The Woods Are Full of Woods, Hall, Georgia http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/hall/newspapers/wood5.txt ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb Project policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. GAGenWeb Archives File Manager, Hall County Carolyn Golowka, ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by Bill Stephenson, February 2001 Transcription by William L. Stephenson, Jr. Reprinted by permission granted to William L. Stephenson, Jr. by Sybil McRay to be placed in the ALGenWeb Archives, part of the USGenWeb Project. The woods are full of Woods The Times of Gainesville, September 10, 1978 - Sybil McRay Major Charles N. Wood of Dahlonega, Ga. writes: "Would you consider relating some of the information, in your article, that you have obtained on the Wood family? Also, is there a genealogical society in this area?" First, an answer to the last question. No. There is not an organized genealogical society in Hall County at the present time. There was an organization that met for several months but ceased meeting when it seemed that all the members became so involved with their search for heritage that they did not have time for this might meeting. Possibly in time there will be a re- grouping of this genealogical society. As to collected material on the Wood family, and since I am a descendant of this family, the first thing I learned when searching for my Wood nerigate was that the woods are full of Woods. The name is spelled both minus the "s" and with the "s". The Wood family seems mostly to have migrated from England to America; however, some few members of the family came from Ireland to America. The first members of the Wood family appears to have settled in Virginia. Much has been written in the history of Virginia about James Wood who came from England. "Soon after John Lewis laid out Staunton, a group of Scotch, Welsh, and English settlers founded a town in the lower valley. Their leader was a Col. James Wood, who had been educated at Oxford, had served in the Royal Navy, and had come to the Valley in his late 20's as a surveyor for the state of Virginia. With some experience behind him, and the world to choose from, he chose the Valley, and in 1735 began to build his 'seat', 'Glen Burnie,' beside a brook. The stone walls around the garden, the springhouse, the cliff lilies, the cedar walk, were laid out in the English style. Inevitably, when he planned his town, he named it for his English home: Winchester." The name "James" has been passed down almost through every Wood family. My own great-grandfather was James J. P. Wood. He was the son of William Wood who moved from South Carolina to Georgia and settled in Cherokee County. This William Wood is believed to be the same person named as a son in the will of Joseph Wood of South Carolina. Joseph Wood was born in Virginia. It is believed that probably the initials "J" and "P" in the name of my great- grandfather stand for the names of Joseph and Pennell, both Wood men are named in South Carolina records. Some of the descendants of Pennell, or Pennywell, Wood moved to Georgia. Pennell Wood moved from Culpepper, Va., to Spartanburg County, South Carolina, where he died and was buried. It is known that he had at least two sons, Benjamin and Henry Wood. Benjamin, the youngest of the two sons, was born in 1960 [probably 1760], and died Dec. 8, 1838. Henry Wood was born Dec. 7, 1956 [probably 1756]. He was married to Susan Elizabeth Mayfield in 1777. Wm. J. Stewart wrote in his publication on the 1800 census of Pendleton District, S.C. that Pennell Wood lived in Granville County, N.C. before moving to Spartanburg, S. C. His son the Rev. Henry Wood, (a Methodist preacher) who was born in Bertie County, N. C. applied for a pension for Revolutionary service March 19, 1833, going from his Spartanburg home to make his declaration in Greenville District in order to confer with his old friend, Abraham Mayfield. Mayfield said he had known Henry Wood for 55 years. There were several Wood- Mayfield marriages, and Reuben Mayfield was an executor of Pennell Wood's estate in 1810 in Spartanburg. An Abraham Mayfield named a son in his will in 1778 in Granville County, N. C. The families in Greenville and Pendleton Districts appear to be related. The 1820 census of Greenville District, S.C. enumerates Pennell, Joseph, William, Sarah, and Edmond Wood; however, the elder Pennell Wood died in 1810. The Rev. Henry Wood organized and was pastor of a Methodist church near Greer, S.C. He died in 1845 and was buried in the church yard of the Woods' Methodist Chapel in Spartanburg County near Greer. Children of children of the Rev. Henry Wood and Susan Mayfield Wood were: John, Elizabeth, Nash, Mary, Henry Jr., Daniel, Charity, James, Lottie, Malachi, and Isham Wood. It is known that at least one son and probably other children of Henry Wood moved to Georgia. Some of the descendants live presently in Hall County.