Born in Westport, Connecticut, Wood attended the common schools and in 1824 he graduated from Union College in Schenectady, New York.

He was engaged in teaching delivering lectures on temperance and other topics, and later studied law with Robert Lansing and Harmanus Bleecker.

[1] After studying at the Litchfield Law School Wood attained admission to the bar in 1827 and commenced practice in Albany, New York.

He was also vice president of the American Home Missionary Society, and founded of the First Congregational Church in Albany.

This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress