Maria R. D. (Wood) Godfrey (1844 - 1884)

Born 1844 in Navigators Islands

Ancestors

Wife of Charles G. Godfrey — married 13 Feb 1862 in New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States

Died 18 Jun 1884 at about age 40 in Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Maria (Wood) Godfrey is a part of US Black heritage.

Maria was the daughter of Richard D. Wood. She was born on "Navigators Islands," presently named Samoa. Her father may have been Richard De Cantillion Wood (b. 1814), who was apparently a whaling ship captain. Her mother may have been a native Samoan. According to the records of Micronesia, in 1854 the whaleship GAY HEAD of NB [New Bedford?], Capt Richard D. Wood, put in at Kosrae on Feb 28. Left ashore a sick seaman. After taking on water & wood, the ship left on Mar 2. [Wood 1856]. In 1855 the GAY HEAD put in at Kosrae on Feb. 18. The captain had trouble with mutinous sailors and was forced to borrow leg irons from the "king" of Kosrae. The ship left Kosrae on March 17.[Wood 1856]; in 1858 the whaling bark SUPERIOR of NB, Capt Richard Wood, dropped anchor at Kosrae on Mar 19. Took on provisions and made for sea on Mar 31. Returned to Kosrae on Dec 5. Took on wood, water & hogs. Left Dec 21. [ABCFM 1852-1909: II, B.G. Snow to Anderson, 8 Jan 1859; Wood 1860]. In 1859 the whaling bark SUPERIOR of NB, Capt Richard D. Wood, anchored at Kosrae on Dec 27. Took aboard 114 bbls of whale oil from the shipwrecked Lexington. Shipped three Cook Island natives. Put to sea on Jan 27. [Ward 1967: IV, 458-60; Wood 1860]^[1]

She married Charles G. Godfrey 13 Feb 1862 in New Bedford.^[2]

Another marriage record for Charles G. Godfrey and "Maud Hood" is the same image as the record of Charles G. Godfrey and "Maria Wood." It appears that "Wood" was misread as "Hood" and "Maria" as "Maud."^[3]

In the 1865 Massachusetts State Census for Nantucket, Maria's birthplace is given as Navigators Islands. She was age 22. She was living with her husband Charles G. Godfrey, age 32, and his parents Charles and Sophia M. Godfrey, and his brothers Joseph and Prince Godfrey. Maria and Charles had a son George, age 1.^[4]

Maria and Charles were living in Boston in 1870. Her birthplace is recorded as South Sea Islands. At that time their children were George, age 6, and Everett, age 1.^[5]

In 1880 Maria Godfrey and husband Charles G. Godfrey were living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The census records her birthplace as Virginia. At that time their children were: George, age 15; Edward, age 9; Arthur, age 6; Franklin, age 3 and Otis, age 1.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ "Foreign Ships in Micronesia" http://www.micsem.org/pubs/articles/historical/forships/kosrae.htm
2. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHN9-WY1 : 10 November 2020), Maria Wood in entry for Charles G. Godfrey, 13 Feb 1862; citing Marriage, New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004273857.
3. ↑ "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4MB-5VH : 10 March 2021), Charles G Godfrey and Maud Hood, 13 Feb 1862; citing New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,433,019.
4. ↑ "Massachusetts State Census, 1865", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQCL-1Q2 : 22 February 2021), Maria R D Godfrey in entry for Charles Godfrey, 1865.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD3L-ZMW : 2 January 2021), Maria Godfrey in entry for Charles Godfrey, 1870.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHX9-MFD : 19 February 2021), Maria Godfrey in household of Charles G Godfrey, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district ED 427, sheet 235A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,543.

• *"Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHNY-G38 : 10 November 2020), Mary R. D. Godfrey, 18 Jun 1884; citing Death, Cambridge, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004282168.