Fernando Wood

Fernando Wood
Fernando Wood, c. 1860s
75th Mayor of New York City
In office January 1, 1860 – December 31, 1862
Preceded by	Daniel F. Tiemann
Succeeded by	George Opdyke
73rd Mayor of New York City
In office January 1, 1855 – December 31, 1858
Preceded by	Jacob Aaron Westervelt
Succeeded by	Daniel F. Tiemann
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 9th district
In office March 4, 1875 – February 14, 1881
Preceded by	Richard Schell
Succeeded by	John Hardy
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 10th district
In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875
Preceded by	Clarkson Nott Potter
Succeeded by	Abram S. Hewitt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 9th district
In office March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873
Preceded by	William A. Darling
Succeeded by	David B. Mellish
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 5th district
In office March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865
Preceded by	William Wall
Succeeded by	Nelson Taylor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 3rd district (seat B)
In office March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843
Preceded by	Edward Curtis
Succeeded by	Jonas P. Phoenix
Personal details
Born	(1812-06-14)June 14, 1812 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	February 14, 1881(1881-02-14) (aged 68) Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic

Fernando Wood (June 14, 1812 – February 14, 1881) was an American politician of the Democratic Party and the 73rd and 75th mayor of New York City; he also served as a United States Representative (1841–1843, 1863–1865, and 1867–1881) and as Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in both the 45th and 46th Congress (1877–1881).

A successful shipping merchant who became Grand Sachem of the political machine known as Tammany Hall, Wood first served in Congress in 1841. In 1854 he was elected Mayor of New York City. Reelected in 1860 after an electoral loss in 1857 by a narrow majority of 3,000 votes, Wood opposed the Thirteenth Amendment and evinced support for the Confederate States during the American Civil War, suggesting to the New York City Council that New York City secede from the U.S. and declare itself a free city in order to continue its profitable cotton trade with the Confederacy. Wood's Democratic machine was concerned with maintaining the revenues (which depended on Southern cotton) that fed the system of patronage.

Following his service as mayor, Wood returned to the United States Congress.

Wood, the son of Benjamin and Rebecca (Lehman) Wood, and brother of United States Congressman Benjamin Wood was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His Spanish forename was chosen by his mother, who found it in an English gothic novel written by George Walker, The Three Spaniards (London, 1800). He moved to New York, where he became a successful shipping merchant. He was chairman of the chief young men's political organization in 1839 and was a member of the Tammany Society, which he used as a vehicle for his political rise. As a member of the Democratic party, he was elected to Congress in 1840 and served until 1843.