Drawing on his knowledge of surveying and engineering and using the principles of law as a key, he created on a paper an ideal town, from scratch. It was complete with maps, measurements, names, and nationalities of all personalities. In this cosmopolitan community were men in Egypt, India, Australia, Kentucky, Africa, Georgia, Greenland, Illinois, South America and so forth. As a testimony to his perseverance, he finished the book while in prison.

When his grandson, Hal Woodside, was about seven years old, he gave the boy a book saying, "Sometimes words can do more to set men free than war. Words create their own freedom"

An omnivorous reader, John R. continuously searched for knowledge. He carried with him books about Egypt, Greenland, and Africa, as well as law books. If enough books were not forthcoming, he wrote his own. He was a world traveler, tied to an Ozark hillock.

Toward the End of the war, the Confederate colonel from Missouri was exchanged for a Union colonel, and John R. was free to return home.

He returned to his family, his land, his horses, his law practice and his devotion to Methodism. During the later years on the bench, if he found a county without a Methodist church, it soon discovered he was building them one.

An ardent Democrat, John R. Woodside was drawn back into politics. Nevertheless, he disliked "politicians" who sought public office mainly to serve personal and private interests. He once said that when he heard men prating about county or courthouse "rings," and yet taking no steps to indict the conspirators, he thought "such bipeds would do to watch."

When the Thirteenth District was organized in 1872, John R. Woodside became a candidate for district judge. He filed as a Democrat, but apparently ran without seeking formal party endorsement.

This did not suit some of the political leaders in West Plains, who called a convention and nominated their own candidate for the judgeship.

4

He won the election by a "fair majority" although at the time the district was Republican by about a 400 margin. (Douglas and Ozark counties were largely Republican, Howell was about equally divided, while Oregon and Shannon were Democratic.)

At the end of his first term in 1874, he came to the conclusion that "as a judge I was not a total failure." He decided to run for re-election, against a determined anti-Woodside element in the Republican party.

Some four or five very patriotic gentlemen, whose devotion to the public welfare induced them to offer to take my place, insisted that they were eminently qualified, while it was notorious fact that the incumbent was a total failure.

The people of the circuit fail to see that and endorsed me by a 700 majority, with the votes equally divided between Democrats and Republicans."

He maintained the confidence of the people and "served with ability and distinction" for forteen years. When, in 1886, he told the voters he was stepping down from the bench at the end of the term, he gave this accounting of his judicial career:

"My opposition to all rings, cliques, caucuses and conventions has been well known for a quarter of a century. I have never been a candidate for any such institution. It may be urged against me that I do not possess the requisites to manage such concerns. If so, I plead guilty."

He said he had no reason to be ashamed of the rulings of the Supreme Court upon cases taken there from his circuit. Foremost in his concerns was to serve his constituency by steering clear of partisan interests. The consistency of his rulings seemed one more indication that he succeeded.

About one year after he left the bench in 1887, on that same hill rise north above Eleven Points, Judge Woodside died, with a book in his hand.

This was sent to me From Bonnell (Spake) Hobbs