Wood of Woodend

 

Wood of Woodend

in progress

This has a number of potential errors (both known and unknown) and omissions. The known potential errors are to do with January to March dates - normally I would put those in 1703/4 format, but my notes on this family haven't done so. I need to check that at source (register in storage). The omissions are mainly to do with probate. I have some old transcripts of wills on file, but not images (photocopies in storage). These need to be put online, and I need to compare some signatures and marks. I also need to construct family trees - these make the linkages much clearer.

The account will be updated and improved in spurts.

Early Years

 

Early Years

A record in Chancery [TNA 'Discovery'] describes a Wood family that was involved in a dispute about property in Cockermouth and Lamplugh sometime between 1529 and 1532.

I have in my notes that the family were 'of Lamplugh'. Either I have made an error, or the catalogue description has changed. I haven't seen the original record and need to do so.

This family could, therefore, be the Wood family of Mockerkin (who used the name William), or indeed any family resident in Cockermouth or elsewhere!

Assuming for the moment that the family was resident in Lamplugh, as I once thought, then there are only two options in the sixteenth century - Wood of Woodend or Wood of Redhow (farms that are almost contiguous). There are three reasons for thinking the former.

The first is that Woodend was a larger and richer farm than Redhow, and so more likely to be involved in such a widespread property dispute. The second is that the Wood surname and the hamlet Woodend are likely to have developed together - the Woods of Redhow would be a sprig off the main shoot, rather than the other way round. The third is that John Wood of Woodend, who was buried in 1582, was described as bailiff - indicating a high socio-economic status. He could just squeeze in as the plaintiff in 1529 (say he was 21, then he would have died at the age of 74), or as son of the plaintiff.

This is, however, conjecture.

“C 1/691/8
Description:
Short title: Woode v Gateskarthe.
Plaintiffs: John, son and heir of William Woode and grandson of William Woode the elder.
Defendants: Isabel Gateskarthe, widow.
Subject: Detention of deeds relating to messuages, cottages and land in Cockermouth, Kelton [in Lamplugh] and Egremont, `of the gyfte of William Woode the elder made to William Woode the younger.’. Cumberland
Note:
Cf. C1/687/30.
Date: 1529-1532 ”

Richard Wood of Woodend (-1597)

 

The next Wood to be described as of Woodend was Richard Wood, who was buried 06-09-1597. His wife Anne was buried a few days later 13-09-1597. The Lamplugh register only starts in 1581, so no marriage or baptism would have been recorded.

He (they?) started a family in the 1570s. That would suggest a birthdate of c1550, which would be consistent with being son of John Wood the bailiff and grandson of John Wood the plaintiff.

Five of his children are recorded in the baptismal register: Thomas (baptised 20-11-1582), Dorothy (baptised 27-08-1587), William (baptised 05-06-1590, buried 08-09-1590), Richard (baptised 29-08-1591), and William (baptised 10-03-1595).

Woodend was inherited by a John Wood (died 1608), who was presumably his eldest son. John Dickinson of Woodend married an Agnes Wood of Woodend, so she was presumably another child.

Thomas Wood of Kirkland (1582-)

 

It is likely that the Thomas Wood, baptised in 1582, is the same as the Thomas Wood of Kirkland whose daughter Agnes was baptised 05-03-1608/9 and buried 02-07-1609. This might be further evidence for the Chancery connection above.

Agnes Dickinson of Woodend (married 1614)

Agnes Wood had an illegitimate child, James, by Thomas Dickinson (-1665) of Woodend in 1613. They married in 1614 and had a number of other children.

John Wood of Woodend (-1608)

 

John inherited Woodend. He was born before the Lamplugh register started, but is likely to have been baptised around 1565-1575. This estimate is derived from a probable marriage and first child in 1600.

Four of his children have baptism entries: John (30-11-1600), Philip (01-05-1603), Richard (01-07-1605) and Robert (21-02-1608).  He had another son, Thomas, with no surviving record of baptism.

There is a marriage entry in the printed register for a 'Gawen Wood' [mistranscription?] to an Annas Harrison 26-01-1599/1600. This is a perfect fit, both in date and surname (there was a Harrison family at nearby Millgillhead, which is relevant in the next generation).

John is in the Protestion Return, but Philip, Richard and Robert aren't. Either they were dead by that point, or had moved elsewhere. Philip is an unusual forename for Lamplugh, and maybe Robert is more associated with Arlecdon or Dean, which may give hints about maternal ancestry. A Thomas Wood, however, is in the Protestation Return; and probate evidence shows that he is another of John's children.


Thomas Wood (-1666)

 

Thomas Wood (-1666) of Woodend

Thomas Wood was a younger son of John Wood (-1608) of Woodend. His baptism isn't in the Lamplugh register, but his existence is proved by probate. There is no evidence to suggest that he married - he certainly had no surviving children at the time of his death.

Wath and Millgillhead

 

Both Wath in Cleator and Millgillhead in Lamplugh had water-driven corn mills.  Millgillhead consisted of two tenements - High Millgillhead (with the mill - 13 acres in 1837) and Low Millgillhead (1837 - 42 acres). Both were part of the manorial estate in 1837, but that only after a recent purchase. I'm not sure of the situation in the seventeenth century. Two families occupied Millgillhead over generations: Harrison (until the 1680s) and Winyeat (until 1705). In his will of 1757, Jacob Fox of Millgillhead described his property as a freehold.

Thomas was described as a miller when witnessing the will of his brother John in 1652. Elsewhere in the probate, he is described as 'Thomas Wood of Woodend yeoman'. It looks as though he was living at Woodend, but working at Millgillhead (entirely feasible in distance terms). Quite probably, as a younger son, he was apprenticed there.

If his mother was indeed Annas Harrison, then she would probably have been the daughter of George Harrison of Millgillhead (any baptism would have taken place before the registers start). It may be significant that Thomas' heir was his nephew George.

Brother John married Elizabeth Robertson - her brother Thomas Robertson was at Wath but, after the death of both his children in 1679, moved to Millgillhead.

Thomas' nephew, George Wood (son of his brother John and Elizabeth) was living at Millgillhead in 1681 and at the time of his death in 1694.

His probate

 

Thomas made a detailed will 06-02-1665/6. The inventory was taken 13-05-1666 and the bond is dated 21-05-1666. So he had at least three months of illness or infirmity before his death.

His executor was his nephew George Wood [the only nephew to be called a nephew rather than a cousin] and the witnesses to the will were: George Lamplugh, Rector of Lamplugh; Lancelot Jackson, John Dodgson and George Mirehouse. The last was born at the Green in Lamplugh in 1614, so of similar age to Thomas. His sister Dorothy had married Nicholas Dodgson of Tallentire in 1634 and had three sons - John was likely one of them (Dodgson isn't a local surname). Lancelot Jackson was also of the Green, born in 1609 (later father-in-law to Daniel Dickinson of Streetgate).

His inventory was prized by:  William Dickinson [1604-1677, of Streetgate], Henry Wood [1609-1676, of Redhow], John Dixon and David Dickinson [1623-1702, of Lackerton Wood].

In his will Thomas described himself as 'the Elder'. His nephew Thomas Wood of Woodend was the younger. He only mentions relatives in the will, but there are many others (some quite important) who owe him money in the inventory. The small sums are consistent with payments due for mill work

His probate: will v inventory

 

Thomas' probate is immensely useful in shedding light on his own family and that of others, a general rule for unmarried yeoman males - they tended to have spare cash that was lent out to others (and recorded in their inventories) and tended to make specific bequeste to relatives, describing their relationship.

In the case of Thomas, there is a problem in his will - he described almost everyone as 'cousin'. Very nicely though, the main prizer of the inventory converted the bequests/debts into precise relationship terms. So:

Will

Total

Inventory

Imprimis I give unto my Cousin Ann Wood ye sum of 40s, which is owing to me by my sister Elizabeth Wood.


Item I give unto my Cousin Ellen ye wife of John Bowman ye sum of 20s: which is also owing me by my sister.


Item I give unto my Cousin Robert Wood ye sum of six pounds which is in like manner owing me by my sister aforesaid.


Item I give unto my said sister Elizabeth Wood ye sum of forty and eight shillings being the rest of that which she is owing me.

£11 8s

Elizabeth is listed as 'sister-in-law' with a debt of £11 8s, the sum of the four will items.

This may be a debt going back to the division of portions between John and Thomas - the sum owed by John to Thomas being inherited by his widow, Elizabeth.

Or, more likely, John and Elizabeth borrowed from Thomas to pay for their children's portions.

Item I give unto my Cousin John Wood ye sum of three pounds which he is in debt to me.

£3

John is listed as 'nephew' with a debt of £3.

Item I give unto my Cousin Thomas Wood of Woodend ye sum of five pounds, which he is indebted to me.

Item I give unto either of his children, Henry and George, ye sum of 10s which is also indebted to me:

And for ye other six pounds which he is further indebted to me, I order it be paid unto my Executor hereafter mentioned.

£12

Thomas is listed as a 'nephew' with a debt of £12.


This may be a debt going back to the division of portions between John and Thomas - the sum owed by John to Thomas being inherited by his eldest son, Thomas

The above 'cousins' were actually all nephews or nieces.




John Wood (1600-1652)

 

John Wood (1600-1652) of Woodend

John was Thomas' elder brother.

He married Elizabeth Robertson, sister of Thomas Robertson, miller at Wath and later at Millgillhead. It's possible that they came originally from High Trees or Lees in Lamplugh. The marriage isn't recorded.

They had children: Elizabeth (baptised 19-05-1624), Thomas (baptised ?-09-1626), Annas (baptised 26-02-1629), John (baptised 25-03-1632), Mary (baptised 06-02-1637, buried 12-01-1640), Henry (baptised 15-08-1639), Ellenor (baptised 13-02-1642), George and Robert. The last two, presumably, were born during the Civil War, when only some baptismal records were kept.

John wrote his will 01-11-1652 and the inventory was taken 10-11-1652. The family waited until the Restoration before applying for probate. The probate bond was dated 06-01-1661/2. His widow Elizabeth was buried 14-07-1691.

The coexecutors of his will were his wife Elizabeth and his children John, George, Henry. Robert, Annas and Elin [Ellen]. The witnesses were Thomas Wood, miller, and John Dickinson [1620-1666, of Woodend].

The inventory was prized by William Dickinson [1604-1677, of Streetgate], John Dickinson [as above], Henry Wood [1609-1676, of Redhow] and William Bowman.

The bondsmen were: Thomas Wood of Woodend [John's brother - he marked] and Thomas Wood junior [John's son - he signed]. His widow Elizabeth, the executor, marked.

Children

Elizabeth Fearon of Beck (1624-)

 

She was named as Elsabeth in the baptism register. She married 05-?-1644 in Lamplugh to John Fearon of Beck. She was a few months older than he.

The first child after the marriage, William (baptised 26-07-1645), was his, illegitimate. They then had children: John (baptised 02-01-1647) and Thomas (baptised 13-05-1649). Her father, in his 1652 will, mentioned 'John Fearon son-in-law and his wife'. Her uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 called her 'cousin Elizabeth Fearon wife of John Fearon'.

Thomas Wood (1626-1699) of Woodend

 

Thomas, as eldest son, inherited Woodend. His baptism doesn't give a name, but records a son of John Wood. His widow in 1699 was an unknown Elizabeth, and she may have been the mother of his children.

Annas/Ann Bell (1629-) of Cockermouth

 

Her father, in his 1652 will, mentioned Annas as one of his children. Her uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 mentioned 'cousin Ann Wood'. Her uncle, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead in 1681, mentioned 'Ann Bell daughter of sister Elizabeth Wood' and described her as living in Cockermouth. Bell is not a Lamplugh name.

John Wood (1632-)

 

His father, in his 1652 will, mentioned John as one of his children. His uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 called him cousin and mentioned a debt of £30. This was listed in the inventory, with John there being described as nephew. His uncle, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead in 1681, mentioned 'John Wood son of sister Elizabeth Wood'.

Henry Wood (1639-1706) of Kelton Head in Lamplugh

 

His father, in his 1652 will, mentioned Henry as one of his children. His uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 called him cousin. His uncle, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead in 1681, mentioned 'Henry Wood son of sister Elizabeth Wood'.

He appears to have died unmarried and without children. He wrote his will 02-01-1705/6, in which he described himself as a carpenter. The inventory was dated 08-01-1705/6. The bond was dated January 1705/6.

The will named his nephew Henry Wood as executor (named as Henry Wood of Woodend on the bond). The witnesses to the will were: Abraham Gill, William Singleton and John Robertson. All of them, including Henry himself, signed.

The inventory was prized by: John Robertson, Henry Wood, Joseph Fleming [1650-1721, of Walk Mill] and William Bowman. The total was £41 09s 10, with debts and credits largely balancing out.

The executor was Henry Wood of Woodend. The other bondsmen were: Robert Ribton of Cockermouth and Abraham Gill of Leigh [Lees] in Lamplugh. The last two aren't, so far as I know, family - so may be working colleagues or friends.

Ellenor/Ellen Bowman (1642-) of Ireland and Whitehaven

 

Her father, in his 1652 will, mentioned Ellen as one of his children. Her uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 mentioned 'cousin Ellen wife of John Bowman'. Her uncle, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead in 1681, mentioned 'Ellinour Bowman daughter of sister Elizabeth Wood' and described her as living in Ireland. She is described as cousin [sister-in-law] in the 1712 will of Elizabeth Wood of Woodend, and living in Whitehaven [I have this written down as Whittington in my transcript, but Whitehaven sounds more likely. I don't have access at the moment to check].

George Wood (-1694) of Millgillhead

 

His father, in his 1652 will, mentioned George as one of his children. His uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 appointed 'my nephew George Wood' as his executor. His uncle, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead in 1681, appointed 'my nephew George Wood of Millgillhead' as his executor. He was a bondsman for Thomas Robertson's children, Thomas and Jane Robertson in 1676 (on both occasions, he marked - his brother Thomas, who was the other bondsman, signed)

His widow was an unknown Margaret. He had two children: Isaac and Easter [Esther presumably]. Isaac was already an adult by 1681 (when he was a probate bondsman for Thomas Robertson). There are baptisms for a George Wood in Hunterhow with children Isaac (1686) and Sarah (1691) - they may be his, from a second marriage, but the previous Isaac would have had to die, and there is no tuition/child bond for either of them. Nor is Sarah mentioned in the will. The period 1660-1680 is a blank in the Lamplugh register - so it seems likely that George of Hunterhow was an unrecorded son of George of Millgillhead.

George Branthwaite was a bondsman in his probate, which strongly suggests that the children were related to him. The Branthwaites were at Whinnah, next to Millgillhead, and two of George's sisters (Dorothy, baptised 1630; and Isabel, baptised 1638) could have been the mother of his children (this would mean, however, that his widow Margaret was a second wife - there is no Margaret in the Branthwaite pedigree, which makes it unlikely that she was a Branthwaite).

That both Thomas uncles appointed George as executor suggests that he was likeable or dependable, but there's the oddity of being unable to sign. His older brothers could. Had the money run out for his education? Was he dyslexic perhaps? Did he have a physical disability? Even an accident at the mill?

George's will is dated 10-03-1693/4. His inventory was prized 29-03-1694. The bond was made 04-06-1694.

The witnesses to the will were: Thomas Wood [his nephew], George Branthwaite [1633-1701, of Whinnah] and George Lamplugh, Rector of Lamplugh. The prizers for the inventory were: Thomas Wood [ditto], George Branthwaite [ditto], Thomas Winyeat [-1705, of Millgillhead] and Henry Wood. The executor of the will was his widow Margaret. The bondsmen were Thomas Wood [ditto] and George Branthwaite [ditto].

The next Wood inhabitant of Millgillhead was a century later: Jonathan, an innkeeper. The names of his children (Henry, Jonathan, Anne. Isaac) might suggest a link with George.

Robert Wood

 

His father, in his 1652 will, mentioned Robert as one of his children. His uncle Thomas Wood in 1666 mentiond him as a cousin.  Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead, in 1681, doesn't mention him at all, which suggests that he had died by then.



Thomas Wood (1626-1699)

 

Thomas Wood (1626-1699) of Woodend

Thomas was baptised in 1626 but without a name being recorded. His father described him as his eldest son in his 1652 will, and he was then a bondsman (being described as Thomas Wood junior of Woodend). He owed John Bowman of Scallow in his 1666 inventory (when described as Thomas Wood younger of Woodend). His uncle Thomas Wood described him in 1666 as 'cousin' (corrected in the inventory to nephew) and forgave him his £12 debt. His uncle also mentioned that Thomas then had sons Henry and George. In 1676, he was administrator for the two adult children of his uncle Thomas Robertson of Wath -  his uncle then moving to Millgillhead. In his 1681 will, Thomas Robertson of Millgillhead described him as 'son Thomas of my sister Elizabeth Wood'; and he was one of the bondsmen with his cousin Isaac.

His marriage wasn't recorded - this would have taken place in 1660/2 when the register wasn't being maintained (he had two children by 1666). His widow in 1699 was named Elizabeth, and there is no reason to suppose that she wasn't the mother of his children. Her mark looks like a 'D' or 'P', which could suggest a Dickinson or a Peile. They had children: Henry, George, John, Joseph and Mary.

His will is dated 07-01-1698/9. The inventory was taken 19-09-1699. The bond is dated 04-11-1699.

He appointed his wife Elizabeth as his executor. The witnesses to the will were: Thomas Dickinson [1653-1699, of Woodend, who died two months later in November], Lancelot Dickinson [1626-1703, of Woodend] and John Dickinson. They all signed, including Thomas.

The prizers of the inventory were: George Branthwaite [1633-1701, of Whinnah], Henry Wood [-1702, of Redhow], Henry Wood [his son, -1730, of Woodend], and Henry Wood [1655-1731, of Murton Hole]. The inventory was valued at only £63 10s 3d - and the farm chattels at only £23 10s 3d.

The bondsmen were:  Peter Peile, mariner, of Whitehaven [his son-in-law] and Henry Wood of Lamplugh. Elizabeth and Peter marked, Henry signed. At time of writing, I don't have a photocopy available to identify the signature.

It rather looks as though Thomas had retired by 1699. The small farm valuation suggests that the rest had already been handed over to his son Henry, or temporarily mortgaged to raise funds for child portions. He clearly from his will had already provided for John and George, as he only gave them 1s each. Similarly for Henry. Joseph was given £10 - which was presumably the same as for the others. His married daughter Mary was given 5s.

It is entirely possible that the estate had been impoverished by Thomas Wood (-1666) of Woodend making George Wood of Millgillhead his main heir.

His widow Elizabeth made her will 02-04-1712. She was buried 05-04-1712 and the inventory taken 09-04-1712. The probate bond is dated 17-05-1712.

She appointed her daughter Mary as her sole executrix. The witnesses were John Dickinson, Dorothy Wood, and John Dickinson jun.. Elizabeth marked, the others signed. The prizers of the inventory were: John Dickinson and Christopher Fearon. The bondsmen were: Peter Peile of Whitehaven [-1732, her son-in-law, husband of the executrix], John Dickinson of Streetgate, and Henry Johnson of Whitehaven. Peter Peile marked. The other bondsmen signed. My notes don't show whether Mary marked or signed, and I don't currently have access to the document to check.

She made a number of bequests in her will, mainly though not wholly to relatives. All the beneficiaries were female. Details have been inserted elsewhere where appropriate.

Children

Henry Wood (-1730) of Woodend

 

Henry inherited Woodend. He married 16-06-1696 in Ennerdale to Frances Towerson of Meerbeck in Ennerdale. They had children:  Mary (14-03-1697), Elizabeth (03-03-1700), Sarah (1603-1703), Deborah (28-04-1706) and Abigail (13-03-1707). All dates are baptisms, the first in Ennerdale, the rest in Lamplugh. All March/April.

George Wood (-1718) of St Dunstan, Middlesex

George was a joiner.

He was mentioned as child of his father Thomas in the 1666 will of his great-uncle Thomas Wood of Woodend, who gave him 10/-. He was a half-a-crown beneficiary in the 1706 will of his uncle, Henry Wood of Kelton Head.

He was given 1s in his father's 1699 will. His mother doesn't mention him at all in 1712 - but she only made bequests to women.

I haven't seen his will, nor the court case, but they would seem to imply together that he was a bachelor.

“Reference:
PROB 11/565/57

Description:
Will of George Wood, Joiner of Saint Dunstan, Middlesex

Date:
09 August 1718

Held by:
The National Archives, Kew ”
“Reference:
C 11/242/59

Description:

Short title: Biggs v Wood.

Document type: Bill and answer.

Plaintiffs: Henry Biggs, citizen and carpenter of St Brides, London and Percivall Hart, gent of Lincolns Inn, Middlesex (executor of George Wood, joiner of St Dunstan in the West, Middlesex).

Defendants: Mary Wood, Elizabeth Wood, Sarah Wood, Deborah Wood, Abigail Wood (children of Henry Wood, the testator’s brother), Peter Peele (son of Mary Peele, testator’s sister), Elizabeth Wood (daughter of Joseph Wood, deceased, testator’s brother).

Date of bill (or first document): 1719”

John Wood (-post-1706)

 

John wasn't yet born when his great uncle made his will in 1666. He was given 1s in the 1699 will of his father. This implies that he had already received his portion. He received 2s 6d in the 1706 will of his uncle, Henry Wood of Kelton Head. He wasn't mentioned in his mother's 1712 will. This implies nothing more than that he didn't have a daughter.

Joseph Wood (-pre-1712)

 

Joseph wasn't yet born when his great uncle made his will in 1666. He was given £10 in the 1699 will of his father. His mother in her 1712 will described him as deceased, and gave £20 to his daughter Elizabeth. Joseph's widow Jane Wood already held £11 of that and a further £9 was to be given by her executrix when Elizabeth reached the age of 21.

Mary Peile (-post-1732) of Whitehaven

 

Mary married Peter Peile of St Bees 21-10-1697 in Lamplugh. They were not mentioned in the 1699 will of her father. Mary was appointed executrix in her mother's 1712 will.

Peter wrote his will 06-12-1718 'Considering as reel the Perils and Dangers of the Seas', when he described himself as a mariner of Whitehaven - and died in 1732. He appointed Mary his executrix, and she was described as his widow in 1732, when she signed. He only mentions one child in his will:  Peter [his heir, and also of Whitehaven in 1732 - a strong confident signature].

 

Henry Wood (-1730)

 

Henry Wood (-1730) of Woodend

Henry inherited Woodend, and was the last Wood of Woodend.

He was mentioned in the 1666 will of his great-uncle Thomas Wood of Woodend, being given 10s. He was executor in 1706 for his uncle Henry Wood of Kelton Wood. His mother in her 1712 will mentioned him as father of Elizabeth, Sarah, Deborah and Abigail. Their older sister Mary Wood, by now 15, was separately favoured in the will.

He married 16-06-1696 in Ennerdale to Frances Towerson of Meerbeck in Ennerdale [actually Low Meerbeck]. They had five children, all girls:  Mary (baptised 14-03-1697), Elizabeth (baptised 03-03-1700), Sarah (baptised 16-03-1703), Deborah (baptised 28-04-1706) and Abigail (baptised 13-03-1709). Mary was baptised in Ennerdale, the rest in Lamplugh.

He made his will 26-06-1730 and was buried in Lamplugh 05-07-1730. The inventory was taken the next day. Although there is a bond, I don't have a record of it.

He appointed his daughters Sarah and Deborah as joint executors. The overseers were his-brother-in-law Peter Peile and his 'cousin' John Dickinson of Streetgate [this may indicate that the marriage two years later between their children Abigail and Daniel was already arranged]. The witnesses were John Dickinson [of Streetgate], John Dickinson [of Woodend] and Thomas Dickinson [of Redhow].

The prizers of the inventory were: Nicholas Jenkinson, John Dickinson, Daniel Dickinson and David Dickinson [of Lackerton Wood]. The inventory was valued at £460 6s.

The Inheritance of Woodend

 

The crucial question, that must have preyed on Henry's mind for decades was: who would inherit Woodend? With five daughters and no son, the estate was up for grabs. The death of his only brother George in 1718, a joiner in London, with an unquantified inheritance for his nieces (under challenge in the Court of Chancery), may have triggered the courting process. it was clear that the farm was up for grabs - and that each daughter was due for a payout. The vultures began circling.

One potential problem was the legal status of the tenement itself. This was resolved in 1719/20 when Woodend was enfranchised (in other words, made into a freehold).

The general principle that seems to have operated in these circumstances was that the man who married the elder daughter provided a sufficient cash sum to give fair portions to the others - getting the estate in return. The difficulty, presumably, lay in finding a suitable male of the right age, and a family that could raise the cash (though this seems usually to have been done by mortgaging the acquired estate).

The needs of five daughters must have made the negotiations especially complicated. In this case the Sumptons were a perfect fit for the eldest - an old family that, at Wright Green, had been neighbours of the Woods since at least the sixteenth century.

The marriage contract gave half of Wright Green and another property as the dower, while Henry provided half of Woodend and £100 as the dowry. The marriage took place in June 1720, and the other moiety of Woodend was transferred in 1726, with Henry to have occupation during his lifetime.

“Whitehaven
Reference DDI/45/1
Title Settlement prior to marriage of John, son of William Sumpton of Wright Green p. Dean, yeoman, and Mary, eldest daughter of Henry Wood of Woodend, yeoman
Description Put in by Sumpton: half the house and land at Wright Green and half its sheep, also 1 cow and 1 mare, and Nether Wood at Brackenthwaite p. Lorton. Put in by Wood: half the house and land at Woodend, and two sums of £50, and the (as yet of sum unknown) legacy of his late brother George in London, but the couple forfeit the two sums of £50 if they claim the legacy.
Date 1719
”
— http://www.archiveweb.cumbria.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DDI%2f45%2f1&pos=2
“Whitehaven
Reference DDI/1/60
Title Bargain and sale by Henry Wood (of Woodend, yeoman) for Mary, his eldest daughter, following her (recent) marriage to John Sumpton of Wright Green p. Dean, and for 10s., of half his freehold messuage and tenement called Woodend otherwise Birkhow, he to have its use until he die Armorial seal (Dickinson) with Henry Wood’s signature.
Date 15 January 1726
”
— http://www.archiveweb.cumbria.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DDI%2f1%2f60&pos=1

Children

Mary Sumpton (1697-) of Wright Green in Dean

 

Mary was born in Ennerdale, married in Lamplugh, and buried in Dean. She married 02-06-1720 to John Sumpton of Wright Green. They had children: Mary, Sarah, John and Abigail.

Her father, in his 1730 will, made very clear that she already had a moiety of Woodend ("whereas I have formerly made one half of all that my Mortgage & Tenement called Woodend also Birkhow unto my daughter Mary the wife of John Sumpton and to her heirs for ever") and that he was now giving her the rest ("by those present give & declare all the other half of all that my Messuage & Tenement of freehold land called Woodend also Birkhow unto my daughter Mary Sumpton"). But there was one condition: she had to pay her sister Abigail £200 within five days of his death.

Elizabeth Jackson (1700-) of Arlecdon

 

Elizabeth married 31-05-1725 in Lamplugh to John Jackson of Arlecdon.

She was given £60 in her father's will.

Sarah Nicholson (1703-) of Hudscales in Caldbeck

 

Sarah married 28-04-1730 in Brigham to Richard Nicholson of Hudscales in Caldbeck. They had a number of daughters, of whom Mary was the oldest.

It would appear that the contact came about through Sarah's uncle, Peter Peile of Whitehaven, mariner, as his son was eventually trustee for Richard Nicholson.

She was co-executrix with her sister, Deborah, of her father's will.

Deborah Pearson (1706-1740) of High Cross in Loweswater

 

Deborah, aged 21, married John Pearson of High Cross, aged 45.  John also owned an estate at Branthwaite Gate in Dean. John died in 1735 and Deborah soon after in 1740. They had children: John and Jane.

She was co-executrix with her sister, Sarah, of her father's will. In her own will, she appointed her brothers-in-law, John Sumpton of Wright Green and Daniel Dickinson of Streetgate, as trustees for her daughter Jane. She signed her will.

 

Will of Deborah Pearson 1740: her signature

Abigail Dickinson (1703-1741) of Streetgate

 

Abigail married 18-12-1732 in Dean to Daniel Dickinson [1704-1742] of Streetgate.  At the time of her marriage she was described as of Loweswater (she was staying at High Cross with her sister, Deborah). The marriage was considered so significant that a two-handled loving cup of Irish silver was commissioned (engraved with the assumed arms of both parties). She, like her husband, died young.

They had children: John, Richard and Jane.