William D. Wood

     William D. Wood was born circa 1794 at Cornwallis, Kings Co, Nova Scotia.^1,2 He was the son of Nehemiah Marble Wood and Rebecca Rawlins. William D. Wood married Olivia Hovey Williams, daughter of Joseph ? Williams, on 23 October 1817 at St Paul's Anglican Church, Rawdon, Hants Co, Nova Scotia.³ William D. Wood died on 29 May 1866 at Gardner's Creek, Saint John Co, New Brunswick; "On the 29th instant at his residence, Gardner's Creek, after a short but severe illness, Mr. William H. Wood, in the 72nd year of his age, a native of Cornwallis, N.S., and for the last 38 years a resident of this Province. He leaves a large circle of relatives and friends."
His obituary listed him as William H. Wood, rather than William D. Wood. This writer has no idea if this was a mistake at the newspaper.^4,2 He was buried at Brown's Cemetery, Bain's Corner, Saint John Co, New Brunswick.²
     One descendant, Allene P. Steves of Hillsborough, N.B., mentioned in a letter dated 6 September 1982 to this writer that she was told William Wood had been appointed to guide a band of settlers from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick and that he liked the country so well he decided to move there as well. This writer has no info to substantiate that.


The marriage record itself mentions that they were married with consent of guardians, rather than parents, leading one to think that possibly both had lost their parents by that time, or at least one of them. Birth records for their first three children have yet to be located in any towns in Nova Scotia.


On 21 October 1850, William and Olivia sold 105 3/4 acres land in the parish of Simonds to their son, Joseph Williams Wood, for the sum of five shillings "as well as other considerations of love and affection". This land was sold by the heirs of John Dewar to William Wood and William Benjamin " and by them divided on the thirteenth day September instant". On 17 September 1861, William and Olivia sold 40 acres to Joseph Williams Wood for forty pounds. It is probable that they turned their farm over to Joseph because they were to remain with him for their final years.


Both William Wood and son Joseph Wood are listed in the 1865-1866 directory as of Gardner's Creek. Sometime in the late 1870's, Joseph probably sold the properties in Gardner's Creek and moved to Saint John. Further research of land records is needed in this area to verify the date.


If William Wood was born in Cornwallis, the Loyalist settlement of Cornwallis was situated in the Northeast corner of what is now Kings County, including Cape Blomidon. Present villages include Glenmont and Canning. Horton was south of Cornwallis to the Hants County, Falmouth Township line.⁵ He and Olivia Hovey Williams appeared on the census of 1851 at Simonds Parish, Saint John Co, New Brunswick; William D. Wood, 58, b. Nova Scotia, farmer, entered the colony in 1826; Olivia was 60, b. Nova Scotia, also entering in 1826; His children were listed as native born: Joseph, 25, Olivia, 22, Hannah, 18, and Sarah Maria, 16. Also living with them was Alexander Cameron, 10, Scotch, who entered in 1847. The family had 12 acres of land, and had raised 6 tons of hay, 12 bushel oats, 12 ushels bk'wheat, 1 bushel Indian corn and 100 bales of potatoes.⁶ On 6 Jun 1853, Deed #21293 shows Simon & Margaret Fraser, Peter Dear, William & Jessie Forbes, James Dewar, Thomas Dewar, Robert Henry Dewar, George Dewar and Alexander Dewar of the parish of Simonds of one part and William Wood and William Benjamin of the the second part, of the same place, paid £90 for land in Simonds situated at the northeast corner of the lot sold by the late John Dewar and Simon & Margaret "Frazer" to Nathan McLellan, from the northeast side of the McBretney Road to the southwest line of John Ferguson's grant, south to the line of the grant to the Honorable William Black to the southeast corner of the land sold to Nathan McLellan.
Deed 21294 shows Simon Frazer and the others also deeded to William Wood a parcel for £50 that was within the grant to William Black which lies north of the northwardly branch of Gardner's Creek going to land of John Johnston, containing about 40 acres.
In Deed 21295, William Wood deeded land to William Benjamin for five shillings on 5 Sep 1853.
Deed 21300 is William Benjamin and wife Elizabeth received five shillings from William Wood for the land mentioned above.^7,8,9,10 On 17 Sep 1861, William and Olivia Wood sold land in Simonds parish for £40 to Joseph Williams Wood. It was part of a lot originally granted to William Black, which lies northwardly of the northwestern branch of the Gardner's Creek stream. It was also bound by land granted to John Johnston, and purchased from Charles Hogg.¹¹