HANNAN PAYNE & MATHEW WOOD Contributed by Sherry Gritzbaugh ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Mathew Wood(s) was a son of Abraham of Pulaski and Washington County, Georgia. The name of his Mother is unknown to the compiler. Martin Wood, brother to Mathew Wood died in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana and mentioned the children of Henry P. Anderson in his succession. He is believed to have married Winnifred Harris. Thompson Wood married Eliza Hendrick on the 27th. day of March, 1845 and moved to Texas. He was also mentioned in the records. Perhaps a reader will know how he ties in with the family of Mathew and Martin Wood. From the History of Butler County by J. B. Little page twenty nine states "on the evening of the 14th. of January, 1819, the peace of the happy forest of oaks was distrubed by a train of emigrants" - the Paynes were listed among the first settlers to arrive. From Butler County Reminiscences by J. B. Wade, he pinpoints where the early settlers lived. He states that the Paynes were located on Persimmon Creek, and that Mathew Wood lived in the Village of Greenville. Page four hundred two "Swint" by Margaret Ezell tells us that Hannah married Mathew around 1809. In 1810, Mathew Wood, of Twigs County was issued a permit to travel through the Creek Nation of Indians. Unfortunately the Twigs County Courthouse burned and all the old records were lost except for the 1818 tax digest. Later fire also destroyed the Courthouse in Butler County, therefore no records were preserved before April, 1853. It has been said that Mathew Wood adopted some of his children by an act of the Georgia Legislature in order to assure their right to his inheritance from him. From the information provided to me, I glean the heirs of Hannah and Mathew Wood to be: Samuel Wood born 05 March, 1810. Jane Wood born 22 August, 1811. Died 4-15-1853. Willis Wood born 20 November, 1815. Sarah "Sallie" Wood born 17 April, 1819. Died 22 Sep. 1890. Mary Wood born 27 April, 1824. Died 07 June 1847. Jane Wood married John Taylor. They are buried in the Liberty Cemetery in Union Parish, Louisiana. He was a native of Ga. born 3-12-1804 and died 12-30-1877. John Taylor was the Judge of Union Parish, La. Sarah "Sallie" Wood was born in Fort Dale, Alabama and married William Cleaton Carr, MD. born 3 Nov. 1809 in Laurence Co. Ga. He died 18 Jan. 1886. He was a brother to Allen Carr. He was listed in the census as a physician in the 1850 census. Mary Wood married Henry P. Anderson born ca 1815 in Tennessee. They were married 15 July, 1841 in Union Parish, La. He was once one of the Administers of school and road commissioners for Union Parish, La. He died on or about the 10th. day of November, 1866. Willis Wood married on the 6th. day of March 1844 to Talitha Cumi Anderson. He willed all his property to "Toby" meaning John S. Roane. The will was written by E. M. Graham 2 June, 1874 and was probated in 1877. Graham also wrote the will for his wife Talitha on that same date and to the same heirs. Willis Wood had been kicked by a mule and was not mentally competent some time before the will was made. He was treated by Dr. Roberts who had no permenant home in North Louisiana and practiced the Swedish Movements. William S. Kendall, also a physician stated that he did not know the parents of Willis Wood. Mrs. Goodgion, Pipes and Mrs. Wood had waited on Col. Wood at the time. Mrs. Sallie Carr had been a visitor ten to fifteen days before the will was made. According to the suit Wood had been loaned ten thousand dollars from the estate of Andrew Gibson being administrated by J. S. Roane as Tutor for the minor heirs concurrently as as a condition for the loan, he had made his and his wife's will in favor of J. S. Roane. The compiler is sorry that she cannot furnish any information on Samuel. Perhaps a reader can supply the coveted data on him. In 1837 Mathew and Hannah with their family, and her brother, Daniel Payne, and his family moved to Ouachita Parish, La. Daniel Payne, his son-in-law Needham M. Bryan, Col. Mathew Wood and his three son-in-laws: Judge John Taylor, Sheriff William Cleaton Carr and Henry P. Anderson were all instrumental in forming Union Parish from Ouachita Parish in 1839. The records of Union Parish are replete with their names in this endevor. The final resting place of Hannah and Mathew is now located in Lincoln Parish, La. This is one of the earliest marked cemeteries, having a date only three years later than the oldest found in the parish - the grave of Abraham Stow who died in 1829. This cemetery was once part of Union Parish. The graves of Hannah and Matthew are marked. It is the original graveyard of John Stow, another early settler. Today it is often spoken of as the Tobe Roane Cemetery. The cemetery is surrounded by an old four-foot wall of flat iron rocks, laid one upon the other. It is about seventy five by ninety feet in size bearing evidence of wealth of days gone by. Most of the graves have expensive markers. Some are lavish. The gate to the cemetery is a heavy iron gate was difficult to open. It is located on the north end and is ornately carved with flowers and the figure of a small girl hands upon heavy metal posts. In the spring, you will see the most beautiful spring buds - daffodils, jonquils, and iris. There are old crepe myrtle bushes and cedar trees. The remains of a brick walk gives access to the various graves. Side by side with low wall and marble slab tops, you will find To the Memory of To the Memory of Matthew Wood Hannah Wood, Born July 29, 1791 Wife of Mathew Wood Died Oct. 20, 1855 Born May 17, 1791 Died Feb. 9, 1864. Next is the most ornate grave in the cemetery. A marble slab top rests on marble sides eighteen inches high. At the head stands an upright marble stone, seven feet tall richly cared with flowers, and draperies held by tasseled cords. This is where Willis and Talitha Cumi Stow Wood are buried. The grave of Talitha Cumi Anderson reads: REMEMBER AS YOU PASS BY, YOU MUST DIE. # # #