William Wood Sr. (abt. 1634 - 1697)

Born about 1634 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island [uncertain]

Husband of Martha (Earle) Wood — married before 1673 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island

Descendants

Died 3 Feb 1697 at about age 63 in Dartmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Loren Fay [send private message] and Elee Wood [send private message]

Biography

William Wood, was born by 1634. About 1662 he married Martha Earle, daughter of Ralph and Joan (Savage) Earle.

William was a freeman in Portsmouth, Rhode Island and Providence Plantation in 1658; a constable in Dartmouth, Massachusetts Bay in 1685.

William "of Dartmouth" wrote his last will on 15 April 1689; the estate inventory was taken on 4 Jan 1696/7, by which time his wife, Martha, had predeceased him. Six of his ten children were minors at his death. [cut and paste from profile of his father].

Children

1. William, Jr., born about 1663; married Mary (?Allen)
2. Mary, born about 1665; married first about 1682, Samuel Wilcox, who died before April 1699, by which time she had married second, Thomas Mallett, who died 16 January 1703/4; she married third, John Sanford; she died 15 December 1721, and is buried in Newport, Rhode Island
3. George, born about 1667; married Ann Wilbur
4. Sarah, born about by 1676; lived in Dartmouth in 1697; probably married about 1698 to Peter Thompson; she died 24 October 1742
5. Margaret, born about about 1678 (minor in 1696); married about 1700 to Rev. Philip Taber; her will was recorded in 1757
6. Joseph, born about about 4 November 1680 (minor in 1696); came of age in 1701; married ____
7. Daniel, born about/before 1683 (minor over 14 in 1696); married first Elizabeth Ricketson; married second (possibly) Hannah Cook; married last Phebe Sherman
8. Josiah, born about/after 1683 by 1686 (minor under 14 in 1696); died young and unmarried by 1710
9. Rebecca, born about 1689 (minor in 1696); married first at Newport, Rhode Island on 25 March 1708, Charles Ware; married second at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, 5 March 1714/5, Elisha Sanford; she died 16 May 1745
10. John, born about/after 1689; before 1697; possible twin to Rebecca?

Disputed Child

1. Jonathan, born about 1648; may have been by a previous "irregular" wife, as their is some evidence his brothers did not recognize him; m1 ____; m2 Mary (?Titus)
2. William, the alleged father of Jonathan, was born about 1634, and would have been 14 years old at the time of Jonathan's birth.
3. No sources have been discovered to prove birth date, father, mother or marriages for Jonathan

Last Will and Estate Inventory

William's will was signed April xx, 1689.(https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/bristol-county-ma-probate-file-papers-1686-1880/image?volumeId=48309&pageName=29335:1&rId=1414813653)

Heirs, legatees and devisees were:

Loving wife, Martha

Sons, William, George, Joseph, Jonathan, Daniel, and Josiah

Daughter, Mary

His wife, Martha Wood, was named sole executrix.

Bequest to five sons, George, Joseph, Jonathan, Daniel and Josiah, all lands in the township of Dartmouth to be equally divided between them, except one/sixth part of of half a share of undivided land mentioned in a deed bearing date of 15th of April 1689 and that if my son William have no heir begotten of his body, but if he hath any heir it shall abide and remain to his heirs forever.

Administration of William's last will was granted to his two eldest sons, William Wood and George Wood (https://www.americanancestors.org/DB2724/i/48309/29335-co2/68511963).

Inventory of Wm Wood's estate at Dartmouth, MA taken 4 Jan 1696/7^[1] totaled 422 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 d less debts of 52 pounds. Land, being one half (400 acres) of a whole share, valued 166 pounds, house 60 pounds. Division allowed 14 April 1697 to 10 children^[2] each having 33 pounds, 13 shillings, William the eldest to have a double portion. To William the housing and 100 acres and meadow already laid out or divided and 1/4 of the said 1/2 share after 300 acres are laid out to George Wood, also 2 guns; William to pay to his brothers Josiah, Daniel and John their portions. To George, 300 acres to be laid out and three quarters of the undivided lands belonging to said half share, also a loom and small bed; George to pay this brother Joseph his portion. To Mr Mallet's wife a bed, bedding, 2 oxen, 2 yearling, etc. To Sarah Wood a feather bed, 2 cows, 8 goats, a horse, etc. To Margaret Wood a feather bed and various livestock and also to Rebecca Wood the same. Sarah, Margaret and Rebecca being the youngest daughters.

Questions

Portsmouth was not founded until 1638 and his father does not appear among the initial founders at that time.

Source of birth date is uncertain as well--could it be later? A listing for marriage in either 1660 or 1673 between Martha Earle b.1646 and William Wood b.1642, both of Rhode Island.

Source number: 6978.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: BFO. Yates Publishing. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.

Same database also has a marriage between William Wood b. 1642 and Martha Earle b. 1633.

Ralph Earle, Martha's father is known to be one of the earlier settlers of Portsmouth as of 1639.

Sources

1. ↑ "Probate records 1687-1916; index, 1687-1926 [Bristol County, Massachusetts]". Catalog: Probate records 1687-1916; index, 1687-1926 [Bristol County, Massachusetts] Probates, v. 1-4 1687-1723 Vol. 3 ends p. 337 (1710-1716). Lacking 1717-1 720. Vol. 4 begins 1721. Film number: 007703530 > image 92 of 745. FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9YT-98DD (accessed 20 September 2022).
2. ↑ "Probate records 1687-1916; index, 1687-1926 [Bristol County, Massachusetts]". Catalog: Probate records 1687-1916; index, 1687-1926 [Bristol County, Massachusetts] Probates, v. 1-4 1687-1723 Vol. 3 ends p. 337 (1710-1716). Lacking 1717-1 720. Vol. 4 begins 1721. Film number: 007703530 > image 97 of 745. FamilySearch Image: 3Q9M-C9YT-98D8 (accessed 20 September 2022).

See also:

• 1655 Probate Record. Town of Portsmouth (R.I.). 1901. The Early Records of the Town of Portsmouth. Providence, R.I.: E. L. Freeman & Sons. Rhode Island Historical Society, editor. Available online without restriction courtesy of Hathitrust: "We have determined this work to be in the public domain, meaning that it is not subject to copyright. Users are free to copy, use, and redistribute the work in part or in whole."

• "John Wood of Rhode Island, and his early descendants on the mainland", by Bertha W. Clark, Crete, Ill.: unknown, 1966, download from familysearch.org https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE919543&from=fhd

• Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island.

• The Generations Network

• Douglas Deal Title: Wichtermann-Deal, RootsWeb/25 Aug 2001 Web Address: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=: