Our project to determine if the Wood households of Essex connect into one family tree began with research to find the family of William Wood, who was born 1 May 1837 in Ostend, Burnham, Essex. He is my 3rd great grandfather. In 1862 he sailed to New York, and then moved West. He lived the rest of his life in Utah and Alberta, Canada.
William's family in England was a Catholic, which is a research challenge. Land Records and Wills can prove relationships but are imperfect substitutes for missing birth records. 53,347 individuals on the 1841 Census had the surname Wood. The frequency of the surname is a challenge that can be managed because only 6,376 of them resided in London, and a scant 1,502 resided in Essex, implying fewer than 300 households.
Even 300 households, however, require a process of elimination to place individuals into family groups. By working together, we can prove impossible relationships and increase of our knowledge of probable ones. Please join the conversation.
Wood Families Residing in Essex Before 1852 and the Families Related to them by Marriage.
The ancestors of William Wood, born in 1837, were Catholics. He joined the navy on 8 April 1856 as a Butcher. At each port he went ashore to purchase meat for the crew. He fought on the Eurotas during the Crimean War and on the Retribution during the China War. In 1858 he was selected to escort a special yacht to Japan which was presented to the Emperor as a gift.
William's ancestors lived in Hutton, Ingrave, Pilgrim Hatch, South Weald, Mountnessing, Heybridge, Latchingdon, and Burnham-on-Crouch, gradually relocating eastward onto the Dengie Peninsula. Family members, like other nonconformists, married in London at Anglican churches conveniently situated near foreign embassies.
Mary Ann Wiffen married James May Gigney 22 March 1808, St Michael, later Christ Church, Latchingdon. She is the mother of Elizabeth Gigney who married William Wood, born 1811, Mountnessing.
The Wiffens of Latchingdon hailed from Castle Hedgingham, and were related to the Myall family by marriage. Joseph Wiffen, Mary Ann's father, and Thomas Wiffen, her grandfather, were Victurallers.
The Gigney surname traces back to Sir Roger de Gigney, born 1087, was a Norman Knight. Between 1650 and 1800 his descendants resided in Hertfordshire, Essex, and London.
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Thomas Wood
Thomas Wood (1719-1783) of Billericay was known as the Abstemious Miller. His self-indulgent eating caused obesity, and at age 44 he suffered from gout, insomnia, and rheumatism. To recover his health he adopted a vegetarian diet advocated by Luigi Cornaro, an Italian dietician. His miraculous recovery was celebrated in the "Gentleman's Magazine" and by his portrait which hangs in the Cater Museum.
Joseph Wood
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Joseph Wood (1803-1855) was a Mariner and Sail Maker, described as 5'8" tall, with a fair complexion, dark eyes, and black hair. In 1850 he sailed on the HMS Enterprise (see picture) to find the missing Franklin expedition. Although the HMS Enterprise's four years at sea was marred by ice and quarrels, Joseph was praised for his skills to repair sails in arctic weather. The voyage failed to find Franklin but significantly improved maps of northern waterways.
Thomas Wood
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Thomas Wood (1499-1582) was a Priest and one of the Chaplains of Queen Mary. He was imprisoned at Marshalsea (see picture) in 1560 for Papistry, remaining jailed for 20 years until age 81. Before prison, he was the Rector or Vicar in Essex at High Ongar, Walthamstow, South Weald, and Bradwell-juxta-Mare, afterwards serving as the Prebendary (Canon) of Canterbury and Westminster Abbey.
Savage Warrior
Adam le Wode of Worcestershire (1221) is believed to derive his name from the Saxon "Wode or Wod," meaning "wild" or ferocious in battle, which explains the caveman on the family crests of Wood families. Walter de la Wode of Herefordhsire appears in 1242 on the tax roles of King Henry III, which is believed to be the first spelling of Wood to mean "of the Wood" or one who resides by a Wood.
St Giles of Mountnessing dates to the 12th century, evidenced by the quoins of Roman bricks in the angle on its NE corner.
George Inn was the original name of this Pub in Mountnessing. Barnaby Wood signed a lease with the Petre family in 1786, and was its Victualler until his death in 1806.
St Andrews of Heybridge is near Maldon. The building design is Norman. Anciently the village was called Tidwalditune.
Sir Walter Scott mentions The Griffin of Danbury in Wavlery, his first novel. Joseph Wiffen was its Victualler between 1781 and 1786.
Robert Lord Petre built St Nicholas of Ingrave in 1734, when the parishes of Ingrave and West Horndon were consolidated and their medieval churches razed.
The Chequers of Roxwell was built by the Perry family prior to 1673. Thomas Wiffin was its Victualler from 1781 until his death in 1786, followed by Jane Wiffen, his his widow.
Our project is to identify every Wood family residing in Essex before 1852, plus the families to whom they are related by marriage.
We do not know what you know. Please share with us your knowledge, and help us correct any error you find in our research.
