Nicholas Wood

- 1670

• Name	Nicholas Wood
  Proprietor	1638	Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [10]
  In 1638 he was a proprietor of Dorchester, Massachusetts.
  Land/House	1641	Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [6, 7]
  For a series of years starting in 1641, he occupied as tenant, the extensive farm of Hon. John Glover, in what is now Milton.
  Freeman	2 Jun 1641	Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [4, 6, 7, 8, 9]
  On 2 June 1641 he was admitted as a freeman in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
  Petition	1 Oct 1645  [6, 7]
  The Sachems, Sacanonoco, of Pawtuxet, and Pumhora of Shawomock (now Warwick, R. I.) having, on 22 (4nio.) 1643, formally placed themselves and country under the jurisdiction of Mass., Nicholas Wood, with Henry Adams, senr., of Braintree, Henry Adams, junr., and Tho. Samuel, John and Christopher Adams, and above twenty others, were induced to petition the General Court, who, Oct. 1, 1645, granted them 10,000 acres West of Narragansett Bay, to be " set out for their town," and resolved that the number of 7 actual settlers should have power to admit or heejp out whom they should think good ; that the General Court should write letters to Benedict Arnold to compound with Purahom at the easiest rate be could, for his right in any improved ground ; and that the petitioners should dispose of the houses built upon said ground [by the persecuted Gortonites], and pay to such as built them, what the Court shall hereafter appoint, adding for their encouragement, "if they shall see cause so to do." [Col. Ptec. and Drake's Book of Indians.] The iniquity of this enterprise, which no doubt originated with the intolerant and grasping Winthrop & Co., was probably discovered, and voluntarily relinquished; or the prior sale of Shawomock, by Miantonomo to the Earl of Warwick, and by the Earl to Bev. Samuel Gorton and associates, compelled the Government to revoke their grant, and yield to Gorton his prior rights ; for neither Nicholas W. nor his associate grantees ever took permanent possession ; nor does it appear that they ever received indemnification for the relinquishment of the grant.
  Land/House	8 May 1652	Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [6, 7]
  On 8 (3mo.) 1652, Nicholas W., with Tho. Holbrook and Andrew Pitcher, all of D., received of Richard Parker, of Boston, a deed for 535 acres of meadow and upland, "lying in the woods on the W. side of Charles River, 3 ms. from Natick, lying between the land of Capt. Robert Kayne on tho S. side, and Mr. Richard Browne, of Watertown, in some part on the S. side, also ; by Charles R. on the E., [and a rocky point, now called the neck, running into the R.] ; and by common woods on the W." This tract now includes most of the farms of Mj. John Goulding, Jona. Holbrook, Martin Barbour, Walter Barbour, David Daniels, Joseph and Jedh. Leland, Dexter Amsden, and Charles How. It seems probable that Goodman Wood had taken possession, and made improvements prior to the date of this deed, for an act of the Gen. Court, passed three weeks after, directing the laying out of Natick, ordered the Eastern line to be extended up the river as far as his house ; and he had a child, b. pr. at Milton, recorded at Medfield, the nearest incorporated town, as early as Jan. 3, 1651. He erected his house 13 rods S. of Holbrook's mills, where the road now runs, and founded it upon a rock ; as if he would say to succeeding generations of the town he first planted, build upon the rock of ages. He seems to have been a very responsible and enterprising man.
  Will	16 Jan 1669/70	Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [5, 6, 7, 9, 12]
  In the year of our Lord, 1669, on the 16th day of January, I, Nicholas Wood, living at my farme in Natick Bounds, having been for some considerable time under the afflicting hand of God, and thereby very weak and low in body, but of perfect remembrance, thanks be to God, and considering that the end of man's life is very uncertain, and forasmuch as I am persuaded that it is my duty to provide for death, that I be not unprovided when I shall approach [my Judge] I have thought it good for the quiet of my mind, to ordain and make this my last will and testament, in manner and form as followeth: — First, I having most and chiefest care of my soule, do humbly commend the same into the hands of Almighty God, from whom I first received [it], trusting in and through the mercy of Jesus Christ, my Saviour, that my said soule, after it be departed out of t'his my body, shall immediately inherit life and glory ; and as for my body, I commit it to the earth from whence it was taken to be Christianly buried at the discretion of my Executors. And as concerning my worldly goods, which God of his mercy have given me, I do dispose of them as followeth : — First, I will and bequeath unto Anna, my now loving wife, the thirds of all my houses and lands at my farm, which I formerly bought of Mr. Parker, with all her wearing clothes and linen, and £17 a year out of the produce of the farm and my other lands, until my son, Jona., come to one-and-twenty years of age, for the bringing up of my two younger children. Item, I will and bequeath unto my son, Jona. Wood, all those lands, both upland and meadow, which I formerly bought of Mr. Parker, being the farme which I now live upon, with all the buildings upon it; 4 acres of English pasture, lying on the N. side of the brooke, that runneth by my house, excepted ; allsoe I give unto the above said Jona., ten acres of meadow land out of that parcell of meadow, which I formerly bought of Lt. Fisher, of Dedham, as it shall be set out to him by my executors, at the south line of the said meadow next unto Mr. Jno. Hull's farm: allsoe I give unto the said Jona., one pair of oxen, one cow, one young horse, two ewes, one-half of all my tackling belonging to my teame, one-half of all my wearing clothes, and one-fifth part of all my household stuff. Item, I will and bequeath unto my son, Eleazer Wood, all those lands, meadow and uphnd, which I formerly bought of Lt. Fisher, of Dedham, adjoining to my other farme above said, the ten acres of meadow land given to my son, Jona., above said, only excepted. Allsoe I give unto the said Eleazer, four acres of English pasture, which lyeth on the North side of the Brook above excepted: allsoe I give unto the said Eleazer, one pair of oxen, one cow, one young horse, three ewes, one-half of all my tackling belonging to my teame, one-half of all my wearing clothes, and one-fifth part of my household stuff. Item, I will and bequeath unto my daughter, Mehetabel Wood, all that my meadow land, lying in the town of Milton, in the salt marsh, provided that what it shall amount to more than £60, upon a just and due valuation by indifferent men, shall be returned into the hands of my executors. Moreover, I give unto the said Mehetabel, two cows, two ewes, and one-fifth part of all my household stuff. Item, I will and bequeath unto my daughter, Abigail Wood, all those my lands lying and being in the town of Roxbury, both upland and meadow, and what it shall fall short of £60, upon a just and due valuation by indifferent men, it shall be made up by [my] executors out of my other estate. Moreover, I give unto the said Abigail two cows, two ewes, and one-fifth part of all my household stuff. Item, I give unto my daughter, Bethya, all those houses and lands that I have in Watertowne, which I had with my last wife, after her decease, provided that what they shall amount to more than £60, upon a just and due valuation by indifferent men, shall be returned to my executors. Moreover, I give unto the said Bethya, two cows, three sheep, and one-fifth part of all my household stuff. And further, my will is, that if it should please the Lord to take away my son Jona. before he come to one-and-twenty years of age, being in a single condition, that then my son Eleazer shall be sole heir to his portion, paying out to all his sisters then living, ten pounds apiece, which said payments shall be made as followeth, viz., ten pounds to his sister Mary Thurston within one year after the decease of ye said Jona , and so annually until he have paid to each of them ten pounds ; or if it should please God to take away my son Eleazer by death, before he shall come to the age of one-andtwenty years of age, that then my son Jona. shall be sole heir to his estate, paying out thereof six pounds apiece to all his sisters then living, which said payments shall be as followeth, viz., £6 to his sister, Mary Thurston, within one year after the decease of his brother, and so annually until such time as he have paid each of them £6; or if it should please God to take away any of my three daughters, now in their minority, before they be of age to dispose of what I have left, then being in a single condition, that then their portions shall be equally divided between their brothers and sisters then living. Item, I will to my grandchild, Abraham Harding, the son of my dear daughter, Hannah Harding, now deceased, the sum of £5, to be paid him by my son Jona. when the said Abraham shall be one-and-twenty years of age. And as for the residue of my estate, bills, bonds, debts, or moveables, with the produce of my farme, and my other lands, the £17 a year above mentioned, for the bringing up of my two younger children, except unbequeathed, and not given in this my last will and testament, my debts being paid, and funeral expenses, with all other necessary charges defraid, my mind and will is, that it should be equally dividftd between my two sons and my six daughters, when my son, Jona. Wood come to oneand- twenty years of age. And considering that the future as well as the present good of my family consists as much in their peace and love, as in what I have done for them ; and therefore as it have been so, at present is, as my duty, so my care, God assisting, so to leave things as might most conduce to the end, and therefore my will is, that if any of my children, one or other, son or daughter, shall be discontented with what I have here done, and shall thereby occasion any uncomfortable agitations or distractions, or suits at law, thereby to trouble my executors, notwithstanding their faithful endeavors to perform the trust committed to them, according to my true intent and purpose, their so doing shall stand as a just plea and bar against them, whosoever they be, for having any right to any part of my estate left, and the portion above willed them, shall be equally divided between the rest of my children. Item, I constitute, appoint and ordain Anna, my now loving wife, and John Thurston, jun., and Tho. Bass, both my sons-in-law, all executors of this my last will and testament, to ye intent that they shall see the same effectually performed, according to my true intent and meaning in the same. Item, I nominate and appoint my loving friend, George Barbour, of " Medfield," suprouisar of this my last will and testament, desiring him, that he would be aiding and assisting to my executors in the execution thereof ; and I do hereby utterly revoke all other wills made by me at any time, with all gifts, legacies, whatever, by me at any time made ; and in token that this is my last will and testament, I have hereunto put my hand and seal this 18 of ye 4, 1669, in the presence of HENRY LAYLAND HOPESTILL LAYLAND Nicholas X Wood, his mark and seal
  Inventory	1 Feb 1669/70	Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [6, 7, 10]
  On 1 February 1669/70 in Natick, Massachusetts his estate was inventoried and valued at £1,049 consisting of real estate, 88 bus. of wheat at 4s. 6d. per bus., 6O do. of Indian corn at 4s. 4d per bus.; 12 oxen at £60; 4 horses and a colt at £15; 11 cows at £36; 12 young cattle at £24; 12 swine at £7 10s.; 13 sheep and 3 lambs at £6; 2 carts and 2 tumbrels; 7 sickles; 6 scythes, hempbrake, &c. By Kobert Badeock and Wm. DanicU of Milton, by Hobert and Samuel Williams of Roxbury, and by others of Medfd. All debts, including £50 due to his wid. " by agreement upon marriage," and his funeral expenses, &c., amounted to £72 2s., leaving £978 18s., a large estate for his day.
  Death	7 Feb 1669/70	Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [5, 6, 7, 14]
  Probate/Proved	2 Jun 1670  [12]
  His will was proved 2 June 1670.
  Person ID, Branch	I666	Roy Line
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2021

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 1	Mary Pidge,   b. About 1624, Saffron Walden, Essex, England d. 19 Feb 1662/63, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 39 years)
  Marriage	About 1642	Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   [10]
  Age at Marriage	He : ?? - She : ~ 18 years.
  Children	2 sons and 7 daughters
  1. Mary Wood,   b. 26 Dec 1642, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 1726, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 83 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] +   2. Sarah Wood,   b. 26 Dec 1642, Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 29 Dec 1678, Braintree, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 36 years) ▻ Deacon Thomas Bass  m. 4 Oct 1660     3. Hannah Wood   d. 23 Feb 1667/68, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     4. Jonathan Wood,   b. 8 Jan 1651, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 21 Feb 1675/76, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 25 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     5. Mehetabel Wood,   b. 22 Jul 1655, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 12 Nov 1681, Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 26 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     6. Abigail Wood,   b. 3 Sep 1657, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     7. Bethiah Wood,   b. 28 Jul 1660, Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth]     8. Eleazer Wood,   b. 14 May 1662, Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. d. 20 May 1704, Sherborn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. (Age 42 years)  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] >   9. Elizabeth Wood   d. 1682, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  [Father: Birth]  [Mother: Birth] ▻ Lt. Samuel Morse  m. 10 Feb 1664
  Family ID	F84	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	18 Jul 2021

  
  

  Spouse / Partner 2	Hannah   d. 1686, Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.   Other Partners: William Page  m. Yes, date unknown;   Edward Winn  m. Yes, date unknow
  Marriage	Before 22 Jun 1669  [2, 3]
  Family ID	F642	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Nov 2021

  
  

• Pedigree

  ← Click to display 1Nicholas Wood( – 7 Feb 1669/70) 2 3

  
  

• Event Map		Proprietor - 1638 - Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Land/House - 1641 - Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Freeman - 2 Jun 1641 - Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Marriage - About 1642 - Roxbury, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Land/House - 8 May 1652 - Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Will - 16 Jan 1669/70 - Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Inventory - 1 Feb 1669/70 - Natick, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Death - 7 Feb 1669/70 - Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, U.S.A.  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources 🟢 Primary Evidence 🟡 Secondary Evidence 🟠 Tertiary Evidence 🔴 Unreliable Evidence

  [S895] Bartlett, Joseph G. John Hill of Dorchester, Mass., 1633, (Boston: Lew C. Hill, 1904). [S463] Bond, Henry. Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts including Waltham and Weston, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1860). [S2254] Claassen, Judith Gleason, "The Origin of Thomas Gleason of Watertown and Cambridge, Massachusetts", (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 168, January 2014). [S1571] Farmer, John, Genealogical Register of First Settlers of New England, (Lancaster, Massachusetts: Carter, Andrews, & Company, 1829). [S83] Harding, Glen F. A Record of the Ancestry, Family and Descendants of Abraham Harding, (Ogden, Utah: Glen F. Harding M.D., 1979). [S78] Morse, Abner. Genealogical Register of the Descendants of The Early Planters of Sherborn, Holliston, and Medway, Massachusetts, (Boston: Damrell & Moore, 1855). [S81] Morse, Abner. A Genealogical Register of the Descendants of Several Ancient Puritans volume I, (Boston: Abner Morse, 1857). [S1685] Paige, Lucius R. "List of Freeman", (Boston: The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume III, 1849). [S956] Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May 1692 on the Basis of Farmer's Register, volume IV, (Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1862). [S992] Sprague, Waldo Chamberlain. "The Pigg or Pidge Family in England and America" , (New Haven, Conneticut: The American Genealogist, volume XXXVI, 1960). [S91] Torrey, Clarence Almon, New England Marriage Prior to 1700, (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985). [S2076] Watkins, Walter K. "Abstracts of Early Wills on Record, or on File in the County of Suffolk, Massachusetts", (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume XLVIII, 1894). [S2075] Williams, Edward H. "Notes and Queries - Robert Williams of Roxbury", (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume XLIV, 1890). [S93] Woods, Henry Ernest. Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts to the year 1850, (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903).