Solomon Wood

b. 6 April 1756, d. 17 August 1815
  • William and Lydia Wood and their family probably arrived in North Carolina from Virginia about 1756.
  • Solomon Wood was born on 6 April 1756 in North Carolina.
  • Solomon Wood appears in a list of officers of the 8th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, Continental Troops, as a lieutenant, commissioned 28 November 1776. Commanded by Col. James Armstrong, the 8th North Carolina was authorized 16 September 1776 at Halifax, North Carolina, consisting of eight companies from Newbern and Wilmington Districts.
  • 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.
  • A bond for the marriage of Solomon Wood and Elizabeth Eason was secured on 29 December 1777 at Wake County, North Carolina, with bondsman Solomon's cousin Penuel Penny, and witness John Rice.
  • Research Note: Some family researchers report that Elizabeth Eason's name at the time of her marriage was "Elizabeth Eason Morton." It is likely that this was the result of an error introduced during the posthumous transcription by a typist of the handwritten manuscript of a memoir by her grandson Campbell Wood (1842-1914).
         The surviving original typescript reads "Elizabeth Eason Wood (Welsh) (Mrs. Morten was a Miss Bentley) wife of Gen. Solomon Wood, born December 28, 1757." Since Elizabeth Eason's mother was born Sarah Bentley, it appears that "Her Mother" was mis-transcribed by the typist as "Mrs. Morten." Thus the correct transcription would be: "Elizabeth Eason Wood (Welsh) (Her Mother was a Miss Bentley) . . ."
  • In February 1778, in Wake County, North Carolina, Solomon Wood was named a Constable in the room of Jacob Uttley.
  • 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.
  • He served as "Constable to Warn" in Capt. Uttley's District for the 1778 and 1779 tax assessments at Wake County, North Carolina.
  • Court Minutes, Johnston County, North Carolina (31 August 1778): A Verbal Will made by John Wood and after his decease committed to writing and proved before John Sanders esqr is Admitted to record. Ord. to be filed. Administration on the Estate of John Wood Desd is Granted to Solomon Wood who entered into bond with John Whitley & Robert Dodd his Securities in the Sum of Two thousand pounds for the faithful discharge of this duty, & Qualified as administrator and returned an Inventory. Ordered that he sell the perishable part of the Estate.
         According to a volume of Johnston County will abstracts, the noncupative will was dated 26 July 1778 and probated in August 1778. Desires that his Est. be sold & after all debts are paid, the lawsuit with John Smith ended, the rem. of Est. to be equally divided among all brothers & sisters [unnamed]. Witnesses: John Wood Jr [?], Mary Arandell, Sarah --?--.
  • 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.
  • Court Minutes, Johnston County, North Carolina (31 May 1779): Ordered that Coln. Wm. Bryan, Col. John Smith and Wm. Ward Settle and adjust the account current of the Estate of John Wood Desd. with the Administrator and make report thereof to this Court, Who settled and adjusted the same and report that Twelve hundered and Twentyfour Pounds Eight Shillings and one penny, which was examined and concured with by the Court. Ordered the said account with all the papers thereunto belong be filed.
  • He was a District Captain for the 1780 tax gathering. at Wake County, North Carolina.
  • He and John Rice provided a surety bond in the sum of 10,000 pounds current money for Thomas Walton [Wootten?] as tax collector in Captain Wood's District during 1780. at Wake County, North Carolina.
  • According to The North Carolina Booklet (July 1905), "A good deal of recruiting was done in Wake County while the war was in progress. In the Summer of 1781, one of the French volunteer officers, Francis [François Lellorquis] Marquis of Malmedy, mustered into his regiment a company of Wake Light Horse. Of this company Solomon Wood was Captain, Mark Myatt was Lieutenant, and Thomas Gray was Cornet."
  • According to The State Records of North Carolina, 1780-1781, the following was recorded in July 1781: A list of Capt. Wood's Horse in Colo. Malmedy's regiment, Solomon Wood Capt., Mark Myatt Lieut., Thomas Gray, Cornt. (1) Bryant McCullers Sergt . . . (27) David McCullers . . . (44) Sion Perry . . . (45) Gideon Allen. . . (signed) Solomon Wood, Capt., Malmedy, Colonel Commanding. I take the Liberty of recommending strongly Capt Wood as a very orderly & spirited officer. I should consider as a particular favour, if that deserving company could be Entitled now, to certificates for their due pay. Malmedy.
  • There is evidence provided by Revolutionary War pension applicants (amongst them David Strahan and George Thomason) that prior to his service under Col. Malmedy, Solomon Wood served as captain of a horse company under Col. Hardy Sanders, that served as a guard against the Tories while the North Carolina General Assembly met early in 1781 in Wake County.
  • At a Wake County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions beginning 4 March 1782, "The following Grants having been Exhibited were Ordered to be Registered, to wit. . . Solomon Wood 100 (acres) (grant# 455). . . Solomon Wood 575 (acres) (grant# 366), 100 (acres) (grant# 408). . . ."
  • He and others provided a surety bond in the amount of 10,000 pounds specie supporting the appointment by North Carolina Governor Alexander Martin of Britain Sanders Esq. as Sheriff of Wake County. in September 1782.
  • He acted as the Constable in his own District, under Justice John Whitaker Esq., for 1783 collection of taxes at Wake County, North Carolina.
  • At a Wake County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions beginning 1 March 1784, a deed from Solomon Wood to James Linn was proved in open court by the oath of Micajah McGee, a witness thereto, and ordered to be registered.
  • On 11 December 1784, Solomon Wood sold 100 acres in Wake County to Joseph Jones.
  • Solomon Wood is recorded as witnessing a deed in Wake County on 25 October 1785.
  • According to Wake County Deed Book G, page 130: Solomon Wood of Wake Co. to John Huckebee of same, both planters, November 16, 1785, for 300 pounds current money a tract of 1,000 acres lying on both sides of Middle Creek adjoining Hardy Sanders, Matthew McCullers, and Solomon Johnston. Witnesses: Matthew McCullers, Joel Watson.
  • And on the following day (17 November) Solomon Wood witnessed the sale of 210 acres and plantation (likely some aspect of the earlier transaction) by John Huckebee to Penuel Penny of Cumberland County (Solomon Wood's first cousin).
  • 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.
  • According to a Johnston County deed dated 3 February 1788: Solomon Wood of Washington County, Georgia, to James Penny of Wake County, North Carolina, 100 acres on the north shore of Swift Creek in Johnston County. (James Penny and Solomon Wood were first cousins; their mothers were sisters.)
  • On 14 March 1788, Solomon Wood wrote to the Governor of Georgia:
                        Wood's Fort, Williamson Swamp
                        Six miles from the old town
                        March 14, 1788
    To the Governor of Georgia,
         May it please Your Honor:-
         The distress of the families in this Fort is such as obliges me to call on your honor for assistance and aid in men and ammunition.
         We have been cruelly abused with the idea of a treaty which induced many to return to their plantations in this neighborhood and made us feel more secure than we ought; for on the 12th inst., a party of savages were discovered on the plantation of Mr. Sikes, about a mile on the South side of Williamson Swamp, by the barking of the dogs about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Mr. Sikes went over the fence to see what they were barking at, when he was fired upon by a party of the Indians and received three balls in his arm, shoulder and hip. He got over the fence after this and went to the house, a small distance, and as he went in he received a shot which broke his leg; the party also fired at his wife as she stood at the door to receive him but did not hit her. She shut the door and got to making cartridges with which Mr. Sikes in that wounded condition prepared to defend his helpless family, consisting of wife and four children. They did not attack the house but went off.
         A young man from a neighboring family, hearing the guns, came to the house and seeing Mr. Sikes in that condition came over to my fort for assistance. I was from the Fort at the time he came but he returned with Mr. Allen Spurlock who took a horse and went to Mr. Sikes and fixed him on a bed in a sledge, with one of his daughters, about nine years old, his wife's sister, about 16 years old, walking afoot, and Mrs. Sikes on horseback with a child behind and one before. In this manner they set out to my Fort with Allen Spurlock, the young man having gone to the Swamp to bring out another family.
         Before they reached the Fort they were fired on by a party of Indians in the rear. They all ran and left the sledge with Mr. Sikes and immediately discovered three Indians between them and the Fort, on which they made to get around them but were fired on and the young woman and Allen Spurlock were shot down and scalped, as was the other little girl who had a bottle of rum in her hand and begged that they would take that and not kill her. They dam--d her and her rum and said it was her scalp they wanted; They then knocked her down and took her scalp and left her to die. They then pursued Mrs. Sikes, who must have fallen into their hands had I not fortunately come to the Fort at this time and ran to meet her; when they saw me they fled to the Swamp. The little girl came to the Fort about half an hour afterwards and brought the bottle or rum with her.
         The next day the same, or another, party of Indians passed in sight of the Fort. We buried the dead; the little girl is likely to recover.
         What attention may be paid to the inhabitants above I know not but certainly we are left in this quarter in a defenseless situation, neither arms, ammunition or men and without which we cannot attempt to tend the little land we have opened. To remove to a distance from the savages is out of our power, having, many of us, spent our all in getting here.
         If we are to cover the settlements less exposed, it is reasonable that we should be supported by them.
         We entertain no doubt but that Your Honor and the Council will give the necessary order and hope that the commanding officer may be obliged to have them executed.
         I am with respect Your Honor's most obedient and humble servant.
                        (signed) Solomon Wood
         To His Honor, the Governor, Augusta, Ga.
  • The following appeared on 12 October 1793 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State: Taken up on the frontier between the Ohoopis, a young Negroe Fellow, says his name is Toha. He is branded on the breast thus, R O P, talks broken English -- I cannot find out his master nor where he lives; and as there is no gaol in the county, I thought fit to advertise him in the public papers, requesting the owner to come forward and make his claim good and take him away as quick as possible, as I would not wish to be answerable for his good behaviour. The owner may find him in the care of the subscriber if he applies in a short time, Solomon Wood. Williamsons' Swamp, Sept. 23, 1793.
  • Jefferson County was established in 1796 from Warren, Burke, Washington and Montgomery counties, and the city of Louisville, founded specifically as the new state capital, served as the Georgia capital until 1806.
  • Solomon Wood was active in military affairs, serving after the Revolutionary War as a major general of the Georgia militia, and distinguished himself by his opposition to the Yazoo land fraud. He was appointed as one of the judges of the Inferior Court on 29 April 1796, and served from 1796 to 1814 as a state senator from Jefferson County.
  • The following appeared on 12 November 1796 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State: The following returns of the general election, for members of the state legislature, two members for congress, and four electors for president and vice president of the United States, held on Monday last, are come to hand:-- . . . Jefferson. Solomon Wood Esq. senator . . .
  • The following appeared on 30 March 1798 in the Columbian Museum & Savannah Advertiser: Executive Department. Louisville, 20th March, 1798. . . . Officers composing the court and duly sworn: Brig. Gen. John Morrison; Lieut. Col. Solomon Wood; Major John Scott, of Jefferson. . . .
  • The following appeared on 19 October 1799 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State: Further returns of the General Election held on Monday the 7th instant. . . Jefferson. Senator Solomon Wood.
  • The following appeared on 16 October 1800 in the Georgia Gazette: Elections on Monday the 6th instant. . . . In Jefferson County . . . State Senator. Solomon Wood, esq. . . .
  • The following appeared on 15 October 1801 in the Georgia Gazette: Elections of Members of the General Assembly on Monday the 5th instant. . . . For Hancock County. . . . David, Adams, John Harbirt, and Boling Hall, Esqrs. Representatives. For Jefferson County. Solomon Wood, Esq. Senator. . . .
  • The following appeared on 9 October 1802 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State: The following returns of the General Election held on Monday the 4th instant, are come to hand. . . . Hancock. Representatives -- David Adams, Bolling Hall and John Harbert, Esqrs. Jefferson. Senator -- Solomon Wood, Esq.
  • The following appeared on 22 January 1803 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State: Presentments of the Grand Jury for the District of Georgia, in the Sixth Circuit Court of the United States, at a court begun and held at Louisville, before the hon. William Stephens, one of the Judges of said Court, on the 14th of December, 1802. . . . Solomon Wood, foreman. -- Michael Shelman, Francis Boyakin, Willis Brazeal, George Segar, Robert Shaw, Hezekiah Jones, Jesse Sanders, Archibald Hatcher, Barrett Brewer, Arthur Fort, William Melton, Zachariah Lamar, James Stallings, David Blackshear, William Barron, Briggs Hopson. Extract from the Records, 20th December 1802. Richard M. Stites, Clerk Geo. District.
  • In an account published on 4 June 1803 in The Augusta Chronicle and Gazette of the State, of Acts passed at the session of the Georgia General Assembly that commenced 18 April 1803, Solomon Wood is named as President of the Senate, pro tem.
  • Solomon Wood died on 17 August 1815 at age 59 in Jefferson County, Georgia.
  • He was interred at Jefferson County, Georgia, near Bartow.
    Solomon Wood (1756-1815), old Wood plantation, near Bartow, Jefferson County, Georgia
    Solomon Wood (1756-1815), chinaberry grove, old Wood plantation, near Bartow, Jefferson County, Georgia
  • 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.
  • ===== Additional Biographical Information =================.
  • According to History of the Georgia Militia, 1783-1861, Solomon Wood "was commissioned as lieutenant in the 8th Regiment North Carolina Regiment in 1776. He subsequently served as a captain in Col. Malmedy's Regiment. After the war he settled in Washington County, Georgia. By the time of the 1787-88 Indian raids on the Georgia frontier he was a major in the Washington County militia. His blockhouse on Williamson's Swamp became a famous refuge for settlers in the area when the Creeks were on their killing raids. In 1795 he joined with James Jackson, Jared Irwin, and others to defeat the 'Yazoo Frauds.' Upon the formation of Jefferson County in 1796 his land ended up in the latter county, and Wood became lieutehant colonel commanding the Jefferson County regiment. In February of 1802 he was promoted to brigadier general of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Division [consisting of Burke, Jefferson, Screven, Bulloch, Emanuel, Tattnall and Montgomery Counties], G.M. He resigned his command in 18006. General Wood struck his leg in getting over a fence, and died as a result on 17 August 1815. He was once described as 'one of the largest, finest-looking men ever seen in the county in his day.' 'Born to command, he had a most powerful voice.'" (Vol. 1, pp. 357-358.)
  • Robert B. Roberts writes in his 1988 Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: Wood's Fort - Some years after the Revolution had ended, General Solomon Wood, veteran of the war, built his home on a high hill over-looking a wide expanse of country east of Bartow in Jefferson County. Near his hilltop home General Wood built a blockhouse for the protection of his family and neighbors. It was reported that when there was a threat of Indian attack, a large bell, loud enough when rung to be heard for a distance of two miles, would summon all within hearing distance to find shelter within the blockhouse.
  • Last Edited: 26 May 2016

Family: Elizabeth Eason b. 28 December 1752, d. 21 March 1826