Ashley Wood

b. circa 1776, d. circa January 1838
  • Ashley Wood was born circa 1776 probably in Johnston County, North Carolina.
  • Court Minutes, Johnston County, North Carolina (28 May 1777): Returned into Court by John Wood an account current of the Estate of Marke Wood Des'd ordered that William Avera and John Rand Esquires be appointed to audit & settle the same, who in pursuance thereof returned a balance of £2 14.16.5 due from the said John Wood Executor in his own mony which acct. is ordered to be fild the said John Wood returned an Inventory & account of Sale of the said Estate ordered to be fild also;
         Ordered that John Wood be appointed Guardian to Ashley Wood orphan of Mark Wood Des'd who entered into the Bond & Security to wit: Wm. Wood Senior, Wm. Wood Junior Solomen Wood in the sum of six hundred pounds. Ordered that Elizabeth Eason be allowed twelve pounds for the maintenance & support of Ashley Wood orphan of Mark Wood Des'd sixteen months & that John Wood pay the same.
         Ordered that the following Persons be appointed Constables: John Oliver, Robert Gulley, John Wood, William Wood Jr, Nicholson Lee.
  • Court Minutes, Johnston County, North Carolina (May 1778): John Wood came into Court and Resigned his Guardianship to Ashley Wood Orphan of Mark Wood Desd, whereupon Soloman Wood was appointed Guardian to the said Orphan who entered into a Bond with William Wood Senr. and John Wood his Securitys in the Sum of One thousand pounds for the faithful performance of his Guardianship. Ordered that John Wood be allowed Ten pounds for his Expence in maintain-- Ashley Wood orphan of Mark Wood Desd. heretofore. Issued.
  • Court Minutes, Johnston County, North Carolina (31 May 1779): Solomon Wood Guardian to Ashley Wood orphan of Mark Wood Desd. came into Court and agreed to maintain and support the said orphan for the Interest arising from his Estate.
  • Based on information found in various deedbook and court minute records, it seems clear that Solomon Wood and his family (wife Elizabeth, daughters Nancy and Mary, and step-son Ashley Wood) relocated from North Carolina to Georgia about 1785.
  • On 2 March 1794, Sarah Bentley prepared a will, summarized as follows: (Johnston County, North Carolina) Eldest daughter Elizabeth Wood - Coat and 20 Sh; Daughter Mary Allen - Coat and 20 Sh; Grandson Ashley Wood - 1 gold ring and 1 note due me for $71 1/2 dollars, dated 30 Oct. 1790; Son John Eason - Negroes Sal, Mine, Amy, Tim & Letty. Exec: John Eason, David Bell. Signed Sarah (x) Eason. Wit: David Bell, Isaac Kindace, Thomas Lankford.
  • He married Elizabeth McCullers say 1796.
  • Amongst Johnston County, North Carolina, will abstracts is found the following power of attorney by Ashley Wood, undated, and probated 11 November 1797. Jefferson County, Georgia. [Appoint] Solomon Wood - True & lawful Atty., to sell & dispose of all land & prop. in Jo[hnston] Co., N.C. which I inherited, as heir of Mark Wood, dec. of Jo[hnston] Co N.C. Any money due me from any person in sd. state of N.C. after sales & receipts of same, & in my name, execute all the necessary writing for receipts for same. Wit: Nancy Wood, James Robinson, Turner Mason. signed Ashley Wood.
  • Ashley Wood is listed in Tarver District in Jefferson County in the Georgia Tax index for 1798-99.
  • Ashley Wood was among the grand jurors appointed to the first Superior Court held in November 1811 in Marion, Twiggs County (created from Wilkinson County), Georgia.
  • In 1815 Ashley Wood served on the Twiggs County Grand Jury.
  • Ashley Wood and Elizabeth McCullers appeared in the US federal census of 7 August 1820 in Wilcox County, Alabama. Other (counted but unnamed) members of the household apparently included Unknown Son Wood. Also in the household was one male under age 21, likely a son, apparently living two households away from his daughter Matilda Speight.
  • Ashley Wood received a land patent for 80.875 acres in Wilcox County, Alabama, on 8 April 1825.
  • According to Wilcox County, Alabama, Probate Court minutes, John Speight died in October 1825. In December 1825, his widow Matilda Speight and Henry Atwood, the largest creditor, were appointed administrators of the estate, with Ashley Wood as one of the securities. Among those appointed to appraise the estate was James George. Moses K. Speight [apparently a child of an earlier marriage/] chose his guardian, indicating that he was over 14 years of age. In October 1831, Henry Atwood and James George (in right of his wife, the widow of John Speight, their having married in the interim) made a return of the inventory, appraisement and account of sales of the estate, and also their account for a final settlement. Since the estate was in arrears with Henry Atwood and James George and other creditors, and there was no personal estate except Negroes whereby said claims could be paid, it was order by the court that the administrators sell two Negroes, Mariah and Lucinda. In February 1832 James and Matilda George contested the returns of Henry Atwood, and a jury was empanelled to try the issue. In May 1832 the issue was decided in favor of James and Matilda George. Document named other heirs Ashley W., Elizabeth M. and Georgia Ann Speight, and stated that John Speight and Henry Atwood had been members of the Dale Company. In August 1834 James and Matilda George and Ashley Wood sold property in Dale Town, acknowledging their signatures in Dallas County.
  • Ashley Wood and Elizabeth McCullers appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1830 in Wilcox County, Alabama.
  • On 14 May 1837 Ashley Wood made a will in Dallas County, Alabama, in which his daughter Letitia Ann Wood Grigsby was named his heir. The will, which appoints Uriah Grigsby and Letitia Ann Wood Grigsby executor and executrix, was entered into probate on 17 January 1838 and recorded on 3 September 1838.
  • Ashley Wood died circa January 1838 in Dallas County, Alabama.
  • In 1838 Uriah Grigsby presented in the Dallas County, Alabama, court the will of Ashley Wood, and after Grigsby's death James George became administrator.
  • While it first appeared that Elizabeth Eason was the mother of Ashley Wood based on court minutes and Sarah Bentley Eason's will naming him a grandson, it seems more likely that Ashley actually was the son of Solomon Wood's brother Mark and a yet unknown sister (possibly Sarah) of Elizabeth Eason. Solomon and Elizabeth's grandson Campbell Wood wrote in a letter to his sister-in-law Mary Jane LeGrand Wood (July 1894): "Cousin Wood Spaight said [his] Grandfather Ashly Wood was a double first cousin of Pa's. Grandfather and Grandmother Wood raised him from infancy, as both his parents died when he was an infant."
  • Last Edited: 27 May 2016

Family: Elizabeth McCullers b. say 1776