John Woods (Pennsylvania politician)

The John Woods House, built in 1792, is perhaps the oldest house in the city of Pittsburgh.

John Woods, (1761, Bedford, Pennsylvania – December 16, 1816, Brunswick County, Virginia)[1] was a Pennsylvania politician who served in the Pennsylvania State Senate and in the United States House of Representatives.

He was the son of Colonel George and Jane McDowell. John was instructed by his father on land surveying. John, his father and his brother George, Jr performed the original survey of Pittsburgh. On 30 Sep 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". John married Theodosius Higbee in about 1780.[2] The two settled in Bedford, briefly, soon after. John's brother Henry Woods was also a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.[3]

  1. ^ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Woods". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  2. ^ Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "John Woods". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
  3. ^ "HENRY WOODS | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.