Special Collections & University Archives
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Monday - Friday 9 am - 4:30 pm
Other times by appointment
Location
The Special Collections is located on the east side of the Library
on the 3rd floor. Take the stairs and turn left or take the elevator
nearest the Circulation desk and turn right.
Contact Information
Patricia W. & J. Douglas Perry Library
Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0256
telephone (757) 683-4483
fax (757) 683-5954 |
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The Papers of Joseph Downing Wood
Biography
Joseph Downing Wood was born on February 22, 1867, on a farm in Washington
Co., North Carolina. He was the first of nine children born to Samuel and
Pattie Downing Wood. He left the family farm in 1886 to seek his fortune in
Norfolk, Virginia. Here he found work as an apprentice seaman, largely on
coastal ships. By the age of 21, he was a licensed seaman and at 23, a master
seaman on a tugboat. By 1900 Wood had risen to the position of Yard Pilot
for the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth. During World War I he was commissioned
as a Lt. Commander in the Navy Reserve and served as director of tugs and
all floating equipment in the Fifth Naval District.
After the war Wood founded his towing company, beginning with one tug and
one barge, neither of which was paid for. By the time he sold his Wood Towing
Corporation for $1,500,000 in 1951, the company controlled a whole fleet of
tugs. Wood had sold his business rather than agree to the demands of his employees
for unionization.
Wood was almost 60 when he first entered the political arena and was elected
to the Norfolk City Council in 1926. He was reelected to the council in 1934,
1938, and 1942. He became ex-officio mayor of Norfolk when he was elected
president of the council in September, 1940. Wood served as mayor, until his
retirement from politics in 1944, during an extremely busy period for a defense
oriented city like Norfolk. Economy was Wood's watchword as a politician.
Being a staunch conservative, he firmly believed in the "pay as you go"
philosophy, which dominated Virginia politics during the period in which he
was active.
Joseph Downing Wood married Ada Estelle Burnell on June 2, 1896. They had
one child, Margaret (Mrs. Burton DeBerry Melchor). Wood died on April 16,
1959.
Scope and Contents
Captain Wood was president of Wood Towing Corporation (Tugboats), a member
of the Norfolk City Council (1926-1930, 1934-1944), and mayor of Norfolk (1940-1944).
He also served on a number of public boards, most notably the Elizabeth River
Tunnel Commission. His papers, dating from 1920 to 1951, are divided into
six sub-groups: personal, public service (non-political), business, mayoral
files, City of Norfolk data, and political documents.
The personal papers contain some family genealogy, correspondence, his autobiography,
and a variety of financial records. The public service papers deal mainly
with his service on the Elizabeth River Tunnel Commission. The business papers
consist of correspondence, tug repair estimates and labor relations files.
The bulk of the mayoral files are correspondence, while the City of Norfolk
material focuses on financial data and is not duplicated by material found
at Norfolk City Hall. The Political papers consist of materials ranging from
his campaign to his speeches. Where possible Captain Wood's own filing system
was followed.
Provenance
Gift of Burton deBerry Melchor III, in honor of his mother Margaret Wood,
daughter of Captain Wood March 1, 1976
Access
Open to researchers without restrictions. Questions on literary property
rights should be directed to the Special Collections Librarian.
Size
18 Hollinger Document Cases
Collection Number
MG 3
Container Listing
Box 1
Series I: Personal Papers
Sub Series A: Financial Papers
Folder 1 Annual Reports: Westinghouse (1931); West Penn Electric (1946);
American Waterworks & Electric Co.
(1946)
Folder 2 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Livingston and Co.; Post and Flagg,
1933
Folder 3 Brokers' Receipts--Post and Flagg, 1936
Folder 4 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Post and Flagg; Dyer, Hudson &
Co., 1937
Folder 5 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Thomson & McKennon; Dyer, Hudson
& Co.; Post & Flagg, 1938
Folder 6 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Thomson & McKennon, 1939
Folder 7 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Thomson & McKennon; Abbott,
Proctor & Paine, 1940
Folder 8 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Thomson & McKennon; Abbott,
Proctor & Paine, 1941
Box 2
Folder 1 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Abbott, Proctor & Paine, 1942,
1944, 1945, 1947-49
Folder 2 Brokers' Statements and Receipts--Abbott, Proctor & Paine, 1950
Folders 3-7 Cancelled Checks
Box 3
Folders 1-4 Cancelled Checks, 1946-1949
Folder 5 Cancelled Checks, 1950-51
Box 4
Sub Series B: Correspondence: 1935-1950 Folder 1 November, 1935-December,
1939
Folder 2 1941-1944
Folder 3 1945-1946
Folder 4 1947
Folder 5 January, 1948-December, 1948
Folder 6 1949
Folder 7 1950
Folder 8 Birthday Cards, 1950
Box 5
Sub Series C: Family
Folder 1 Family Genealogy
Folder 2 Federal Tax Records, 1920-1929
Folder 3 Federal Tax Records, 1931-1935
Folder 4 Federal Tax Records, 1936-1939
Folder 5 Federal Tax Records, 1940-1941
Folder 6 Masonic Lodge Material: Correspondence; 1924 Directory; Membership
Certificate (1925)
Folder 7 Miscellaneous Personal Papers Box 6
Sub Series D: Norfolk--Proposed Federal Taxation of State Bonds
Folder 1 Norfolk City Tax Returns, 1937-1940
Folder 2 Norfolk Auto License, 1929, 1931, 1934-1935, 1937-1940, 1942, 1944,
1950
Folder 3 Norfolk City Real Estate Tax Receipts, 1928-1935, 1938-1940
Folder 4 Norfolk City and Virginia State Personal Property and Poll Tax Receipts,
1927-1934, 1938, 1940-1946, 1950
Folder 5 Personal Receipts, 1923, 1931, 1936, 1937
Folders 6-10 Personal Receipts, 1938-1942
Folder 11 Personal Receipts, 1943-1944
Folder 12 Personal Receipts, 1945-1946
Folder 13 Personal Receipts, 1947-1951
Folder 14 Photograph: Memorial to War Dead of Norfolk County, 1929
Folder 15 Photograph: J. D. Wood on Right (n.d.)
Folder 16 Princess Anne County Real Estate Tax Receipts, 1928-1930
Folder 17 Proposed Federal Taxation of State and Municipal Bonds--Speech by
Solicitor General Henry Epstein, 1939
Box 7
Sub Series E: Taxation--Virginia
Folder 1 Taxation Publications
Folder 2 Tecumseh Beach Property Condemnation, 1941-1947
Folder 3 Virginia State Income Tax Records, 1922-1929
Folder 4 Virginia State Income Tax Records, 1930, 1932-1943, 1945, 1946, 1950
Series II: Public Service
Box 8
Folder 1 American Christian Palestine Committee, 1946-1949
Folder 2 Berkley Bridge Purchase Correspondence, 1932-1933
Folder 3 Bill Creating the Elizabeth River Tunnel District
Folder 4 Bills Before Delaware General Assembly in re: Delaware
Folder 5 Bonney Home for Girls Correspondence, 1949-1950
Folder 6 Bridge/Tunnel Newspaper Clippings, 1941-42, 1944
Folder 7 Brooklyn Battery Crossing Report, 1939
Folder 8 Child Welfare League, 1946
Folders 9-16 Elizabeth River Tunnel: Correspondence
Folder 9 1926-1933
Folder 10 September-December, 1941
Folders 11-14 1942-1945
Folder 15 1946-1949
Folder 16 1950
Box 9
Folder 1 Elizabeth River Tunnel Revenue Bond Act, 1942
Folder 2 Elizabeth River Tunnel Traffic Survey and Estimated Revenues, 1947
Folder 3 Elizabeth River Tunnel--Engineers Report (Abbott, Merkt & Co.),
1941
Folder 4 Elizabeth River Tunnel: Engineers Reports on Various Highway Projects
Folder 5 Elizabeth River Tunnel: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Hearing, 1945
Folder 6 Elizabeth River: Engineers Reports on Various Tunnels, 1940
Folder 7 Elizabeth River Tunnel: Mobile, Ala. Tunnel Clippings, 1940-1941
Folder 8 Elizabeth River Tunnel: New York City Narrows Tunnel Report, 1945
Folder 9 Elizabeth River Tunnel: Sketches of Bridge Tunnel Complex and Bridge
Folder 10 Elizabeth River Tunnel Commission: Engineers' Report, 1947
Folder 11 Elizabeth River Tunnel Commission: Progress Reports, May, July,
1950
Folder 12 Florence Crittenden Home, 1944-1950
Folder 13 Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 1931-1935
Folder 14 Temporary Wartime Resources Committee, 1941
Folder 15 Travelers Aid, 1941-1943
Folder 16 United Seaman's Service Inc., 1943
Series III: Business Papers
Box 10
Folder 1 Army Base Soundings, 1943
Folder 2 Blocking Measurements on Wood Towing Co. Equipment
Folder 3 Business Publications and Memoranda
Folder 4 Coast Guard Distress Regulations and Area Map, 1933
Folder 5 Copper Recovery Corporation (War Production Board), 1942-1943
Folder 6 Correspondence, General, 1923-1946
Folder 7 Correspondence, Shipyard Wage Rates January, 1944 Folder 8 Crandell
Dry Dock Engineers, 1941
Folder 9 Fairbanks, Morse & Co. Proposal, 1941
Folder 10 Hampton Roads Maritime Exchange, 1933-1935
Folder 11 Harbor at Assateague, 1922-1924
Folder 12 Opinions, Laws, Legal Briefs re: Towing Rules, Boats, Labor, 1927,
1932, 1946
Folder 13 Repair Estimate: M. S. Brilliant, 1931
Box 11
Folder 1 Speeches (Business Related)
Folder 2 Standard Transportation Co. vs. Wood Towing Corp: Briefs Filed in
U.S. District Court of Appeals, 1933
Folder 3 Steamboat Inspection Laws: Correspondence; Rules Book, 1922-1925
Folder 4 Steel Tug Specifications (85 Foot), 1943
Folder 5 "Women's Contributions in the Field of Invention"--U.S.
Dept. of Labor, 1923
Box 12
Series IV: Mayoral Files
Sub Series A: Correspondence
Folder 1 Collection of Scrap Aluminum, June-July, 1941
Folder 2 Correspondence, 1940
Folder 3 Correspondence, January-March 1941
Folders 4-7 Correspondence, April-July, 1941
Folder 8 Correspondence, August-September, 1941
Folder 9 Correspondence, October, 1941
Folder 10 Correspondence November, 1941
Box 13
Folder 1 December, 1941
Folders 2-10 January, 1942-September, 1942
Box 14
Folders 1-3 October-December, 1942
Folder 4 January, 1943
Folder 5 February-March, 1943
Folder 6 April, 1943
Folder 7 May-June, 1943
Folder 8 July, 1943
Folder 9 August, 1943
Box 15
Folder 1 September, 1943
Folder 2 October, 1943
Folder 3 November-December, 1943
Folder 4 January, 1944
Folder 5 February-March, 1944
Folder 6 April-May, 1944
Folder 7 June-July, 1944
Box 16
Folder 1 Correspondence: August, 1944
Folder 2 Correspondence: September-October, 1944
Folder 3 Forms to Use in Calling Out Virginia Protective Force, 1941
Folder 4 Mayors of Norfolk from 1736 to 1918 and 1918 to 1940
Series V: City of Norfolk Material
Box 17
Folder 1 City Govt. Organization Chart, 1926
Folder 2 Consolidation Efforts of Area-Wide Cities (Undated)
Folder 3 Correspondence re: City Charter, 1930-1933; Copy of Charter
Folder 4 Financial Data re: City, 1934-1935, 1937-1939
Folder 5 Hampton Roads Sanitation District Report, 1936
Folder 6 Industrial Commission: Report on Fresh Water, 1926
Folder 7 Maps of Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line R.R., 1927
Folder 8 Memoranda re: City of Norfolk, 1944
Folder 9 Norfolk City Building Zone Map with Ordinance, 1924
Folder 10 Norfolk City Finances, Reports: Fiscal Year 1917
Folder 11 Norfolk City Finances, Reports: Fiscal Years 1921, 1922
Folder 12 Norfolk City Budget Estimates: Fiscal Year 1924
Folder 13 Norfolk City Budget Appropriations: Fiscal 1924
Folder 14 Norfolk City Budget Estimates: Fiscal Year 1925
Folder 15 Norfolk City Finances, Reports: Fiscal Year 1925
Box 18
Folder 1 Norfolk City Budget Appropriations: Fiscal Year 1926
Folder 2 Norfolk City Finances, Reports: Fiscal Year 1926
Folder 3 Norfolk City Finances, Reports: Fiscal Year 1928
Folder 4 Norfolk City Budget Estimate6: Fiscal Year 1929
Folder 5 Norfolk City Budget Estimates: Fiscal Year 1930
Folder 6 Norfolk City Budget: Fiscal Year 1931
Folder 7 Norfolk City Budget: Fiscal Year 1933
Folder 8 Norfolk City Budget Estimates: Fiscal Year 1934
Folder 9 Virginia Port Authority: Map of Hampton Roads, 1932
Series VI: Political
Box 19
Folder 1 Political: Campaign Expenses, 1924
Folder 2 Political: Campaign Materials, 1924
Folder 3 Political: Campaigns- Precinct Returns, 1924
Folder 4 Political: Clippings- Mainly 1924 Council Elections
Folder 5 Political: Correspondence, 1924, 1926, 1934
Folder 6 Political: Correspondence, 1945-1950
Folder 7 Political: Councilman Election, 1926
Folder 8 Political: Councilman Election, 1940
Folder 9 Political: Councilman Election, 1942
Folder 10 Political: Councilman Election, 1944
Folder 11 Political: New Deal, 1943
Folder 12 Political: List of Precincts/ Precinct Leaders, (n.d.)
Folder 13 Political: Publications, 1925, 1934
Folder 14 Political: Recall Action, 1928
Folder 15 Political: League of Virginia Municipalities Certificate
Folder 16 Political: Speeches (Folder #1), (n.d.)
Folder17 Political: Speeches (Folder #2), (n.d.)
Revised 12/4/07
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