John Adams Wood

1783 - 1836

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

John Adams Wood, the man whose conduct Mary Prince recorded and with whom Mary Prince contested her freedom after she had come to England with Wood and his wife c. 1828. After a further period in Antigua, Wood returned to London in the 1830s and died there in 1836.

  1. Mary Prince appears in the slave register entry for 1817 as Molly, age 30, in a group of seven people owned by John A. Wood. She is in the same group in 1821, 1824 and 1828 aged 33, 36 and 39 respectively. In the register for 1832 Wood registered ownership of five of these enslaved people, listed the sale of two people and noted before signing that his registration excluded "Molly who accompanied me to England and there quitted my service."

  2. John Adams Wood of the Island of Antigua (living at Tavistock Square, London), died 29/01/1836 age 53. Will of John Adams Wood merchant of the Island of Antigua proved 01/10/1836.


Sources

T71/877 Antigua claim nos. 46 (Gray's, Belfast), 67 (Picarts), 93 (Brecknock), 120 (Turnbulls), 187, 241, 246, 250, 263 (Colebrooke's), 268 (Archibald's & Brown's), 275 (Elmes), 286 (Sage Hill), 315, 508, 704, 761, 830, 868, 869, 871, 872, 932, 954, 971, 983, 1006 and 1046; History of Mary Prince (1831) passim.

  1. T71/244 p. 314; T71/247 p. 329; T71/248 p. 823; T71/249 p. 801; T71/250 p. 702.

  2. Ancestry.com, London, England, Deaths and Burials, 1813-1980 [database on-line]. PROB 11/1868.

We are grateful to Guy Grannum for his assistance with compiling this entry.


Further Information

Absentee?
Transatlantic
Spouse
Margaret Gilbert Albouy
Children
John Thomas, Frances Albouy, Mary Caroline
Will

PROB 10/7428/3 - precis.

John Adams Wood at present of the island of Antigua but intending shortly to depart for Europe.

My household furniture and other furniture, busts, plate, books, liquors, bed and table linen and other things whatsoever in my dwellinghouses except cash or securities of money to my dear wife Margaret Gilbert Wood. An annuity of £1000 per annum current gold and silver money to my wife for her natural life, chargeable on the net proceeds of my three plantations in Antigua.

My plantations called Colebrooke in St Philip to my trustees during the minority of my son John Thomas Wood until age 24 years, my trustees to pay the proceeds to John Thomas Wood after payment of a share of my wife's annuity. Trustees to convey the estate to him at age 24 years.

My plantation called Mangrove or Gauiors[?] in St Philip to my trustees during the minority of my daughter Frances Albouy Wood until age 20 years or be married, my trustees to pay to her after payment of a share of my wife's annuity any money as may be necessary for her maintenance and education until age 20 or marriage. Thereafter she to receive all profits of the estate after payment of a share of my wife's annuity.

My plantation called Brecknocks in St John to my daughter Mary Caroline Bennett (wife of John Bennett of Antigua, merchant).

In case of the death of John Thomas Wood and Frances Albouy Wood without lawful issue, then all estates to Mary Caroline Bennett after payment of £500 each to my sisters Mary Ann Mercer, widow, Elizabeth Whitaker Judkin[?] widow and Abigail Walrond Wood spinster, all residing in Bermuda, and also £500 to Ann Eliza Albouy now of Antigua and Catherine Hinson of Bermuda, both sisters of my said wife.

In case all my children shall depart this life in their minorities without lawful issue then all my plantations to my dear wife Margaret Gilbert Wood for her natural life and thereafter to my said sisters Mary Ann Mercer, Elizabeth Whitaker Judkin and Abigail Walrond Wood.

As I have already by conveyance presented each of my daughters with a dwellinghouse in St John, I hereby give to my son John Thomas Wood and his heirs the piece of land on Point Street in the town of St John with the house thereon.

As my wife may not wish to dwell in town, I give to my son John Thomas Wood the piece of land with the stores, wharf and buildings now occupied by the firm of Wood and Bennett on the condition that he purchases a dwellinghouse and land as his mother shall point out. Otherwise this land to my wife for life.

To my daughter Frances Albouy Wood the western half of the lot of land by the moiety given to my daughter Mary Caroline Bennett.

To my sister Abigail Walrond Wood, $100 per annum for life together with all the land I am possessed of in the island of Bermuda for the term of her natural life and thereafter to John Thomas Wood. This excludes property my wife may be entitled to from her father's estate.

To my nephew Robert Mercer of Bermuda, the entire debt due to me by his late father Archibald Mercer or his mother Mary Ann Mercer for his own use and benefit provided that a full and sufficient title or conveyance be given to my sister Elizabeth Whitaker Judkin for the lands now in her possession which were the property of my late uncle Robert Adams (one the property of my grandfather John Adams and the other adjoining south called Clarke's. Otherwise to my sister Elizabeth Whitaker Judkin one half of the debt aforesaid due by Archibald Mercer deceased or my sister Mary Ann Mercer.

To my sister Elizabeth Whitaker Judkin, £200 to be paid by my wife as soon as she conveniently can together with any debt which may be due to me by her late jusband.

All rest and residue to my wife Margaret Gilbert Wood.

Trustees and executors to be Hon. William Byam of Antigua, Samuel Auchinlock of Antigua, Francis John Jones and William Riddle Jones of Antigua, merchants.

Signed 27/04/1835.

Codicil dated 29/04/1835. The land and premises formerly Colebrooks Free Tenancy now occupied by Mrs Huggins in [blank] Street to my grandson John Bennett. His father John Bennett as his natural guardian to deal with it during his son's minority.

Codicial dated 01/05/1835 on the eve of my departure for England. Robert Briggs Esquire of Antigua to also be a trustee and executor.

Administration of the estate of John Adams Wood, formerly of Antigua but late of Tavistock House, Tavistock Square, Middlesex, granted to Joseph Liggins as attorney of the executors, 01/10/1836.


Associated Claims (30)

£143 17s 6d
Awardee
£352 2s 3d
Awardee
£716 13s 10d
Awardee (Assignee)
£278 1s 9d
Beneficiary deceased
£13 0s 2d
Awardee
£67 4s 2d
Awardee
£26 14s 11d
Awardee
£38 15s 10d
Awardee
£2,230 14s 9d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)
£3,171 3s 4d
Unsuccessful claimant (consensual)
£1,500 11s 2d
Unsuccessful claimant (Judgement creditor)
£1,763 6s 5d
Awardee (Judgement creditor)
£50 12s 6d
Awardee
£185 3s 6d
Awardee
£13 0s 2d
Awardee
£41 8s 6d
Awardee
£26 0s 5d
Awardee
£13 0s 2d
Awardee
£26 0s 5d
Awardee
£39 0s 7d
Awardee
£57 11s 2d
Awardee
£26 0s 5d
Awardee
£52 15s 4d
Awardee
£16 19s 11d
Awardee
£16 19s 11d
Awardee
£2,075 15s 9d
Awardee (Assignee)
£1,740 3s 11d
Beneficiary deceased (Judgement creditor)
£1,601 15s 3d
Awardee (Assignee)
£1,008 12s 7d
Deceased claimant successful (Judgement creditor)
£989 19s 1d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)

Associated Estates (1)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1835 [SY] - → Owner

Relationships (5)

Brother → Sister
Brother → Sister
Testator → Executor
Notes →
Tentative...
Testator → Executor
Notes →
Tentative...
Testator → Executor

Addresses (1)

17 Woburn Place, London, Middlesex, London, England