Israel Wood and His Family
The Wood family is one of Norfolk’s oldest families. Israel, the father of this family, was a U. E. Loyalist, as was also his father, Caleb.[1] Israel was twenty-nine years old when the colonies declared their independence.[2] After the close of the war the family fled into New Brunswick, and there several of Israel’s children were born. Caleb died in New Brunswick, in his 72nd year. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Vail, survived her husband eight years—her death occurring in 1802, in her 78th year.[3] Caleb Wood had two sons—Israel and Caleb; and three daughters—Phoebe, Mary and Ruth. The youngest of these children was born in New Jersey twelve years before the colonies threw off their allegiance to the British Crown. About a hundred years ago Israel, who at that time was nearly fifty years old, came to Long Point with his family, which consisted of six sons and three daughters.[4] He drew land on the lake front near Port Ryerse, upon which he settled. Owing to his advanced age the old settlers speak of him as “old Israel Wood.” The names of his six pioneer sons were, Platt, Samuel, Jacob, Israel, Caleb and James. The three daughters’ names were, Phoebe, Sarah and Keturah. Israel Wood died in 1817, in his 70th year, and his wife, whose maiden name was Ruth Goold, died in 1829, in her 81st year.
Platt Wood, eldest son of Israel, married Sarah, daughter of Col. Isaac Gilbert, and settled on Lot 19, 2nd concession of Charlotteville. Here he lived and raised his family. He lived a quiet, industrious life, and died in 1839, in his 58th year; and his wife died in 1850, in her 67th year. He had five sons—Jacob, Isaac G., Israel H., Abraham H., and Andrew; and six daughters—Phoebe, Betsy, Rebecca, Sarah E., Amelia and Hester Ann. That insidious destroyer of human life, consumption, played sad havoc in this family. Of these eleven children two—Andrew and Hester Ann—died in childhood. Sarah E. died at sixteen; five died before reaching thirty; Phoebe died at thirty-four, and Betsy reached her thirty-fifth year. Jacob alone attained a comparatively good age, having reached his seventy-second year. His widow survives him, and occupies the old homestead with three of her sons.[5]
Samuel Wood, second son of Israel, married Anna Vail, and settled in Charlotteville. He had four sons—William, Samuel C., James B., and Isaac N.; and six daughters—Ruth, Sarah, Elizabeth, Elinor M., Phoebe E., and Emily. Samuel Wood also led a quiet, industrious life, and died respected by all who knew him. In 1802 he was appointed Constable for Woodhouse by the old Court of Quarter Sessions, before is was established at Turkey Point.
William, eldest son of Samuel, married Miriam, daughter of John Mark Culver, and settled in Windham. He had four sons—Ira Mark, Dr. George W., Darius C., and James C.; and six daughters—Sarah, Ruth, Mary A , Phoebe M., and Estella A.[6]
Three sons of the original Israel Wood—Jacob, Israel and James—married, respectively, Sophia, Jemima and Katrina, daughters of John Gustin, of Vittoria. All settled in Oxford County, where they purchased land at two dollars per acre.
Caleb Wood, sixth son of Israel, married Elizabeth Davis, a distant relative of the notorious “Jeff Davis,” who went down with the late Southern Confederacy. He settled in Windham, on “Buckwheat” street, where he raised his family. Caleb Wood was an active man, and took a greater interest in public matters than any of his brothers. He was a carpenter, and built many houses in his time, and also served his township as Tax Collector. In 1846 his busy life ended in his 58th year; and seventeen years later his wife followed him at the age of seventy-one. Caleb had seven sons—John J., Thomas D., Richard, William, David, George, and Jacob; and four daughters—Harriet, Angelina, Amelia Ann and Louisa.[7]
Phoebe and Sarah Wood, the two eldest daughters of Israel Wood, died young in New Brunswick; and Keturah, the youngest daughter, died in infancy.
[1] While Caleb Wood is documented as supporting the British cause during the American Revolution, his son Israel is not. On December 29, 1798, Caleb’s son-in-law Abraham Powell filed a Land Petition stating that his “wife is daughter of the late Caleb Wood, a Loyalist who was born and bred up on Long Island & acted as Forage Master in the King’s Forces.” An attached certificate of William Smith stated he was, “personally acquainted with Caleb Wood… Caleb Wood joined the British Standard on Long Island 1776… continued a Loyal subject to the close of the War, at which time he removed to St. John, New Brunswick & there died.” Source: Upper Canada Land Petition “P” Bundle 4, Doc. No. 8. It is noted that while Caleb was a Loyalist, he did not come to Upper Canada and so was not a United Empire Loyalist by the terms of the decree of our province’s Lieutenant Governor. His son Israel; arrived in this province too late for United Empire Loyalist status, if indeed he served in the Revolution. See also “Wood and Powell” in The Long Point Settlers Journal, Vol. 5, No. 4 and Vol. 6, No. 2.
[2] Israel Wood was born on January 28, 1745 according to a family register written by Ida V. Hambly and published in Isaac Gilbert, U.E.L. by Harriet Walker. This would make Israel thirty-one years old in 1776.
[3] According to the same register, Caleb Wood was born on August 29, 1723 and died on September 20, 1794. His wife Mary (Vail) was born on January 9, 1725 and died on March 5, 1802.
[4] Israel Wood arrived in Upper Canada in June 1799. His Land Petition of September 14, 1799 stated that he “came in with his family last June”. Source: Upper Canada Land Petition “W” Bundle Leases 1797-1817, Doc. No. 251. Calculating from the birth date in the Hambly register, he was then aged fifty-four.
[5] This statement is a tragic fact. All but one of Israel’s children died relatively young.
Phoebe born October 27, 1799, died January 28, 1833
Elizabeth Wood born March 14, 1801, died September 27, 1836
Jacob Wood born July 9, 1803, died March 21, 1875
Rebecca Mary Wood, born September 8, 1805, died April 1, 1830
Isaac Gilbert Wood, born January 24, 1808, died June 22, 1829
Israel Harvey Wood, born February 26, 1810, died October 26, 1836
Abraham Alvah Wood, born February 17, 1813, died July 17, 1836
Sarah Eliza Wood, born October 8, 1815, died April 18, 1831
Amelia Wood, born August 20, 1817, died July 14, 1837
Andrew Wood, born October 25, 1819, died February 15, 1822
Hester Ann Wood, born July 12, 1822, died May 30, 1829
[6] William Wood had an additional daughter recorded with him in the 1852 Census of Windham Township, Ellen E. Wood, born c. 1846
[7] Caleb and Elizabeth Wood had an additional daughter listed in the Hambly register and recorded with Elizabeth in the 1852 Census of Windham Township—Helen Wood, born February 21, 1834. Owen mistakenly placed a comma in “Richard,William”. Caleb’s son Richard William Wood was an ancestor of R. Robert Mutrie, who compiled these footnotes.