Texas Governor. In 1814 he raised a militia company that fought at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend in Alabama during the Creek Indian War. Afterwards he became a merchant in Cuthbert, and served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1837 to 1838. In 1839 Wood moved to Texas, where he owned a plantation, operated a store, studied law, and attained admission to the bar. He served in the Texas House of Representatives in 1841 and the Texas Senate in 1846. He resigned from the Texas Senate to serve in the Mexican War, and served as Colonel and commander of the Second Texas Mounted Volunteers, serving with distinction until becoming involved in a controversy with the first Governor of Texas, J. Pinckney Henderson, who had taken leave to command the regiment. The dispute ended with Zachary Taylor ordering the disbanding of the unit, and Wood returned to Texas to campaign for Governor. Aided by public support for his side in the controversy with Henderson, Wood won a four-way race and served one term, 1847 to 1849. In 1848 he was Chairman of the first state Democratic convention held in Texas. His administration concentrated on resolving the issue of the Texas border with New Mexico, and lack of success was largely responsible for his defeat when he ran for reelection in 1849. Wood was also defeated in an 1853 bid to return to the governorship, afterwards devoted his time to his plantation and business interests. He was in the process of constructing a new home when he died, and he was buried in the family cemetery on the grounds of his old home. Most sources give his middle name as Tyler, but some indicate that it was Thomas, as does the monument at his grave. Wood County and the Tyler County seat of Woodville were named for him.