John Wood (uncle of Alan Wood, Jr.) was born in Philadelphia. He attended the Friends Society schools of Philadelphia, and was employed by his father in the manufacture of tools and agricultural machinery from 1832 to 1840. He was engaged in the manufacture of iron and steel near Wilmington, Delaware, from 1841 to 1844. He moved to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, in 1844 and engaged in the milling of iron and steel. He was first burgess of Conshohocken.