My great great grandfather.
John William Wood was born in October of 1832 in Clarke County, Georgia to Elijah Wood and Roseanah Elmore.
He married Mary Jane (maiden name unknown) on February 26, 1858. They were blessed with eight children: Mary Cornelia Wood Bradley, Thomas Jefferson Wood, John Franklin Wood, Robert Wood, Rosanna Wood Jordan, Jennie Wood Hale, William L. Wood and Fannie Dora Wood Nicholds Wright Wood.
In 1880, he moved his family from Mississippi to Smith County, Texas. He was a sharecropper.
In 1887, he was sentenced to life in prison for killing one Henry Ford over his daughter, Rosanna Jane Wood. The killing occurred in the Griffen Community, Cherokee County, Texas. He had been told that Mr. Ford was allegedly trying to molest his daughter. When my great great grandfather confronted Mr. Ford, an argument ensued, and Mr. Ford pulled out a gun. Well, my great great grandfather Wood also had a gun and he shot and killed Mr. Ford in self-defense. In 1887 Texas it was not unusual for men to be carrying guns. While he went to report the event to the sheriff, Mrs. Ford removed her husband's gun. She testified in court against him and he was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served his sentence in an iron foundry in Rusk County, Texas. On her deathbed the man's wife recanted her story and my great great grandfather was pardoned by Governor Joseph D. Sayers on December 25, 1902. He had been in prison for 15 years.
He liked to carve and work with wood and in appreciation he made a walking cane for Governor Sayers.
John William Wood was born in October of 1832 in Clarke County, Georgia to Elijah Wood and Roseanah Elmore.
He married Mary Jane (maiden name unknown) on February 26, 1858. They were blessed with eight children: Mary Cornelia Wood Bradley, Thomas Jefferson Wood, John Franklin Wood, Robert Wood, Rosanna Wood Jordan, Jennie Wood Hale, William L. Wood and Fannie Dora Wood Nicholds Wright Wood.
In 1880, he moved his family from Mississippi to Smith County, Texas. He was a sharecropper.
In 1887, he was sentenced to life in prison for killing one Henry Ford over his daughter, Rosanna Jane Wood. The killing occurred in the Griffen Community, Cherokee County, Texas. He had been told that Mr. Ford was allegedly trying to molest his daughter. When my great great grandfather confronted Mr. Ford, an argument ensued, and Mr. Ford pulled out a gun. Well, my great great grandfather Wood also had a gun and he shot and killed Mr. Ford in self-defense. In 1887 Texas it was not unusual for men to be carrying guns. While he went to report the event to the sheriff, Mrs. Ford removed her husband's gun. She testified in court against him and he was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served his sentence in an iron foundry in Rusk County, Texas. On her deathbed the man's wife recanted her story and my great great grandfather was pardoned by Governor Joseph D. Sayers on December 25, 1902. He had been in prison for 15 years.
He liked to carve and work with wood and in appreciation he made a walking cane for Governor Sayers.
My great great grandfather.
John William Wood was born in October of 1832 in Clarke County, Georgia to Elijah Wood and Roseanah Elmore.
He married Mary Jane (maiden name unknown) on February 26, 1858. They were blessed with eight children: Mary Cornelia Wood Bradley, Thomas Jefferson Wood, John Franklin Wood, Robert Wood, Rosanna Wood Jordan, Jennie Wood Hale, William L. Wood and Fannie Dora Wood Nicholds Wright Wood.
In 1880, he moved his family from Mississippi to Smith County, Texas. He was a sharecropper.
In 1887, he was sentenced to life in prison for killing one Henry Ford over his daughter, Rosanna Jane Wood. The killing occurred in the Griffen Community, Cherokee County, Texas. He had been told that Mr. Ford was allegedly trying to molest his daughter. When my great great grandfather confronted Mr. Ford, an argument ensued, and Mr. Ford pulled out a gun. Well, my great great grandfather Wood also had a gun and he shot and killed Mr. Ford in self-defense. In 1887 Texas it was not unusual for men to be carrying guns. While he went to report the event to the sheriff, Mrs. Ford removed her husband's gun. She testified in court against him and he was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served his sentence in an iron foundry in Rusk County, Texas. On her deathbed the man's wife recanted her story and my great great grandfather was pardoned by Governor Joseph D. Sayers on December 25, 1902. He had been in prison for 15 years.
He liked to carve and work with wood and in appreciation he made a walking cane for Governor Sayers.
John William Wood was born in October of 1832 in Clarke County, Georgia to Elijah Wood and Roseanah Elmore.
He married Mary Jane (maiden name unknown) on February 26, 1858. They were blessed with eight children: Mary Cornelia Wood Bradley, Thomas Jefferson Wood, John Franklin Wood, Robert Wood, Rosanna Wood Jordan, Jennie Wood Hale, William L. Wood and Fannie Dora Wood Nicholds Wright Wood.
In 1880, he moved his family from Mississippi to Smith County, Texas. He was a sharecropper.
In 1887, he was sentenced to life in prison for killing one Henry Ford over his daughter, Rosanna Jane Wood. The killing occurred in the Griffen Community, Cherokee County, Texas. He had been told that Mr. Ford was allegedly trying to molest his daughter. When my great great grandfather confronted Mr. Ford, an argument ensued, and Mr. Ford pulled out a gun. Well, my great great grandfather Wood also had a gun and he shot and killed Mr. Ford in self-defense. In 1887 Texas it was not unusual for men to be carrying guns. While he went to report the event to the sheriff, Mrs. Ford removed her husband's gun. She testified in court against him and he was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served his sentence in an iron foundry in Rusk County, Texas. On her deathbed the man's wife recanted her story and my great great grandfather was pardoned by Governor Joseph D. Sayers on December 25, 1902. He had been in prison for 15 years.
He liked to carve and work with wood and in appreciation he made a walking cane for Governor Sayers.
