Elizabeth Frances (Dawson) Wood (1785 - 1866)

Born 6 Jan 1785 in Coote Hill, Ireland

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph Smith Wood — married 17 Feb 1803 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Wife of Thomas Charles Alley — married about 1819 in Prince Edward Island

Descendants

Died 26 May 1866 at age 81 in Charlottetown, Queens, Prince Edward Island

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Biography

Daughter of Thomas Dawson and Elizabeth Frances Tate Dawson.

Elizabeth Dawson married Joseph Wood on 17 February, 1803 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.^[1]

Their children were Thomas Dawson Wood, b. 1804; Mary Anne Wood, b. 1805; William John Wood, b. 1807; Elizabeth Caroline, b. 1809; Josiah Wood, b. 1811; Frances Celia, b. 1813; James Wood, b. 1814; Samuel Edward Wood, b. 1816; and Joseph Charles Wood, b. 1817.

Elizabeth administered the estate of her husband after his tragic and unexpected death in 1818.

After his death she married Thomas Charles Alley, but continued to use the name Elizabeth Wood.

In 1841, Mrs Elizabeth Wood, widow, signed a land conveyance with Thomas Alley. No mention is made of a relationship. ^[2]

In 1858, as Mrs Elizabeth Wood she transferred property to her son by another marriage Thomas Charles Alley. She said she was a widow. ^[3]

She died in 1866, in Charlottetown. "At the residence of her son, Thomas Alley Esq, on Saturday morning, Mrs Elizabeth Wood, aged 81 years. Her end was peace." ^[4]

Elizabeth wrote her will as Elizabeth Wood, widow of Charlottetown. In her will, she named her son Thomas Alley and grandson George Alley as executors; she left bequests to her daughter Mary Ann, wife of Isaac Palmer, Saint John, her daughter Eliza, wife of Charles Alley of Saint John, and son Josiah Wood, Saint John New Brunswick, got her gold watch. The money to her daughters was for them alone to control, and if Mary Ann predeceased her, the money would go to her female children. In Eliza's case, the money would go to her sons Hamilton Hazlewood and Charles Alley. ^[5]

Research Notes

Having had two husbands die without making a will, and providing for their wife or children...Elizabeth's will takes what today might be considered a feminist stance.

Why did she go back to being called Elizabeth Wood?

Sources

1. ↑ “Prince Edward Island, Canada, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials, 1780-1983,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/imageviewer/collections/61501/images/FS_005240361_00574), Joseph Wood and Elizabeth Dawson, 1803; Prince Edward Island Public Archives; St. Paul Anglican Church of Canada (Charlottetown); FHL Roll: 1630129.
2. ↑ Prince Edward Island Land Registry Office, Land Conveyance Records, vol 52 (2) 1841.
3. ↑ Prince Edward Island Land Registry Office, Land Conveyance Records, vol 75 (260) 1858.
4. ↑ Examiner -- 18660528 -- Page 03
5. ↑ Prince Edward Island Probate Records, Will of Elizabeth Wood, Will W-77, 1866.

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160364365/elizabeth-frances-wood: accessed 01 April 2023), memorial page for Elizabeth Frances Dawson Wood (6 Jan 1785–26 May 1866), Find a Grave Memorial ID 160364365, citing Old Protestant Burying Ground, Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada; Maintained by katiescleaning (contributor 48705815). No husbands on this gravestone.

• Author: Richard Wood Title: The Genealogy of Allen Wood Text: MyHeritage.com family tree
• Author: Jim MacIsaac Title: FitzGerald Web Site Text: MyHeritage.com family tree