William Wood, born 22 Mar. 1826 and died 15 Oct. 1885, was a prominent Gordon businessman who donated one acre of land north of the town center beside the old river road, now U.S. Highway 95, from his large plantation estate to the Town of Gordon to establish a permanent town cemetery. In 1859 he was elected to the Alabama State Senate and served four years. He was also an active Mason, served as mayor of Gordon, and, as a prosperous merchant, established two riverboat landings at Gordon known as the Upper and Middle landings. Among the prominent early Gordon citizens buried in the cemetery are Arthur J. Bowdon, born 1809; William Wood, born 1826; Samuel Bowdon, born 1835; Samuel J. Hall, born 1837; McKelvey C. Marsh, born 1848; Ben F. Snead, born 1851; William G. Roundtree, Jr., born 1852; Dr. T. R. McLendon, born 1854; John R. Espy, born 1856; and E. F. Tuttle, born 1858.