He was born in Dunham, Quebec, on July 10, 1840.

His grandfather, Thomas Wood and his grandmother, Mary Skeele, had settled in Dunham arriving from the United States.

His father, Thomas Wood Jr. was born in Dunham in March 1815. He first worked as a farmer before going to Montreal to work for the merchant, John Baker. Later he went to work for a few years in Boston, before coming back at Dunham where he married Ann Jane Stevens, the daughter of Captain N. S. Stevens. Ann Jane died in 1841 leaving a young son, Hannibal. Mr. Thomas Wood Jr. later remarried and became a member of the Quebec Parliament, representing the county from 1867 to 1898.

Hannibal W. Wood became a physician and first practiced medecine for a few years (around 1867) in Nelsonville, Sweetsburg and Knowlton. After he moved to St. Johns (now St. Jean-sur-Richelieu) where he became a collector of custom.

He was married to Jane M. Barton (1844-1916).

Dr. Wood died on September 27, 1917 and he is interred in the Knowlton Cemetery.