Mary Wood

b. 27 November 1785, d. October 1858
  • Mary Wood was born on 27 November 1785 in North Carolina or Georgia.
  • 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.
  • She was known as Polly.
  • She married Thomas James Mitchell, son of John Mitchell and Sarah Thweatt, on 7 February 1803 in Jefferson County, Georgia, at Wood Plantation, and Mary's sister Elizabeth married Thomas' brother John.
  • Thomas James Mitchell and Mary Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1840 in Montgomery County, Alabama. Other (counted but unnamed) members of the household apparently included Thomas James Mitchell and Thweatt Eason Mitchell.
  • On Sunday, 26 May 1850, Green Wood recorded in his plantation daily account book: "Wrote to Mrs Mary Mitchell, Eason Allen & Edward Williams."
  • Mary Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Montgomery County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Thweatt Eason Mitchell.
  • Mary Wood wrote to Elizabeth Green Wood:
              Mt Olympus, Oct the 5 - 1852
    My Darling Elizabeth G Powell
         I was delighted last monday at the sight of a letter written with your own dear hand. I have not received a letter from any of your father,s family since I received yours by Willis. I have written 3 -- one to your mother, 1 to Camel & to Mary J Wood. I was at W. Mitchell,s last week & saw [one] from brother. He askd why I had not written to them, So I presume they have not got my letters. I should have been very unhappy at not getting letters had I not heard from them through others. Sister Allen wrote me she had just heard or received a letter. I also saw part of brother,s letter written to W. Breazeal publish,d in Dr Andrew,s paper. I can't immagine why our letters have failed to reach each other. I thought for a while that the high waters stopd the mail. It has just occurd to me that I receivd a letter from brother written when they were looking for Willis home. he said Camel was anxiously looking for an answer to his letter. I then answer,d Camel,s letter & described John T. Thrasher,s wife & wedding, also the little party I gave him Perhaps that letter has been received, But I must say that I think John has a choice wife. Emera is delighted with her. they will live with Emera this year if no longer, as Mr Mc Morris has become a traveling Preacher -- he has not spent a month at home this year. E. thinks he answer,d before he was calld.
         My dear Niece, altho I have been anxious to hear from you I am glad I did not know you had gone to have your dear face opperated on until the crisis was over. O how constantly & fervently I have prayd for you that you might be spared such pain, But our Heavenly Father has directed it otherwise & we must submit. You cant think how it grieved us all to think your beauty would be mar,d by that place but we all concluded you had plenty left and that mark of suffering would indear you to all your friends. My dear Elizabeth, as soon as your face is well enough for you to rub that side of it, rub it often to make the blood circulate & prevent its shrinking, rub it lightly but requently, I would beg you to come to see me as you can now come with out crossing the gulf but I fear you would be in a great hurry to get home as you have been absent so long and your suffering has made the time appear longer than it really was. If I am not mistaken you judgd Dr Mc Nair by Mr Powell, So when you get well his health will be restord, I hope. As for Dr Mc N. there is no hope for him if his health depends on his wife,s. I got a letter from him the day I received your,s. he said Latitia had no ease, only when lulled by opiates. Her sister is with her. every thing is done for her comfort that can posibly be done. The Dr says he takes her to ride as often as she can bear it. I think they don't expect She can live long. The leaders of her arm were cut when the opperation was performed but she could use it at first and imbroiderd or trimd a dress for Lagrand which inflamed the arm & swelled it very much. She has been suffering with that arm more than any thing else. Dr Mc N. would take her any where she wishd. He received your letter recommending Dr Newton but she cant bear the trip. It grieved me that I cant go to see her. My children think it would lay me up. I insisted on L,s spending this summer with me but could not get her to do so. I now think there is no probability of our meeting until we meet in Heaven. What a Soul cheering fa[i]th?, that we shall all meet in Heaven -- no Texas for Brother to move to and leave me. I hope the fifteen thousand dollars he has or will receive soon will inable him to live as he may choose, if he don't now, I feel that he is rewarded for his goodness without going to another world for it. May the God of Heaven multiply his blessings and cause them to descend on his children from generation to generation. I expect you hear from our Ga kin, as they speak of you all in their letters. Solon Mitchell left here this day 3 weeks. Said he thought he should bring Sister here to look out a place to move to. If they can't suit themselves here they will go to Texas. S. says he will move & Sister will go with him. The great rain this summer completed the ruin of their land. I hope they will find a place near me. Green Tailor & many others are moveing off. Mrs Abercrombie intends selling out & moveing to Florida. I am looking for Sister, as Solon and W. Mitchell speak of going to Texas in Nov And they are to come here first. Solon thinks Sister would be pleasd with the Barton place. Eason says if she wants it she shall have it. As you dont see your cousins you cant know what good boys they are unless I tel you. I think they are alike in many things. Solon is in fine healt[h], has fattened & looks much better than when you saw him. He says he has learnd to govern himself, has found out the worth of his mother. He used to be peevish. Sister speaks of him in her last letters as her noble good Son. The boys both see[m] anxious that Sister & I should spend the remnant of our days near each other. Sister is obliged to move some where, or I should not expect her here. I try not to be too much elated but keep two strings to my bow -- if one wont work I,ll [t]ry the other. I have many blessings, no doubt as many as I deserve. You speak of dear Ella & Eason. O, that I could see them. Hug & kiss them for me. Has Ella got dimples in both cheeks? Thos,s Son shews them plainer than any of my grandchildren -- he is a noble looking boy. Dear Liza, do come to see me as soon as you can. I want to see Mr Powell. tel him I love him because I think he loves you. You both have my prayers for your health & safe return to the arms of your friends. When you come here dont make us a flying visit as Willis & Sally did. All of us regretted seeing so little of them. Thomas M. would have gone to Tuskegee or Montgomery to see Willis but was not well enough.
         Liza, I expect you have read the discription of Niagra by H.. Bacon. he says go below & come up as near as you can with safety (on some water craft I judge), you can go quite [N]ear. Don't trouble yourself to describe it to me, but think of me when there & tel me if you injoy it. I am sure you will be fil,d with sublime thoughts of our Heavenly Father
         I need not tel you of the fruit here unless you could partake of it. I hope you will soon have plenty. I have the pleasure to say my children are well -- very little sickness amongst my children. none here except the mumps that was light with those who had it. We have an excelent crop this produced well. Eason says I need not send his love or good wishes -- you know you have them always. I came from Wetumpka monday evening to Cooks. All my daughters sayd tel you many good things for them. I can tel you one thing for them -- all love you & pray for your wellfare. Tel Camel I wrote him such a long letter, I am sorry he did not get it. I will write to him again -- tel him he must write to me again. I was proud of his letter. Give my love to Mr Powell, Sister, Brother & every member of the family when you see them.
         Clarrissa says give her love to Miss Liza, says she prays for you everyday that you may get well & get home safe.
         If good wishes could cure you you would soon be well.
         God bless you now and forever
         Is the prayer of your Aunt,
              Mary Mitchell.
    NB - Sally Cook directed your letter when I was there before I wrote it, made a mistake but did not have another invellope in the house. Tel some one write to me as soon as you get home. You wont feel like writing for some time perhaps. I shall be anxious to hear from you again. No cold weather here yet, we begin to want rain. - MM
         Minimal punctuation added by the transcriber to enhance readability.
  • She made a will on 3 July 1854 at Montgomery County, Alabama, in which Emera Anne Elizabeth Mitchell, Sarah Juliet Evelina Mitchell, Thomas James Mitchell, Thweatt Eason Mitchell, Columbus White Mitchell and Martha Maria Mitchell were listed as heirs. Codicils were added 15 July and 30 September 1858.
  • Evelina Wood wrote on 5 March 1855, to her daughter Lizzie Powell, undergoing treatment for cancer in Murfreesboro, Tennessee: ". . . Did Mr William Mitchell go to Murfreesboro? Your Aunt Polly wrote us she thought he would go. . . ."
  • Mary Wood died in October 1858 at age 72 in Montgomery County, Alabama.
  • It appears that her will was probated in Montgomery County, Alabama, on 2 November 1858, since there is evidence that a witness appeared in probate court related to the 15 July codicil.
  • A biographical sketch of Thomas James Mitchell appears in W. G. Robertson's 1892 Early Settlers:
         Dr. Mitchell, one of these early settlers, was a man in fine circumstances, and was prominent and popular in his vicinity. His plantation was situated on the river, and he lived on one of these tables and was surrounced with every comfort of life. His wife was the daughter of Solomon Wood, sister of Major Green Wood, and grand aunt of Dr. M. L. Wood, of Montgomery. Mrs. Mitchell was one of the noblest women of her day; she was loved and respected by rich and poor for her great charity and kindness. To show the great love the people had for Mrs. Mitchell, at one time a runner came and reported that the Indians were marching to attack the whites, the whole country was in a state of excitement, and the wife of one poor fellow was hanging on to him and crying, and he said to her, "Be quiet; I know I can't take you to Heaven, but I can take you to Mrs. Dr. Mitchell." That man thought if he could get his wife and children to Mrs. Mitchell, they would be free from the tommy-hawk and scalping knife.
         They had a large family of children: Solomon, John W., Red, Columbus, Thomas and Thwett were the names of their sons. Martha, Mary, Louise and Sarah were the names of their daughters. Solomon never married; John W. Married Rebecca Burch, a beautiful girl, daughter of John Burch in the Mt. Meigs neighborhood. Red died quite young. Columbus married a daughter of Phillip Fitzpatrick in the Line Creek neighborhood. Martha, the oldest daughter, married Young Ware, who lived but a little while, and then she married Bennett Griffin. Mary married John Thrasher, a splendid young man. Louise married William Fitzpatrick, and Sarah, the youngest, married a Mr. Cook. Capt. John W. Mitchell, of Mt. Meigs, and Phillip F. Mitchell, of Snowdoun, are grand sons of Dr. and Mrs. Mitchell.
         Recollections of the Early Settlers of Montgomery County and Their Families, by William G. Robertson. Montgomery, Alabama: Excelsior Printing Company, 1892. Reprinted Montgomery Alabama: Society of Pioneers of Montgomery, 1961.
  • On 27 November 1805, Solomon Wood signed the following will:
         In the name of God, Amen. I, Solomon Wood, being of good health and sound memory at present, thanks be to God for it, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, and also that it is every man’s duty to settle his affairs, do make, constitute and appoint this to be my last will and testament, that is to say, first I will bequeath my body to the dust and my soul to God, Who gave it, in hopes that He who formed me will have mercy on me.
         Secondly:- I will and bequeath to my beloved wife, Elizabeth, six negroes to be her choice that are not named in my will, four horses and they to be her choice of all my stock, fifteen cows and calves, one yoke of steers and six steers for beef and all the hogs, sheep and geese.
         Six feather beds and furniture, including all household furniture to be hers forever and at her disposal with the plantation whereon I now live, with the tools belonging thereto to be hers during her natural life, also my stage wagon.
         Thirdly:- I will bequeath to my daughter, Elizabeth, four negroes, to wit:- Black Jenny; Cuffy, a fellow; Rachel, a girl mulatto and Delilah. One horse, bridle and saddle with one hundred and fifty dollars, ten cows and calves, one feather bed and furniture and household furniture equal to what has been given her sisters.
         Fourthly:- I will and bequeath to my three sons, namely, Green Wood, Mark Red Wood and John White Wood, all my lands and negroes, namely, Tony, Murphy, Bob, Guilford, Jim (a mulatto), David Turner, Dad Wright, Godfrey, Betty, Black Rachel, Patty, Jule and Fannie and three feather beds and furniture, thirty cows and calves and three horses, bridles and saddles to be worth one hundred and fifty dollars each and the said property is to be equally divided between them at Green's ariving at twenty years of age, also five hundred dollars for their education.
         Fifthly:- I will and bequeath that after my just debts are paid the remaining part of my property to be equally divided between my children, namely: Nancy, Polly, Elizabeth, Green, Mark Red, and John White.
         Sixthly:- I make and constitute and appoint Willis Brazial, Thomas Mitchell and Green Wood to be my executors of this my last will and testament.
         In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal, dated in Jefferson County, and State of Georgia, this the 27th day of November, 1805. (signed) Solomon Wood.
         Signed, sealed and acknowledged before us the day and year above written, Stephen Durowzeau and John Cowart.
  • Last Edited: 21 Aug 2014

Family: Thomas James Mitchell b. 5 August 1778, d. 22 November 1843