Levi Wood
Levi Wood's Story
Levi Wood was born at Middleboro, Plymouth Colony Massachusetts, on December 12th, 1754, to Jedediah Wood and Keziah (Samson) Wood. Levi Wood's official birth record [image and link below] clearly displays Levi being born in 1754. So the date of 1755 for his birth in, Levi Wood, 1755-1833, is inaccurate.
In 1775, in his early twenties, Levi Wood Levi Wood entered the Revolutionary War right after the Battle of Lexington (the battle was April 19, 1775) as a volunteer and not as an enlisted soldier according to his last Will & Testament. Many local men, including Levi Wood, supported the militia, forcing the British to retreat to Boston.
Levi enlisted with the Continental Army on May 7, 1777, in Massachusetts under Captain Thompson.
According to the second page of the book, DESCENDANTS OF LEVI WOOD, 1755~1833 First of Middleboro, Massachusetts; Sometime of Pelham, Massachusetts; Last of Macedon, Wayne County, New York A FAMILY GENEALOGY AND DIRECTORY WITH MENTION OF SOME OF THE ALLIED FAMILIES Compiled by Verne Seth Pease Family Data Collected by Mrs. Mary (Wood) Church, or Levi Wood 1755~1833, for short,
"It is worth recording that he volunteered for a short time enlistment on the rumored approach of the British from the north under Burgoyne, but his time had expired and with his compatriots he started for home, thinking the alarm was without justifiable foundation in fact. But before he reached his home he met with a band of soldiers under Colonel Warner, rushing toward the north.
Evidently Colonel Warner had recent information, and was in need of strengthening his ranks; for the entire squad of returning men was drafted into service and assigned to Captain Cook's company. But for this chance meeting he would have missed the battle of Saratoga and in later life could not have had the keen pleasure of relating the stirring incidents he there witnessed, as we are assured he did on many occasions."
Levi continued to serve in the war until 1783, almost always being in battles for the nine years.
He is recorded that on June 22nd 1775, Levi Wood returned from serving Colonel Baldwin in Massachusetts Bay.
Levi Wood was even present at the surrender of battle of Saratoga, October 17, 1777.
When Levi was not serving, he visited Pelham New York, and as record suggests, he lived in Pelham with his father's family.
After the War, on June 17th 1787, Levi married Bethany Fuller, the daughter of a pioneer at Pelham, Hampshire County, Massachusetts.
Bethany Fuller was the daughter of John Fuller who was a soldier in the Revolutionary army. She is also be said to have, "the purest Puritan blood", which according to records for very important to Levi as he was a devoted Puritan as well. In Bethany's family tree is Dr. Samuel Fuller, the first American physician, a member of the "Mayflower" company and medical adviser to that historic band.
According to Levi Wood, 1755~1833, "From the time of his marriage he seems to have been quite an extensive dealer in land, and his name appears in many conveyances, in the early records in the office of the register of deeds for Hampshire County."
A book of 90 pages discussing about Levi Wood's life and his family is avaible on seekingmyroots.com
Levi Wood's Birth Record [1754]
Link to familysearch.com: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHCQ-G77
On March 21, 1788, Levi and Bethany had their first child, Levi Wood the second. The Wood couple later went on to have seven more children.
Children of Levi and Bethany Wood
Levi Wood II, March 21, 1788; d. March I 0, 1811.
Hannah, September 24, 1789; m. Stephen Sabin.
Freeman, August 7, 1791; m. Marilla Gates.
Esther, July 31, 1793; m. Andrew Smith.
Asaph, May 15, 1795; m. Anna Burr Beers.
Electa, April 1, I 79 7; m. Samuel Smith.
Phila, March 11, 1799; d. January 3, 1812.
Lois, January 3, 180 I; Jll. Wakeman Burr Beers.
Seth, August I 7, 1803; m. Lydia Gates.
Zebina, August 26, 1805; m. Huldah Church.
Permilla, December 24, 1807; m. John Phillips.
Mary, May I, 181 0; m. Roswell Jewett; d. May 24, 1830.
Huldah, d. ?
Levi Wood After The War
In 1801 it is recorded that Levi and his family moved from Pelham, New York to at the time was Palmyra New York, but would be Macedon. Levi bought land from proprietors to clear overbearing trees for timber and constructing a log cabin in the almost untouched woods.
While apart of Macedon Levi continued to make deals with others regarding land and trade. There are land assessment records of him purchasing land in Ontario and Wayne County New York in 1815, 1816 and in 1825.
On March 10th, 1811, Levi Wood's eldest child, Levi the second, passed away and was buried in the Old Baptist Cemetery.
Levi Wood the first, is recorded in the 1814 Town of Palmyra, NY Minutes as an overseer of the highway's in Palmyra, for the 24th district. Levi is also recorded in the Palmyra, New York Highway Tax Record, 1817-1822 in the years, 1817, 1819 and 1822. He is also recorded in the 1820 census as living in Palmyra New York.
The Wood Family and The Old Baptist Church
According to Levi Wood 1755~1833, Levi was a devoted Puritan and sternly followed the beliefs of the Pilgrims. "He was a firm believer in personal piety, and it is a matter of family tradition he sought with all his might to live an exemplary Christian life." On June 20, 1801, he, Bethany and their eldest daughter, Hannah Wood, who at the time was twelve, were received by letter to the Old Baptist Church in Macedon.
The Wood family, Levi, Bethany, Seth, Lydia, Zebina, Freeman and Marilla Wood, [Levi the second since passed in 1811] continued to journey to the Macedon Baptist Church until July 12, 1832 in which by letter the family disclosed they were transferring to the Baptist Faith of Palmyra. The Palmyra Church of Baptist Faith was located closer to their home.
Levi Wood Passing On
Levi Wood died in Macedon, Wayne county, New York, August 10th, 1833. He was seventy-seven years, eight months and twenty-nine days old upon his passing. He is buried in the Old Baptist Cemetery alongside his son, Levi Wood II.
According to Levi Wood 1755~1833, "...his body was laid by the side of his son, in the burial ground along side the Macedon church, which he had helped to lay out for "God's Acre."
Levi Wood's Headstone (2024)
The headstone of Levi Wood no longer stands, but is accounted for. The stone is broken, however the important details regarding his death remains visibly inscribed in the piece of stone. The exact location where the stone was originally placed is unknown.
It is planned in the 2021-2024 Girl Scout Project to have Levi's headstone repaired to the best abilities if other pieces of the headstone are found. Next, Levi Wood's headstone will be restored to lay above ground, most likely with the use of the "pea gravel method" of raising headstones. Ideally, Levi Wood would also be granted a military headstone similar to Lemuel Spear and Ephraim Green to be placed in The Old Baptist Cemetery.
Levi Wood's Headstone
[Photographed September 2023 before D/2 Solution applied]
Levi Wood's Headstone
[Photographed March 2024 after D/2 Solution applied]
On the right side of the screen is a Google Slides presentation comprised of documents about Levi Wood (1754~1833).
[The images in the slideshow are in poor quality. The slideshow is simply meant to be used for others to locate the documents on familysearch.com, not necessarily to be able to read the documents on the slide.]
Descendants Of Levi Wood, 1755-1833: First Of Middleboro, Massachusetts (1913) is available for purchase on Amazon.com!
Link to the book below:
https://www.amazon.com/Descendants-Levi-Wood-1755-1833-Massachusetts/dp/1168995183
Sources for this page (Sources are not listed in order of usage)
FamilySearch Citations
Citation for Levi Wood's Birth Record: "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FHCQ-G77 : 20 May 2022), Levi Wood, 11 Dec 1754; citing Birth, Middleborough, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 004934231.