Andrew T. Wood | |
|---|---|
 Wood in 1897 | |
| Born | November 18, 1834 Fleming County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | February 3, 1915 (aged 80) Mount Sterling, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Buried | Machpelah Cemetery Mount Sterling, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  Union army |
| Service |  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.