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COLUMBUS L. WOODS
Vol. 3, p. 1267-1268

Since assuming the duties devolving upon the incumbent of the office
of county clerk, Columbus L. Woods, of LeFlore County, has rendered a
service that has been highly appreciated by the people who chose him
for this responsible position. His former experience in the office of
county register of deeds had given him practical and valuable
experience and if his qualifications had been doubted before his
election, any such questions as to his fitness have been fully and
satisfactorily answered.

Mr. Woods was born in Lawrence County Missouri, May 31, 1873, and is
a son of Gideon B. and Mary J. (WINCHESTER) Woods. his parents were
Tennesseans and after the close of the war between the states, in
which his father fought as a soldier of the Confederacy, they removed
to Missouri, locating on a farm in Lawrence County. When their son
was six years of age they went to Arkansas and settled on a farm in
Sebastian County, where the lad was reared and sent to the rural
schools. Later, he was a student in the preparatory department of the
University of Arkansas, his vacations being spent in the work of the
home farm, and when he left the classroom finally, he took up farming
as a vocation. In 1901 Mr. Woods came to the Indian Territory, and
for some time held a clerkship in a mercantile establishment at
Poteau. When he had gained sufficient experience and accumulated
enough capital, he went to Gilmore, Oklahoma, and engaged in business
on his own account, but later returned to Poteau, where he has since
maintained his residence. Mr. Woods entered business here in a modest
way as proprietor, of a general store, which he conducted with a fair
measure of success and developed to considerable proportions, but in
1912 disposed of his mercantile interests and in January of that year
began official activities as a deputy in the office of the county
register of deeds. There he remained for three years, and in 1914
became the democratic candidate for the office of county clerk of
LeFlore County, a position to which he was duly elected. His
subsequent service, as before mentioned, has been energetic, faithful
and conscientious. Mr. Woods has been an active worker in his party
and is considered one of the influential democrats of his county. He
is fraternally connected with the Masons, in which he has received
the master's degree, and with the Knights of Pythias, in both of
which lodges he has numerous friends. His religious connection is
with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

Mr. Woods was married in 1898 to Miss Hattie HAWKINS, a native of
Mississippi, and to this union there has been born a son: James G.
The family home is at Poteau.

Typed for OKGenWeb by Jean Owens October 24, 1998.