Matilda M. Wood

Matilda M. Wood

• Father: Ashley Wood b. circa 1776, d. circa January 1838
• Mother: Elizabeth McCullers b. say 1776

• Matilda M. Wood was born circa 1800 in Georgia.
• Her middle name may have been McCullers.
• She married John Speight, son of (?) Speight and Unknown (?), circa 1819, likely in Georgia.
• Matilda M. Wood became a widow at the October 1825 death of her husband John Speight.
• She married James George on 13 July 1826 in Wilcox County, Alabama.
• 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.
• She received from Letitia Ann Wood and Edward McNair before 1848 at Shelby County, Alabama; gave as a gift the Shelby Springs.
• James George and Matilda M. Wood appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1850 in Shelby County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Robert George.
• Thomas Colley Thomas and Virginia Elizabeth McCullers Speight appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Clinton, Greene County, Alabama. Other members of the household included Matilda M. Wood, Ashley Wood Spaight Anderson, James Cameron Anderson, M. Georgia V. Thomas, James George and Alexander Ellerbe English.
• Matilda M. Wood died on 4 June 1871.
• She was interred at Concord Cemetery, Akron, Hale County, Alabama.

• Last Edited: 27 May 2016

• Charts: Descendants of WOOD William & Lydia Ballentine