Ethel Baker wrote this passage about Stephen Wood back in 1950:
âSTEPHEN WOOD, my great grandfather, father of Adelia Augusta Wood, was born in Vermont in February 1769. He married Deborah Knowles, born September 1779. Deborah was undoubtedly a member of the family for which the town of Knowlesville was named. They, Stephen and Deborah, lived and died in Knowlesville. He died November 4, 1853 and she died July 30, 1845. On one of our trips to New York, Margaret and I visited the cemetery where they were buried and I copied the inscriptions from their tombstones. I regret that I did not make more inquiries about the Wood family while we were in Knowlesville as my information concerning them seems to be very meager and copious correspondence has not brought anything to light.â
A few comments here. The information provided from Ethel Baker comes from the gravestones in Knowlesville cemetery. Although it would seem logical that Deborah Knowles would have a connection to Knowlesville, no evidence has been found to support this contention.
From âThe Vermont Historical Gazetteerâ for Hawley Family of Arlington, Vol. 1, pg 133 (1867)
âJosiah [Hawley] married Hannah, eldest sister of Col. Seth Warner. Their children were Amos, Gideon, Lemuel, Rhoda and Silence. Amos who married Elizabeth Spinche and removed to Ohio; Gideon who married and died in Canada; Lumuel who married Philo Hard, Rhoda who married Martin Deming, and Silence who married Stephen Wood of Knowlesville, N.Y.â
âJosiah [Hawley] married Hannah, eldest sister of Col. Seth Warner. Their children were Amos, Gideon, Lemuel, Rhoda and Silence. Amos who married Elizabeth Spinche and removed to Ohio; Gideon who married and died in Canada; Lumuel who married Philo Hard, Rhoda who married Martin Deming, and Silence who married Stephen Wood of Knowlesville, N.Y.â
From âMemorial of the Walkers of the Old Plymouth colony; embracing genealogical and biographical sketches of James, of Taunton; Philip, of Rehoboth; William of Eastham; John, of Marshfield; Thomas, of Bristol; and of their descendants from 1620 to 1860â, by J.B.R. Walker (1861)
Children of JONATHAN WALKER, [43] of Dighton.
Elizabeth, b. Sept. 29, 1743. She m. May 1766, Thomas Knowles, of Swansey, a farmer, first in Dighton, then removed to Norton, and d. about 1838. Had 6 sons, and 3 daus. (1) David, Res. Washington, D. C. (2) Henry, Res. W. (3) Asa, Res. Norton, and d, about 1821. Had 5 chil. (4) Edward, Res. Providence, d. about 1825. Had children. (5) Jonathan, m. Ruth Richmond, and Lydia Walker. (See No. 194.) Res. Norton, and d. 1855, ae. 84 yrs. (6) William, removed to W. (7) Polly, m. Edward Kingman. Res. Mansfield, She d. May, 18.55, ae. 82. Had 6 sons and 5 daus. (8) Betsey, m. Richard Newcomb, of Norton, a farmer. Had 8 chil. (9) Deborah, m. Elijah Avery, farmer. Res. Vermont. 5 chil.
From History of Pittsford, Vt. by AM Caverly
âOn the 5th of October, 1798, Elijah Avery bought of Alexander Ewings one-half of an acre of land lying south of Abraham Walkerâs house-lot on the east side of the highway in the Village. This included the house-lot now owned and occupied by S. D. Winslow. fl[r. Avery married Deborah Knowles and located on that place.â
âStephen Wood, a stone-cutter by trade, married Deborah Avery, July 13, 1806, and located on the place formerly owned by Dr. William Frisbie. His principal business was the making of gravestones, and he quarried his stone from a ledge now owned by Abraham Owen, and lying a little southwest of the residence of Abel Morgan. He changed his residence several times while a citizen of the town and left it about the year 1814.â
From âRutland County Land Recordsâ Vol. 11, page 517, Recorded 19 Oct 1822.
A quit claim for $1 by Wm A Gilbert and wife Eliza Gilbert of Lions, Ontario, NY and Harry Avery of Lyons, Ontario, NY to Stephen and Deborah Wood of property in Pittsford, Rutland, VT which the wife holds as her endowment of the estate of her late husband Elijah Avery.
From âRutland County Land Recordsâ Vol. 12, page 161, Recorded 4 Feb 1823.
A quit claim for $10 by Levi Hayward and wife Jane Hayward of Boston, MA and Harry Avery of Lyons, Ontario, NY to Stephen and Deborah Wood of property in Pittsford, Rutland, VT which the wife holds as her endowment of the estate of her late husband Elijah Avery.
from âOrleans Co NY Deed Booksâ, Vol 26, pg 107, Recorded 27 Apr 1846 (familysearch.org)
A quit claim for $10 on 10 Dec 1845 between between Stephen Wood, Robert L Hill and Adeline A Hill his wife of the town of Ridgeway, Orleans NY, Walter Durkee and Mary Durkee his Wife of the town of Barre, Orleans NY and Levi F Hayward and Jane Hayward his wife of the city of Boston MA parties of the first part and William Wood of the Town of Ridgeway party of the second part.
When I started my genealogy of Stephen and Deborah Knowles, I found a Harvey Wood b. VT in 1801 living in Orleans county, NY. Based on his birthdate and birth place, it seemed reasonable to speculated at the time that this Harvey Wood was Harry Avery mentioned in the land records. Over time, this initial guess has now made its way through the internet. It now appears that this guess was wrong.
Ancestry has a reference to a Henry Knowles Avery b. 1797 who died 1834 near Detroit. He married Eliza Adamâs in 1823 in Lyon NY.
viii. Eliza L., b. in Scipio, Sept. 8, 1805; m. March 4, 1823, at Lyons, N.Y., Henry Knowles Avery; settled in Detroit, Mich., 1831, and d. there 25 Dec, 1834. She d. in Beloit, Wis., 10 June, 1881.
Parents of Stephen Wood
Stephen Woods was born Feb. 1769 per his gravestone. His place of birth must be inferred from 1880 census or death records of the children.
| Name of Child | Birthplace listed on 1880 Census | Birthplace listed on Death Certificate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Mother | Father | Mother | |
| Mary (Wood) Durkee | VT | VT | VT | Not Given |
| Adelia (Wood) Hill | VT | MA | NY | MA |
| William Wood | VT | VT | MA | MA |
This death in 1845 of Deborah would have triggered this transaction. It involves one daughter, Jane Hayward, from her first marriage to Elijah Avery, and three children from her second marriage to Stephen Wood, Adelia Hill, Mary Durkee and William Wood. Child Eliza Gilbert was excluded because she died in 1841. Harry Avery was not mentioned, since we now know he died in 1834
Jane Hayward mn Avery age 84y 4m, born Boston to Stephen & Deborah, died 30 Jul 1881 in Boston MA
From 1800 Census of Arlington, Bennington, VT
Stephen Wood 1M 26-45(Stephen[31]), 1F 16-26 (Silence), 1F<10
From 1810 Census of Pittsford, Rutland, VT
Stephen Wood 1M 26-45(Stephen[41]), 1F 26-45(Deborah[31]), 2M<10(Henry[], 1M10-16, 2F10-16(Jane[13], Eliza[])
From Bennington County VT Land Records on 19 Feb 1806
Gideon Hawley of Bedford, Durham, Lower Canada to Stephen Wood of Addison, Middlebury, VT
From 1811 Middlebury, Addison, VT Land Records, Book 7, pg 671
Nathan Wood to Stephen Wood
This record fells significant.
From 1820 Census of Pittsford, Rutland, VT
Stephen Wood 1M >45(Stephen[51]), 1F26-45(Deborah[41]), 1M<10, 2F<10(Mary[], Adelia[]), 1F10-16
From 1830 Census of Knowlesville, Orleans, VT
Stephen Wood 1M 50-59 (Stephen (61), 2F 10-<15(Adelia [10], Mary [12], 1F 40-49 (Deborah[51])
MOSES WOOD (8) Son of Joseph (61) & –; B. 1747 Aug. 8 (or bap. 1746, Sept. 14?); D. 1818, Apr. 18; Serg’t in Rev. War; Of Pittsfield, Mass., Arlington, Vt., 1790 Census & Pompey, N.Y.; M. 1767June 7, Sarah Phelps, b. 1747, Sept. 10, d. 18–, dau. of Daniel & Eunice (Parsons) Phelps; Ch. Eunice (8); Daniel (26); Sally (93); Moses (9); Amasa (2); Almary (1); Henry (20); Amos (7)