Woodson, Daniel, first secretary and several times acting governor of the Territory of Kansas, was born in Albemarle county, Va., May 24, 1824. He was reared on a farm, received a limited education in the common schools of that period, and while still a boy began learning the printer's trade. He became an expert compositor, took an active interest in political affairs, developed considerable ability as a writer on questions of public policy, and in time was made editor of the Lynchburg Republican, one of the influential Democratic newspapers of the Old Dominion. His editorials attracted wide attention, and were no doubt largely responsible for his appointment as secretary of Kansas Territory in 1854. In October of that year he arrived at Leavenworth, and the remainder of his life was passed in the Territory and State of Kansas. At different times during his term as secretary he was called upon to exercise the functions of the chief executive. The first of these was in the spring of 1855, while Gov. Reeder was absent from the territory. After Gov. Reeder's removal he acted as governor until the arrival of Gov. Shannon. Again in the spring of 1856 he served as governor while Gov. Shannon was in St. Louis, and after the latter's resignation he acted as governor until the arrival of Gov. Geary. From March 12 to April 16, 1857, Gov. Geary having retired from the office, he once more discharged the executive duties. On April 1, 1857, he was appointed receiver of the Delaware land office, but continued to act as governor until the 16th, as above stated, when he was succeeded as secretary by Frederick P. Stanton. His record as receiver of the land office is that of an efficient and painstaking official. Upon retiring from this position he engaged in farming for about twelve years in Leavenworth county. At the end of that time he removed to Parker, Montgomery county, where he established a newspaper. This venture proved to be unsuccessful from a financial point of view, and he entered the employ of the Coffeyville Journal. For twelve years he served as city clerk of Coffeyville. Mr. Woodson was a strong pro-slavery man in the early days of Kansas' existence, and he sometimes did things that aroused the wrath of the opposition. He was always conscientious, however, in the discharge of his official duties as he saw them, and there was never a word against his habits in private life. He died on Oct. 5, 1894, at the home of his son at Claremore, Ind. Ter., where he had gone in the hope of regaining his health.