David Annon Woods

1852 - 1937  (85 years)

• Name	David Annon Woods
  Born	20 Jul 1852	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Gender	Male
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198518543
  Occupation	1882	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 4]
  	Boiler Maker
  Occupation	1891	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Boiler Maker
  Residence	1891	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  	Presbyterian
  Hobbies	1904	Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  	coin collector
  		Woods,DA-0001-coin-1904-Galt.jpg
  		Woods,DA-0002-coin-1904-Galt.jpg
  		Woods,DavidA-001-AuctionCatalog1938.jpg
  Name	D. A. Woods
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-333624
  Died	20 Nov 1937	Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Buried	Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [3]
  Person ID	I333624	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	William Woods
  Mother	Sarah Annon,   b. 1815,   d. 8 Nov 1892  (Age 77 years)
  Family ID	F272711	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Frances Eliza "Fannie" Pelton,   b. 1860, Innerkip, East Zorra Twp., Oxford County, Ontario ,   d. 1901  (Age 41 years)
  Married	2 Jan 1882	Falkland, Burford Twp., Brant Co., Ontario   [2, 4]
  Children	1. Stella Woods,   b. 26 Jan 1883, Elma Twp., Perth Co., Ontario, Canada ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F246483	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  David Annon Woods Waterloo Region Museum - 1960.037.003 | Region of Waterloo Museums (2023). Available at: https://waterloo.pastperfectonline.com/photo/12D8954C-8F39-4253-B599-824978388964 (Accessed: 8 July 2023).

  
  

• Notes

  D. A. Woods, Canadian Pedestrian is a native of Galt, Ontario, was born July 23, 1852, stands 5 ft. 9 in. in height, and weights 130 lbs. He made his first appearance as a professional pedestrian on the Galt Cricket Ground July 1, 1871, when he beat James Scott and Neal O'Hanley by 60 yds. in a half-mile race, in 2m. 8s. His next race was at the Caledonian games held at Buffalo, NY in July, 1875, in a mile race, which he won, defeating W. L. Allen of Montreal, Fleetwing, Red Cloud and White Eagle in 4m 41s. His next appearance was in New York, July 29, 1876, when he entered as an amateur, and received 115 yds, start. He finished first, but was disqualified. He next appeared Aug. 8, 1876, at Jones' Wood, New York, defeating P.J. Fitzgerald, Geo. Irvine of Ottawa, and others in a short mile, on 4m. 48s. Same month he ran John Raine at Ottawa for the championship of Canada, Raine defeating him and running a mile in 4m. 44s. on a heavy track. Same year, at Caledonian games held at same place, he defeated Raine for the mile championship in 4m. 38s. His next appearance was at Charlotte, Michigan, in a ten-mile race, for $100, twelve entries, Woods winning in 58m. He next appeared in a match with Turner at Charlotte, Michigan, one mile race, for $250 and the championship of the State, winning in 4m. 51s. Subsequently, he won several local races, and at the professional pedestrian meeting held at the NYAC grounds, Mott Haven, July 4, 1877, he won the mile race in 4m. 49s. beating J. Powers, E. Wilson and others. Same day, finished third in a half-mile run, won by J. E. Manning in 2m. 6s., E. Wilson second. He also started in a three-mile race, but did not finish. E. Wilson winning. He next appeared at Ogdensburg, NY, in a mile race, winning second place to Raine and defeating Daillebout, White Eagle and several others: time 4m. 30s. He next ran at Hamilton on a five-miler, defeating Clark of Hawick, Scotland in 27m. In a three-mile race at Toronto, he defeated White Eagle, Strong Arm and Lefevbre, Montreal Indians, in 17m. At London in a mile-race for the championship of Western Ontario, sixteen entries, he won in 4m. 45s.: Dobson, second. He was next seen at Tilsonburg in a five mile race for $100, fourteen starters, Woods winning in 26m. He also won several hour go-as-you-please races, defeating Samuel Henry of Toronto twice, and has won a great many local races. He also published a challenge to run Powers of Brighton, Mass. for the mile championship, and had a match with J. E. Manning of Boston, which fell through. Aug. 13, 1881, he with eight yards off, won a mile race at Galt. Woods was compelled to retire from the arena after receiving a severe kick on the knee from a horse, which affected him for some time. He was known throughout Canada and the United States as one of the fleetest runners from one to ten miles. He was married on January 2, 1882 at Paris, ON to Miss Fannie E. Pelton of Inniskip. The New York Clipper _______________ Ancient Athlete Nearing Eighty Hale and Hearty Always Ran to Win By Lou E. Marsh Every morning at eight o-clock a slimly-built, high-shouldered, bright-eyed man of rather indeterminate age steps up Simcoe Street, rain or shine, snow or sleet, and into the warehouse of the Fleischmann Yeast Co. "Dad" they call him around the warehouse - Dad Wood - and Dad not only does his day's work, asking no favours from no man, but despite his 76 years, keeps right up to date in track and field sports and is ready to give any man an argument when they try to tell him that they breed better men today than they did half a century ago when he was in his prime. And don't start an argument with him either, because he is liable to ask you to produce your credentials or step half a mile with him on a handicap based on age differences. And if you cannot run and you haven't got your credentials with you he is liable to hand you the ancient equivalent to the modern "high hat", for he has both running abilities and plenty of credentials. Once Great Athlete "Dad" Woods of the Fleischmann Yeast Co. is none other than Dave Wood of Galt, for many years Canada's greatest mile runner and a galloper who had to be reckoned with anywhere on this continent from half a mile to ten miles. David A. Wood was born at Clyde, near Galt July 23, 1852, and he ran his first race in Galt, July 1, 1871, when he beat James Scott and Neat O'Hanley sixty yards in a half-mile race run in 2.08 and 2.08 was real time in those days, when races were run on horse tracks and runners were not conditioned as they are today. Wood's second victory was in Dundas, when he took Charley Nurse of Toronto, Hill, and Patton, the championship of Dundas, into camp in 2.07. For four years young Wood, then a long, lean greyhound of 130 lbs, galloped all over Western Ontario, running race after race against all the local champions and taking everyone on at his own pet distances, so long as it was over half a mile. "Below the half" confided Dad tome yesterday, "there were plenty who could beat me, so I left them alone and stayed where I belonged" Beat Bronze Gallopers In 1875 this young Canadian's fame had spread so far abroad that he was invited to run a great international race which was the feature of one of those famous old Caledonian meets held in Buffalo. In against him were W. L. Allen of Montreal, reputed to be the best miler in Canada, and Fleetwig, Red Cloud and White Eagle, three Indians who had international claim to fame as milers, Wood came down in front 4.41. A year later he entered a mile handicap at New York against a dozen of the best in America and won it off the 115-yard mark. For some reason or other he was protested and disqualified. Wood to this day blames that protest on Allen. At any rate, Wood turned pro right then and there and commenced to rove the country, running against local champions. His first big pro race was at Jones Wood, near New York, on August, 1876, where his came home in front of such famous runners as P. J. Fitzgerald of Ireland and George Irvine of Ottawa in 4.48. Right on top of that he went to Ottawa and ran George rain of Ottawa for the mile championship of Canada. Raine beat him in 4.44 on heavy track, but before the year was out Wood beat Raine in Ottawa and took the title away from him. He even made the champion chuck it at 50 yards from home. Met All Comers Soon after Wood beat Raine at Ottawa he went to Michigan, where he did a little of what he calls "shennanigan". "I got an old suit of overalls," said Mr. Wood, "and took a job on a farm, and then under various names and guises I ran all their local and state champion match races from $25 to $250 a side - a hundred dollars was a lot of money in those days - and I wound up holding the mile championship of the State of Michigan. In several places where I ran under assumed names the papers came out the next day with stories to the effect that I was an Indian or a half-breed ringer from Canada. Anyway, my backers cleaned up on me. I always ran to win and had no dealings or truck with foot runners who won and lost to suit the betting.' Mr.. Wood ran in the days when John T. Crossley, Pat J. Fitzgerald, John Meahger, John T. Belcher, James Ross, Ed. Alberti, Murdo Macdonald, E. W. Johnston, A. C. Ross, Bob Harrison, Bill Hatton, Bill Boyd, Charlie Quirk, Alby Robinson, Bingham, and these runners, jumpers and weight tossers were in their prime and "doing their stuff" all over the country. Toronto Star Weekly - Saturday, April 28, 1928 _______________ WOODS, David A.\emdash At the home of his daughter, Mrs. N. tolton, 30 Bracondale Hill road, Saturday, Nov. 20, 1937, David A. Woods, in his 86th year. Interment took place in Mountview cemetery, Galt, on Monday, the 22nd instant. Toronto Star Weekly

  
  

• Sources

  [S259] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1901, Galt (Town/Ville) C-11 Page 5. [S1800] Census - ON, Waterloo, Galt - 1891, Sec. 1 Page 76. [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/198518543. [S4] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration. Name: David Woods Sex: Male Age: 30 Birth Year (Estimated): 1852 Galt Occ: boiler maker - Galt Father's Name: William Woods Mother's Name: Sarah Woods Spouse's Name: Fanny Peltan Spouse's Sex: Female Spouse's Age: 21 Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1861 Innerkip Res: Innerkip Spouse's Father's Name: Gibson Peltan Spouse's Mother's Name: Caroline Peltan Event Type: Marriage Event Date: 02 Jan 1882 Event Place: Falkland, Brant, Ontario, Canada

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 20 Jul 1852 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Boiler Maker - 1882 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - Boiler Maker - 1891 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Presbyterian - 1891 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Hobbies - coin collector - 1904 - Galt (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 20 Nov 1937 - Toronto, York Co., Ontario, Canada Buried - - Mount View Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth