Fernando Wood (1812-1881), American politician, was mayor of New York City, and a leading Peace Democrat during the Civil War.

Fernando Wood was born in Philadelphia on June 14, 1812. After a meager education, he worked at a number of jobs, twice failing in businesses of his own. By 1836 he had entered shipping, and in 1849 he made great profits shipping goods to San Francisco as the gold rush began. Wood invested his profits in New York and San Francisco real estate and acquired a great fortune, which enabled him to devote full attention to politics, long his major interest.

In 1836 Wood joined Tammany Hall, the powerful Democratic organization in New York City, and rapidly became one of its leaders. In 1841 he entered the U.S. Congress for a single term. Wood ran unsuccessfully for mayor of New York in 1850, when the Tammany organization split, but in 1854 he won the post...