Michael Woods, of 'Blair Park'

Biography

Updated 18 December 2024

"Research into this family has not definitely established the parentage of Michael Woods who went to the U.S. with his brothers and sister c. 1724. He was thought to have been the son of John Wood (not Woods) of Rossmead and either of his two alleged wives, Elizabeth Worsop or Ann Bedlow…….It is established that Michael, William, Andrew, James, John and Elizabeth could NOT have been the children of John of Rossmead, and the question as to whose children they were, remains.”[1]

His wife was Mary Campbell. Michael Wood emigrated to America with wife and family c. 1720 Came to America, first settled in Pennsylvania, later founded estate in Virginia called "Blair Park" burial site: Mount Plains, later renamed Blair Park. Led his party through mountain gap which received his name, Wood's Gap. Later it was renamed Jarman Gap and has a historical marker to commemorate it. Many other structures and sites still exist to preserve the area history.

He married Mary Catherine Campbell Woods (born 2 June 1690, die 18 December 1742).

There are six children named in Michael's will. Various family trees list other children. It is believed by researchers that these other children were nieces and nephews, adopted by Michael. There is evidence of a SAMUEL WOODS who died in Ireland, possibly married to Elizabeth Campbell.

Children

1. Archibald Woods 1706-1764. Married Isabella Gass. (named in will)
2. Hannah Woods 1709-1791. Married William Wallace. (named in will)
3. John de Fiennes Woods 1712-1791. Married Susannah Anderson. (named in will)
4. Margaret Woods 1714-1761. Married Andrew Wallace. (named in will - deceased)
5. William Woods 1715-1783. Married Susannah Wallace. (named in will)
6. Sarah Woods 1724-bef 1804. Married Joseph Lapsley. (named in will)

   ---

   
   

Michael Woods in the Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900 < Ancestry.com >

• Name Michael Woods
• Residence Date Abt 1761
• Residence Place Albemarle County, Virginia
• Will Date 24 Nov 1761
• Probate Date 11 June 1762
• Probate Place Albemarle, Virginia, USA
• Inferred Death Year 1761
• Inferred Death Place Virginia, USA
• Item Description Will Books, Vol 2-3, 1752-1798

Individuals Listed (Name) Relationship

• Michael Woods (Self)
• Archibald Woods Son
• John Woods Son
• Sarah Woods Daughter
• Hannah Woods Daughter
• Margaret Woods Daughter
• William Wallacer Son
• Michael Grandson

  ---

• Albemarle County, Deed Book 2, pg 129
• Written: 24 Nov 1761
• Probate: 11 Jun 1762
• I Michael Woods of the Colony of Virginia and County of Albemarle...
• Secondly, I give and bequeath to my Son Archibald Woods ten pounds
• Thirdly, I give and bequeath to Son John Woods ten Pounds
• Fourthly, I give and bequeath to Daughter Sarah ten pounds
• Fifthly, I give and bequeath to Daughter Hannah ten pounds
• Sixthly, I give and bequeath my deceased daughter Margaret's children ten pounds
• Seventhly, I give and bequeath to son Archibald and son John my six hundred and eighty acres of Land Lying on Ivy Creek and that said land shall be sold and t money dvided amongst son Archibald, John and William Wallace's families and that each grandchild now in being shall have an equal share.
• Eightly, I give and bequeath to son William Woods Twenty Shillings which shall be paid out of said land.
• Ninethly, I give to William's son Michael Twenty Shillings which shall be paid out of said land.
• Tenthly, I give and bequeath to daughter Sarah one pepote(?) which shall be of the Ready money now By me.
• Eleventhly, I give and bequeath son Archibald's son Michael my great coat...
• Signed Michael Woods
• Signe Sealed Published Pronounced
• and Declared by said Michael Woods
• as his last Will and Testament
• in presence of us the
• -subscribers
• Michael Woods minor
• Michael Wallace

  ---

-See Overview: Sarah Ann Buster Chastain

-Abundant information available at Early Virginia Settlers websites. Many items on Ancestry.com history search (free) for Woods, Wallace, McDowell, and others.

http://dprhcp170.doteasy.com/~tonybeck/files/WoodsFamilyMythsandthe...

So far, ​from the actual records we have as probable brothers and sisters of the emigrant generation of Woods,: Michael, Samuel, Andrew, William, Nathan, John, Sarah (married Davis Stockton) and Elizabeth Woods (married Samuel Wallace, Esq​.--chronically mis-identified as “Peter Sr.”, but was a widow when she arrived) and ​we don’t know who David Woods--pew holder along with Nathan, William and Samuel--was.​ We also ​don’t know who Adam and George Woods were​, who arrived as “brothers” in Lancaster County in 1747, from a county history, or ​who was Thomas Woods​, who arrived, or came of age, just before 1744, and settled near Andrew Woods.

---

"John's Last Will and Testament 12Sep.1791 at his home in Albemarle Co.,VA. at 80 years of age having an honored and eventful life. Witnessing his Will were Menan Mills, William H. Shelton and James Kensolving. Mentioned are his wife Susannah and six living Children, His sons James and Michael were executors.

He was buried in the family cemetery known as Blair Park reserved for that purpose by his father, Michael Woods, Sr. Inscribed on his monument is written"Here lies the body of John Woods son of Michael Woods and Mary Campbell who was born February 18,1812 and departed this life Oct. 14 1891."

Died 11 Jun 1762. Mount Plains, Augusta, Virginia, USA. 11 Jun 1762. Blair Park, Albemarle, Virginia, USA. Found multiple copies of death date. Using 11 Jun 1762

Michael was born in c1684. He passed away in 1762.

Military Service Acheived rank of Lt Colonel in King George's War"The Colonial Wars" 1744-1748

Michael was born in 1682. He passed away in 1762. He is the son of John Andrew Woods 1654-1723 and Elizabeth Worsop Woods . 1656-1741.

GEDCOM Note

Original Proprietor in Albemarle Co., Va. Lt. Col in militia

Children often listed for MICHAEL WOODS and MARY CAMPBELL are:

• MAGDALENA WOODS, b. 1706, Ireland?; d. 1810, McDowell Family Cemetery, Timber Ridge, Albemarle Co., VA. (a niece, daughter of Samuel Woods)
• ARCHIBALD WOODS, SR.' b. 11 May 1706, Ireland?; d. 1783, Roanoke Co., VA. (Named in will)
• MICHAEL WOODS, JR., b. Bet. 1709 - 1719, Ireland?; d. 11 Mar 1777, Buchanan, Botetourt Co., VA. (probably nephews, son of Samuel Woods)
• HANNAH WOODS, b. 1710, Ireland?; d. Greenbrier, Albemarle Co., VA. (Named in will)
• JOHN WOODS, b. 19 Feb 1711/12, Ireland?; d. 14 Oct 1791, Albemarle Co., VA. (Named in will)
• GEORGE WOODS, b. 1713, Ireland?. (no evidence he existed)
• MARGARET WOODS, b. Bet. 1714 - 1720, Ireland?; d. Bet. 1756 - 1761, Thornhill, Albemarle Co., VA. (Named in will)
• WILLIAM WOODS, b. 02 Nov 1715, Ireland?; d. 12 Apr 1783, Greenbrier Co., VA. (Named in will)
• SAMUEL WOODS, b. 1718, Ireland?; d. 11 Mar 1777, Buchanan, Botetourt Co., VA. (probably nephews, son of Samuel Woods)
• CHARLES WOODS, b. Abt. 1719, Ireland?; d. Bef. May 1761, Rockbridge Co., VA. (probably nephews, son of Samuel Woods) ROBERT WOODS, b. 1719, Ireland?; d. 1779, Buffalo Creek, Augusta, GA (probably nephew, son of Samuel Woods)
• MARTHA WOODS, b. 1720, Ireland?; d. 1790, Thornhill, Rockbridge Co., VA. (niece, daughter of Samuel)
• RICHARD WOODS, b. 1721, Ireland?; d. Bet. Mar - Apr 1778, Buffalo Creek, Augusta Co., VA. (probably nephew, son of Samuel)
• ANDREW WOODS, b. 1722, Ireland?; d. 1781, Botetourt Co., VA. (son of Samuel)
• SARAH WOODS, b. 1724, Ireland?; d. 1792, Greenbrier Co., VA. (Named in will)

  ---

  
  

FACTS concerning Michael Woods
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LTBY-1N7

• Fact 1. there is no known exact record with the name marion assoc. with Michael.
• Fact 2. " Mary " Margaret (the name in the birth record in Edinburgh, which is shown in the Memory section here.) Please observe.
• MarFact 3. There is no known exact primary record that shows any name for Michaels wife to be any name other than the birth record Margaret. The name Mary comes from earlier researchers but no primary source is used. Tradition holds the name to be Mary. Tradition also holds that the duke of Argyle had a daughter that ran away and married Michael Woods. The only daughter available to do this is Margaret.
• Fact 4. There are/were two John Woods families in Ireland. One family in co. Meath that were of English origin and had no children, and one family from Rapho, co Donegal, Ireland that are Scottish.
• Fact 5. There is no known extact primary record that has John Woods the father of Michael with a middle name of Andrew.
• Fact 6. Micheal and Mary only had six children including Samuel that died before Michael and his will. The other attributed children were actually children of Michaels deceased son Samuel.
• Fact 7. Michael and Marys children intermarried with families from Rapho, Donegal, Ireland.
• Fact 8. Michael Woods after arriving in America settled in a community they called Rapho and rhe name of their church was Donegal Church.

References

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Woods-460
• ↑ Hibernian Research Company Ltd.(1970s) http://dprhcp170.doteasy.com/~tonybeck/files/WoodsIrishRecordsandMc...
• ↑ Age Books: Alabama State Archives [geoblocked outside of the US], transcription available http://dprhcp170.doteasy.com/~tonybeck/files/MichaelWoodsAgeBooksWi...
• ↑ https://archive.org/details/historygenealogi01mill/page/357/mode/2u...
• ↑ https://archive.org/details/woodsmcafeememor00wood/page/2/mode/2up
• ↑ http://dprhcp170.doteasy.com/~tonybeck/files/McClenaghanPapersOnDun...
• The "Coloney of Virginia, County of Albemarle Last Will & Testament" (copy att'd)
• The Wallace Family. Chap. 2
• Rev. Edgar Woods. History of Albemarle. Richie Publishing Charlottesville VA COLONEL ARCHIBALD WOODS-THE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE CONVENTION OF 1788, AND ITS LAST SURVIVOR
• LTC Michael Marion Woods Sr. BIRTH 1682 Dunshaughlin, County Meath, Ireland DEATH 11 Jun 1762 (aged 79-80) Albemarle County, Virginia, USA BURIAL Blair Park Plantation Cemetery (Defunct), Crozet, Albemarle County, Virginia, USA PLOT Lost/Destroyed MEMORIAL ID Has a photo of area gravesite
• http://www.familypursuit.com/genealogy/woods_michael/michael-woods-...
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=40417373
• http://genforum.genealogy.com/woods/messages/4982.html
• http://www.wheeler-roots.org/getperson.php?personID=I3525&tree=001
• http://www.thetracyfamilyhistory.net/Ci_31_Blair_Park.htm
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82210834/michael-marion-woods vs
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40417373/michael-marion-woods
• https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LRDS-3TS/margaret-woods-1720-...
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LTBY-1N7
• Residence: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, British Colonial America - 6 April 1737
  • Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jun 21 2024, 8:39:44 UTC
• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Dec 18 2024, 21:18:51 UTC The parents listed for this individual are speculative and may not be based on sound genealogical research. Sources to prove or disprove this ancestry are needed. Please contact the Profile Manager or leave information on the bulletin board.“Research into this family has not definitely established the parentage of Michael Woods who went to the U.S. with his brothers and sister c. 1724. He was thought to have been the son of John Wood (not Woods) of Rossmead and either of his two alleged wives, Elizabeth Worsop or Ann Bedlow…….It is established that Michael, William, Andrew, James, John and Elizabeth could NOT have been the children of John of Rossmead, and the question as to whose children they were, remains.” Also see Wood
• https://www.hmdb.org/Photos/54/Photo54765o.jpg?11252005
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/82210834/michael-marion-woods
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LTBY-1N7