wood responded wholeheartedly to Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin's request for nursing nuns and military chaplains. By 1864, he had completed the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. A year later, he purchased a site in Overbrook for the new Seminary of St. Charles Borromeo. The seminary was opened in September 1871 with 128 students.
An accessible, democratic, charitable man, Wood also founded the Catholic Home for Destitute Girls and a house of the Good Shepherd, and introduced the Little Sisters of the Poor into his diocese. As a stout exponent of Catholic education, he brought in the Sisters of the Holy Child, of Third Order of St. Francis and of Mercy, established the Sister Servants of the Immaculate Heart and trebled the number of parochial schools.
In 1867, James petitioned successfully to have the diocese of Harrisburg and Scranton carved out of the diocese of Philadelphia, and saw two of his priests, Jeremiah Shanahan and William O'Hara, appointed to the new sees. An Assistant at the Pontifical Throne, to which he was appointed in 1862, Wood sent large donations to Rome, attended the ceremonies, commemorative of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul (1867), voted for the promulgation of the doctrine of papal infallibility (although because of ill health he left the Vatican Council before the final vote), called a meeting of protest against the spoliation of the Papal States and attended the golden anniversary services of Pius IX as a bishop.
On February 12, 1875, Philadelphia was made a metropolitan see with Wood as its first Archbishop. He remained Archbishop until his death on June 20, 1883. Respected by Protestants, James won the good will of his people and the respect of the two hundred and fifty priests, who labored under his strict rule.
Besides, an ardent patron of the American College in Rome, Wood served as treasurer of its board and in this capacity insisted, that its funds be kept in America.
James Frederick Wood was mostly known as the fifth Bishop of Philadelphia from January 5, 1860 till February 12, 1875 and the first Archbishop of Philadelphia from February 12, 1875 to June 20, 1883. A bright financial manager, Wood was shepherd to about 200,000 Catholics. He established new parishes and, in 1865, bought a parcel of land in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia - that property later became the new site of Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. During his episcopacy, Wood also oversaw the completion of the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the home church of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
It's worth noting, that Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster is named in Wood's honor.
Wood was born into a Unitarian family, but in later years converted to Catholicism.
Active almost to the end of his life in provincial councils and diocesan visitations, Wood always abstained from politics.
Wood condemned such secret societies, as the Freemasons and Molly Maguires.
Physical Characteristics: Wood suffered from rheumatism and Bright's disease.
