• Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Indenture Between James Wood and Samuel Candlish and Margaret Candlish 27 May 1866

    Background First, this and the other documents surrounding the estate of Hugh Wood, brother of James Wood, reveal an absolute mess.  Let me try and shed what little light I can on the subject. In a letter written by Hugh Wood to James Wood on 1 April 1852, Hugh indicates the following: James will need money to settle himself and his family.  Hugh states that he will make funds available to James once James decides the best course of action.  Hugh also tells James that if he has proof that he purchased land through Sir Edward Belcher (Colony of Kent), he can be reimbursed for the land price.  All he…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    John Reid Letter to Isabella Wood 29 August 1874

    Background James Wood sold his land in Scotland for $485 an acre and bought land in Texas for 25 cents an acre.  Yes, he paid for the land associated with the Colony of Kent, and yes, he lost all of that money.  After paying for transportation costs to Texas, was he out of money?  I would like to think not, but in his letter to his brother, Hugh tells James that he will provide money to cover any needs James has.  Notice he doesn’t say “I’ll transfer your money to you.”  So my original theory that James left his cash with his brother is kinda shot.  Hugh also states in…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Dr. Hugh Wood’s Letter to His Brother, James Wood 1 April 1852

    Background In this letter, Dr. Hugh Wood writes to his brother about finding a new place to live.  Hugh promises money to pay for whatever James decides to do.  He also indicates that James and his family are to be his heirs.  Unfortunately, when Hugh died, he did not have a will or a will was not produced and James and his family were not the sole beneficiaries.  This caused tremendous financial hardship (according to a letter from John Reid to Isabella Riddell Wood). Hugh mentions the starvation in the Highlands, the transportation of many to Australia, the discovery of gold in Australia, and other bits of news. There are…

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    James Wood’s Citizenship Papers (U.S. and Scotland)

    Background James Wood arrived in Texas in 1851, but did not become a U.S. citizen until November of 1856 according to A.Y. Kirkpatrick in his book “The Early Settlers Life in Texas”.  Above is the link to the Kirkpatrick book (to the actual page) where this is documented.  I don’t have official paperwork, but will go to the courthouse in Hillsboro eventually to see what I can find. Meanwhile, I do have a copy of the document where Scotland acknowledges that James Wood is no long a citizen of Great Britain. That document is presented below. The Document  

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    James C. Frazier Letter to James Wood 26 April 1869

    Background In this letter, James C. Frazier asked James Wood if he wishes to sell some land in Erath County.  Kimball, in this instance, is the location from which the letter was written and does not refer to Richard Kimball, the land agent.  James Cason Frazier (1831 – 1917) was the brother of Monroe Frazier who married James and Isabella Wood’s daughter Jane Mason Wood. The Letter Kimball April 26th, 1869 James Wood, Esq. My dear friend, I was up in Erath County last week and I saw a man that wants to buy 160 acres of your land on the Paluxy – he wants half of the part of…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Park

    Archibald Park Letter to Isabella Wood (His Adoptive Mother) 22 January 1864

    Background Archibald Park was the oldest son of William and Frances Smith Park.  The Park family emigrated to Texas with the Wood family.  While in Leon County, Texas, Mr. and Mrs. Park died.  Their four children were orphaned.  In a letter back to Mrs. Park’s parents in Scotland, Isabella Wood states that she expected to keep the children, but that another couple wanted to raise two of the children, William and David.  The Woods informally adopted Archie and his sister Lillias and raised them. Archie joined the Confederate army.  He was taken prisoner and held at the infamous POW camp in Elmira, New York.  He was transferred to the General…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Ferguson

    Confederate Conscription in Hill County R A Ferguson

      Confederate Conscription in Hill County, Texas Robert Andrew Ferguson enlisted in the Confederate Army in Hillsboro, Texas in March 1862 along with his brothers-in-law.  Again, a physical description is provided and it amazes me that they enlisted “for the duration of the war”.  Wow. I want to believe that these men were honorable.  After all, they are my family.  “For the duration of the war” seems like a huge commitment and quiet a brave thing the do.  But, and there is always a but, looking back, commitment to the Confederacy isn’t a politically correct place to be.  History is always more complicated than it first appears and as I…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Confederate Military Records Hill County Texas John Wood

    Confederate Military Records and Conscription in Hill County, Texas The Battle of Shiloh was costly and showed that the Confederate Army needed more men.  In April 1862, the CSA voted in conscription which was basically a draft that forced me between the ages of 18 and 50 to enlist immediately.  The Wood family and their sons-in-law owned no slaves but were forced to enlist or face punishment.  While John Wood was a single man, many of the men who enlisted in Hillsboro, Texas on March 28, 1862 had families and farms.  These farms were managed by their wives and children “for the duration of the war” if they were lucky.…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Land Transaction Between James Wood and Richard Kimball 25 March 1858

    Background Evidently, James Wood purchased land in Erath County from Richard Kimball (the land agent).  I have letters between Monroe Frazier and James Wood about selling land in Erath County, but I don’t know if this is the same property or not.  Other letters indicate that Monroe and Jane Wood Frazier lived in Erath County for a while before the outbreak of the Civil War. The Record Filed March 25, 1858 Richard B. Kimball Deed To: James Wood Filed in my office for record March 25 at 10 o’clock a.m. 1858 W.W. McNeil Clerk, C.C.E.C. Filed for record June the 1st A.D. 1870 at 10 o’clock a.m. and was duly…

  • Family Genealogy Research,  Wood

    Hugh Wood Letter to His Sister, Isabella 19 May 1858

    Background Again, this letter is written by Hugh Wood to his sister, Isabella.  It appears that Isabella’s friend, Ell, is Hugh Wood’s sweetheart.  It is a heartbreakingly sweet letter.  I don’t know who Ell is…yet.  Still searching for her in letters and census reports. The Letter Camp Scott May 19th 1858   Dear Sister, I pen these few lines as a token that you are still remember by your brother.  I hope it is the same with you.  May the distance that separates us never alienate our affections for each other.  I wrote to Ell last __________________ with deepest regret that I think of that time and distance that separates…