Finding Capt. Thomas Wood's Daughters

Since Capt. Thomas Wood's last will and testament did not name his children, I went back to information about him on the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) website. It listed one daughter:

Sede Wood
born circa 1781 in Bedford County, Virginia
died 16 August 1824 in Adair County, Kentucky
married Henry Dooley on 7 August 1797 in Bedford County

I was able to find an abstract of their marriage in several sources:

Abstract of marriage bond for Henry Dooley and Sede Wood; courtesy of
Ancestry.com

Browsing through the Bedford County marriage bonds, I found two other daughters:

Elizabeth Wood
daughter of Thomas Wood
married Jonathan Smith on 15 March 1791 in Bedford County

Abstract of marriage bond for Jonathan Smith and Elizabeth Wood; courtesy
of Ancestry.com

Pebe Wood
daughter of Thomas Wood
married Peter Purnal on 15 February 1792 in Bedford County.

Abstract of marriage bonds for Peter Purnal; courtesy of Ancestry.com

Since Peter Purnal married again in 1793, I am assuming Pebe Wood died during their first year of marriage.

The marriage bond abstracts for Elizabeth and Pebe state they are daughters of Thomas Wood.

Other people named Wood mentioned in the abstracts:

Josiah Wood
James Wood
Jeremiah Wood

Who are they and what is their relationship to Thomas and his three known daughters?

My three times great grandmother and brick wall was Sarah "Sally" Wood (c1792-after 1884). So I am looking for a son of Capt. Thomas Wood. The search continues but now I have some names to research.

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Last Will and Testament of Capt. Thomas Wood of Bedford County, Virginia
Finding Sede (Wood) Dooley: Is She Sally Wood's Aunt?
Sarah "Sally" Wood (c1792-c1884): Has Ancestry's ThruLines Broken a Brick Wall?

Last Will and Testament of Capt. Thomas Wood of Bedford County, Virginia

Ancestry.com's new ThruLines indicates Thomas Wood (c1733-c1793) may be my five times great grandfather and the grandfather of Sarah "Sally" Wood (1792-1884), my three times great grandmother, who married Daniel Mitchell, Jr.  Her parents have been a longstanding brick wall.

Before exploring the DNA connections, I wanted to learn everything I could about Thomas Wood. I already knew he was Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot through two descendants of his daughter Sede Wood, who married Henry Dooley.

I also knew that he was a member of the Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church and had signed a petition to the House of Burgesses in 1774 asking for permission to buy slaves to work church land so that it could support a full-time minister. (Just let that sink in for a minute!)

Next, I wanted to find his last will and testament, which I was able to do. It did not, however, provide any new information as his children's names are not mentioned. The will did not advance my quest to discover the parents of Sarah "Sally" (Wood) Mitchell.

Bedford County, Virginia
Will Book 2 (1788-1803)
Pages 102-103

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood (c1733-c17930; courtesy of Ancestry.com

In the name of God, Amen. I Thomas Wood of Bedford County being desirous of making a Testament and I do make and ordain this -- my Last Will and Testament in form and manner following to wit

First of all I give and recommend my soul to God who gave it Nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection to receive the same by the mighty power of God and as to my Temporal Estate I will first of all my Just Debts be fully discharged and paid and

Secondly I will my wife Elizabeth have her third of my Estate as the law directs and also one horse saddle and bridle and one feather bed and ten pounds in cash out of my moveable Estate. I give and Bequeath my Lands equally between my male and female children both in my moveable Estate they are equally to have and I do by these presents constitute and appoint my true and loving wife Elizabeth Wood my lawful Executrix

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Wood (c1733-c1793); courtesy of
Ancestry.com

together with John Sharp in said County

26th day of November 1773

Thomas Wood (signed and sealed)

Signed, sealed, published and pronounced before us
Thomas Best
John Stovall
Elizabeth Stovall (her mark)

This is to certify this in mentioned [?] will stands up good from the first day of my writing of my will to my wife Elizabeth and my children my witnesses

My had this 17 day of January 1781

Thomas Wood (his mark)

Teste,

James King
Eliza King (her mark)
Hannah [illegible] (her mark)

At a Court held for Bedford County the 25 day of February 1793

This last will and testament of Thomas Wood, deceased, was proved by the oath of Elizabeth Leftwich late Elizabeth Stovall and the said Elizabeth Leftwich made oath that she saw John Stovall subscribe his name there to as a witness to the said will whereupon the same is ordered to be recorded and at a Court held for said County in July following the motion of Eliza Wood the Executrix therein named who made oath thereto --

Certificate is granted her for obtaining probate thereof in due form giving security whereupon she together with Henry Jeter, Thomas Logwood and George Potter her securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of two hundred pounds conditioned for said Executrix due and faithful administration of said decedent's estate and performance of his will. Liberty being reserved to John Sharp the Executor therein named to join in the probate thereof when he shall think fit --

Teste,

James Steptoe, County Clerk

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Finding Sede (Wood) Dooley: Is She Sally Wood's Aunt?
Sarah "Sally" Wood (c1792-c1884): Has Ancestry's ThruLines Broken a Brick Wall?

Finding Sede (Wood) Dooley: Is She Sally Wood's Aunt?

Thomas Wood, my possible five times great grandfather and grandfather of Sarah "Sally" Wood, my three times great grandmother, died in 1793. Did he serve in the Revolutionary War? I used the Daughters of the American Revolution's (DAR) Genealogical Research Service (GRS) to find out.

DAR GRS Ancestor record for Thomas Wood (c1733-1793); courtesy of
DAR.org

Thomas Wood not only served in the Continental Army under Capt. Joseph Spencer and Capt. Rueben Lipscomb, he furnished supplies to the patriotic cause. Two DAR members joined the lineage society using Thomas Wood as their patriot ancestor. Both women descended from Thomas' daughter, Sede Wood, who married Henry Dooley.

I know that my three times great grandmother, Sarah "Sally" Wood, may have descended from a son of Thomas Wood, so this step in the research process did not break through a brick wall, but it did give me more names to research.

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Sarah "Sally" Wood (c1792-c1884): Has Ancestry's ThruLines Broken a Brick Wall?

Daniel Mitchell, Jr. and Sarah "Sally" Wood Marriage Bond and Consent Note

During our trip to the Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library in Bedford, Virginia, I had hoped to determine who were the parents of my three times great grandmother, Sarah "Sally" Wood (born about 1792-died after 1884) and married to Daniel Mitchel, Jr. (c1786-1872). I read through several Wood genealogies and surname files but did not definitively answer the question. However, we did find the marriage bond and note of consent for their marriage. So the burning question now is, "Who is John Wood?"

Marriage bond for Daniel Mitchell, Jr., and Sarah "Sally" Wood; courtesy
of the Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library

Know all men by these presents that we, Daniel Mitchell and James H. Mitchell and John Wood are held and firmly bound unto Wilson C. Nicholas, Esq., governor chief-magistrate of the Commonwealth Virginia in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars current money of Virginia in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars current money of Virginia to which payment well and truly to be made to the said governor or his successors. We bind ourselves and each of us and each of our heirs, executors, etc., jointly and severally firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated this 1st day of June 1816.

The condition of the above obligation is such that is hereso -- There is a marriage shortly intended to be had and solemnized between the above bound Daniel Mitchell and Sally Wood.

Now if there shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage then the above obligation to be void else remain in full force and virtue.

Daniel Mitchell (his mark and seal)
James H. Mitchell (his mark and seal)
John Wood (seal)

Sarah "Sally" Wood warranting she is over 21 years of age; courtesy of the
Bedford Museum and Genealogical Library

Mr. James Steptoe

Sir, you have my consent to issue license for the intermarriage of myself and Daniel Mitchell and this shall be your sufficient warrant for the same. Giving under my hand this 1st day of June 1816.

Sally Wood

Daniel Oscar Jennings, Are You Related to Benjamin?

One of the Jennings researchers who corresponded with my father about the descendants of Benjamin Jennings (c1740-1815) of Powhatan County, Virginia thought Daniel Oscar Jennings was the son of Daniel Jennings and Martha Watkins. Daniel (Daniel-Dad) was a son of Benjamin Jennings, my four times great grandfather. I had a large print-out of that research and entered Daniel Oscar in my tree. I meant to go back and look for documents which supported the previous research, but suffer from Genealogical Attention Deficit Disorder (GADD) so I never did.

Snippet of page from another Jennings researcher's large print out, which Dad
kept in a big notebook; personal collection

Daniel (Daniel-Son) was born on 10 September 1806 in either Fluvanna or Goochland County, Virginia. (The records provide conflicting information.) He married Susan A. Bowles on 27 July 1837 in Powhatan County, Virginia. Daniel and his family were enumerated in the 1850 and 1860 census as residents of Powhatan County and he died there on 17 March 1861.

Several years ago I was contacted by a descendant of Daniel-Son's and she did not believe his was a son of Daniel-Dad Jennings. And if I would have been researching as I was entering the information from the notebook into my tree, I would have known that. Both his marriage record and his death and burial record indicated his parents were John and Lucy (maiden name unknown) Jennings.

So I unattached Daniel Oscar Jennings from Daniel-Dad Jennings and Martha Watkins and added his correct parents. My questions now:

• Are John Jennings and Benjamin Jennings related?
• Why did Daniel Oscar Jennings migrate to Powhatan County where Benjamin Jennings first appeared in the documents in 1783 and remained until his death in 1815? Random coincidence or familial connection?

Benjamin Jennings was my four times great grandfather and my brick wall. Perhaps, being able to determine who his brothers were could help break through it. So I am off to research John and Lucy Jennings.

The Case of Two Men Named Grover Cleveland Wood

I have two different men named Grover Cleveland Wood in my family tree born 16 days apart in the same state. It wasn't until I examined each record carefully that I realized I was dealing with two different men instead of one:

1. Grover Cleveland Wood (1885-1957)
2. Grover Cleveland Wood (1885-1959)

Grover Cleveland Wood #1

Grover Cleveland Wood was born on 1 February 1885 in Bonsack, Virginia, a small unincorporated community in Roanoke County to William Garrison Wood and Anna P. Thrasher. He married Nannie Alberta Scott on 25 January 1911 in Bristol, Virginia. They had three children:

• Mildred MacDonald Wood born 6 July 1912 in Washington County, Virginia; died 18 May 2010 in Roanoke County; married 1) John Reginald Watkins in 1938, divorced, 1942 and 2) Gilfert Witt Coalter in 1968.
• Marcus Scott Wood born 8 December 1913 in Campbell County, Virginia; died 4 January 1995; married Marie Babette Metz on 5 September 1947 in Kobe, Japan
• E. Garrison Wood was born 6 July 1915 in Campbell County, Virginia; died 23 November 2010; married Elizabeth Jean (Arington) Jessee, who had previously been married to Earnest Filmore Jessee, Jr.[1]

After his wife, Nannie, died in 1945. Grover #1 married Amy J. (Newman) Overstreet, the widow of Silas W. Overstreet.

A brief ancestry of Grover Cleveland Wood is:

Father: William Garrison Wood (1856-1942), married Anna P. Thrasher

Grandfather: Samuel Gilbert Wood (1818-1896), married Amanda Gish

Great Grandfather: Stephen Wood, III (1786-1850), married Lydia Holland. He was a Baptist minister and the high sheriff of Franklin County, Virginia.
2X Great Grandfather: Stephen Wood, Jr. (1751-1816), married Ann Smith

Home of Stephen Wood, III, courtesy of Ancestry member vernell190

Grover Cleveland Wood #2

Grover Cleveland Wood was born on 16 February 1885 in Powhatan County, Virginia, to William Washington Wood and Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann Davis. On 20 May 1915 he married Alma May Martin in Richmond, Virginia. They had no known children.

William Washington Wood Family; courtesy of FAG volunteer Elizabeth C.
Unfortunately, I do not know which son was Grover. He was the 7th of nine
children who lived.

A brief ancestry of Grover Cleveland Wood is:

Father: William Washington Wood (1844-1909), married Elizabeth "Bettie" Ann Davis
Grandfather: Joseph T. Wood (about 1817-1982), married Lucy Jane Davis
Great Grandfather: William Edward "Neddy" Wood (1777-about 1848), married Sarah Gilliland
2X Great Grandfather: Joseph Wood (about 1740-1916), married Mary Epperson

I do not yet know how this Wood family fits into my tree. A daughter of Joseph T. Wood married Joseph Sampson Jennings, son of Daniel Oscar Jennings. He is a mystery. I believe his father, or perhaps grandfather, both currently unknown, may be a brother of my Jennings brick wall: Benjamin Jennings (about 1740-1815).

A second tenuous connection to this Grover Cleveland Wood was through his second cousin, Lelia Demarius Wood, who married Samuel Hutchings Price, my second cousin three times removed.

A search for any Grover Cleveland Wood born between 1883-1887 reveals 23 different people. Be careful when you research; often times names are not as uncommon as you might suppose!

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[1]Earnest Filmore Jessee was my 4th cousin.

A great resources for descendants of Joseph Wood (about 1740-1816) is the Woods and Others website.