Richard H. Wood was the third child and first son of Major John Howland and Nancy Clark Wood. During the Civil War, Wood served with Company B, 29th Brigade Texas Militia for Refugio County, also known as Captain Daniel C. Doughty's Spy Company. On May 23, 1867, Richard H. Wood married Alcanza (Cannie) Howard at Corpus Christi. They had two sons: William Welder Wood and Tobias Richard (T.R.) Wood. Wood served two terms in the Texas Legislature, Jan. 12, 1875 - April 18, 1876, and Jan. 13, 1885 - Jan. 11, 1887. He was a Democrat. He was active in the Aransas Pass Land Company and handled the the sales promotions in connection with the area's land booms from 1890 to the turn of the century.

Wood was mayor of Rockport from 1882-1883. He was the first commissioner over wildlife laws, appointed by Gov. Thomas M. Campbell in 1907. Wood and Samuel B. Allyn formed a partnership and acquired all of St. Joseph Island. The cattle partnership and ownership of St. Joseph Island lasted until 1915, at which time Wood and his sons, Will and T.R., became sole owners of the island. Wood was struck a crushing blow by the fierce storm of 1919. When the storm struck, the Woods were grazing 6,400 head of purebred Hereford cattle on the island. Only 350 head were saved. In 1922, the Wood family sold St. Joseph Island to Cyrus B. Lucas. Richard H. Wood died in San Antonio at the age of 76.

Sources:
Aransas Pathways. The Wood House. http://aransaspathways.com
Daniel C. Doughty's Spy Company. http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txrefugi/Doughty_Spy_Company.htm
Legislative Reference Library of Texas. Texas Legislators: Past & Present. http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeleaders/members/partyListSession.cfm?leg=19

Obituary, "R.H. Wood Dead." 1/6/1926, p.8 Native of San Patricio, one of the developers of the town of Rockport, died at home of his son Will W. Wood. San Antonio Express.

Rockport Cemetery Confederate Interments. http://txaransas.eppygen.org/Cemetery/Rockport/Confederate_Intern.htm

Wood, Alpha Kennedy. Texas Coastal Bend: People and Places. San Antonio: The Naylor Company, 1971.

The Wood Family: Descendants of John Howland and Nancy Clark Wood, Early Texas Pioneers. San Antonio, Creative Union, 1972.