by AUDREY CREEL / November 14, 2020
©Audrey Creel, 2020 (All rights reserved.)
Martha Maney was the daughter of Andrew and Henrietta Maney.[i] Andrew Maney was enslaved by Dr. James Maney while his wife and children, including Martha, were enslaved by the Jones family a few miles away from the Maney plantation (current day Oaklands Mansion). Martha would have been about six-years-old at the end of the Civil War.[ii]
After the Civil War, Martha lived with her mother and father, as well as her siblings, in Murfreesboro. The 1870 census indicated that even at the age of eleven, Martha worked alongside her family as a farm laborer.[iii] Martha continued living in Murfreesboro throughout the late 1800s. On January 13, 1881, Martha Maney married Willie Wood.[iv] By 1900, Martha and Willie (or Willis) had moved to Wilson County, Tennessee and had several children: John W., Susan H., Nannie, Paton, Oscar, Walter, and Lutie Wood.[v] After moving to Wilson County, Martha was no longer employed and became a full-time stay-at-home mother, an option which would not have been available to her prior to emancipation.[vi] Both Willis and Martha’s oldest son, John W., found employment in Wilson County as farm laborers.[vii] Martha Wood remained a stay-at-home mother in Wilson County for the remainder of her life[viii] Martha Maney Wood died on May 15, 1930 in Wilson County.[ix]
Children of Martha (Maney) and Willie Wood
John W. Wood
John W. Wood was the oldest son of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. There is no further information about John Wood.
Susan Wood Sweatt
Susan Wood was the oldest daughter of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. Susie married Ephraim Sweatt on December 24, 1906 in Wilson County.[x] Susie and Ephraim stayed in Wilson County after their marriage and started their family. Following her marriage, Susie remained at home as a stay-at-home mother while Ephraim found employment as a farm laborer in Wilson County.[xi] Susie and Ephraim never left Wilson County and maintained their positions throughout their lives. By 1910, Susie and Ephraim had two children: Willis and Celeste Sweatt.[xii] In 1920, Susie continued living at home with her children while Ephraim worked as a farm laborer.[xiii] They had four more children: Tollie, Ethylene, Virginia, and Alice Sweatt.[xiv] Susie and Ephraim had one more child in 1922, Ephraim Sweatt Jr.[xv] Susie continued living at home with her children until she died on December 30, 1962 in Wilson County.[xvi]
Nannie Wood
Nannie Wood was the daughter of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. There is no further information for Nannie Wood after 1900.
Paton Wood
Paton Wood was the son of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. There are no records for Paton Wood after 1910.
Oscar Wood
Oscar Wood was the son of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. It is uncertain what happened to Oscar after he moved out of his parents’ home. Oscar moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he died on July 8, 1954.[xvii] It does not appear that Oscar ever had any children.
Walter Wood
Walter Woods to Ellodia Brown
Walter was the son of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. Walter lived with his parents through 1920 and worked as a farm hand in Wilson County.[xviii] According to his tombstone, Walter served during World War I as a Private for the United States Army, so he likely moved back into his parent’s home after his service in the war.[xix] Shortly after returning home from his service in the war, Walter began working to establish his life independent of his parents. Walter married Elodia (Ellodia) Brown on April 13, 1921 in Wilson County.[xx] While Walter was able to move out of his parents’ house, by 1930, Walter was living with his in-laws working as a janitor for a private building.[xxi] His wife was a music teacher at a school in Wilson County.[xxii] Walter and Elodia had two children: Margaret and Naomi Wood.[xxiii] While Walter continued working as a janitor in Wilson County, he purchased his own home by 1940.[xxiv] It is uncertain what happened to Walter after 1940. Walter died on March 3, 1988 and was buried in Nashville National Cemetery.[xxv]
Lutie Wood Howard
Lutie Wood was the youngest daughter of Martha (Maney) and Willis Wood. There is very little concrete information about Lutie Wood after 1910. According to death certificates, Lutie Wood married Rufus Howard.[xxvi] The date of their marriage is unknown. In 1920, Lutie and Rufus had moved to Nashville, where Lutie was a stay-at-home mother and Rufus worked as a truck driver for a transfer company.[xxvii] Lutie and Rufus had two children: Hiowatha and Rufus Jr. Howard.[xxviii] By the 1940 census, Lutie and Rufus were renting a home in Nashville with four children – Hiowatha, Tyrone, Ecronne, and Pawnee.[xxix] Rufus worked as a stonemason and employed two of his children.[xxx] It is unknown what happened to Lutie after 1940.
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References
[i] United States Census, “Maney, Martha,” 1870 United States Census, 1870, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4275524_00264?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=1aa91174d4f2671c42eee3ae0eecfa39&usePUB=true&_phsrc=hKK364&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.209464914.1307544560.1599706641-1251799660.1599066608&pId=14338651.
[ii] United States Census, “Maney, Martha,” 1870 United States Census.
[iii] United States Census, “Maney, Martha,” 1870 United States Census.
[iv] Marriage Record, “Willie Wood to Martha Maney,” January 13, 1881, accessed October 21, 2020 from familysearch.org database https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNXH-1VY.
[v] United States Census, “Wood, Martha,” 1900 United States Census, 1900, accessed October 21, 2020 from https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118767_00734?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1236&_phstart=successSource&pId=61494488.
[vi] United States Census, “Wood, Martha,” 1900 United States Census.
[vii] United States Census, “Wood, Willis,” 1900 United States Census, 1900, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4118767_00734?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1236&_phstart=successSource&pId=61494488.
[viii] United States Census, “Wood, Martha,” 1910 United States Census, 1910, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4449791_01110?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=2d311e994bedbb71bc170f0eb7afb295&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1223&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=139219815. See also: United States Census, “Wood, Martha,” 1920 United States Census, 1920, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4391966_01145?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1220&_phstart=successSource&pId=22139646.
[ix] Death Certificate, “Certificate of Death: Ms. Martha Woods,” May 15, 1930, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2376/images/33113_257940-00060?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=c26910999e451c01c37d200606e3899b&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs305&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=15665117.
[x] Marriage Record, “Ephraim Sweatt to Susie Wood,” December 24, 1906, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1169/images/VRMUSATN1780_077372-00603?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1329&_phstart=successSource&pId=7286703.
[xi] United States Census, “Sweat, Susie,” 1910 United States Census, 1910, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4449791_01109?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.115205959.1980151893.1603124097-1700215809.1599080803&pId=139219795.
[xii] United States Census, “Sweat, Susie,” 1910 United States Census.
[xiii] United States Census, “Sweatt, Susie,” 1920 United States Census, 1920, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4391966_00994?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.115205959.1980151893.1603124097-1700215809.1599080803&pId=22132590.
[xiv] United States Census, “Sweatt, Susie,” 1920 United States Census.
[xv] United States Census, “Sweatt, Ephraim Jr.,” 1930 United States Census, 1930, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547934_00297?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=65949694.
[xvi] Death Certificate, “Certificate of Death: Susie Wood Sweatt,” December 30, 1962, accessed October 21, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2376/images/2376_b929495-00904?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1332&_phstart=successSource&pId=1636454.
[xvii] Obituary, “Oscar Woods,” The Indianapolis News, 5, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 10, 1954, accessed October 21, 2020 from https://www.newspapers.com/image/311435996/?article=2b2d30e6-07eb-44ca-b518-27cc34a4b31c&focus=0.39083025,0.59657216,0.5038221,0.71648043&xid=3355.
[xviii] United States Census, “Wood, Walter,” 1920 United States Census, 1920, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4391966_01145?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1220&_phstart=successSource&pId=22139646.
[xix] Grave Site, “Walter Woods,” Nashville, TN, March 3, 1988, accessed October 22, 2020 from https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/159119818/walter-woods.
[xx] Marriage License, “Walter Wood to Ellodia Brown,” Wilson County, TN, April 13, 1921, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1169/images/VRMUSATN1780_077402-02366?pId=141778.
[xxi] United States Census, “Wood, Walter,” 1930 United States Census, 1930, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4547934_00363?pId=65929159.
[xxii] United States Census, “Wood, Walter,” 1930 United States Census.
[xxiii] United States Census, “Wood, Walter,” 1930 United States Census.
[xxiv] United States Census, “Wood, Walter,” 1940 United States Census, 1940, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-03950-00773?pId=28985558.
[xxv] Grave site, “Walter Woods.”
[xxvi] Death Certificate, “Certificate of Death: Hoiwatha Howard,” Nashville, TN, November 21, 1951, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2376/images/40059_b086791-16421?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1275&_phstart=successSource&pId=16267368.
[xxvii] United States Census, “Howard, Lena,” 1920 United States Census, 1920, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4390325_00613?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1395&_phstart=successSource&pId=12900815.
[xxviii] United States Census, “Howard, Lena,” 1920 United States Census.
[xxix] United States Census, “Howard, Ludie,” 1940 United States Census, 1940, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-03972-00629?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1278&_phstart=successSource&pId=38684670.
[xxx] United States Census, “Howard, Rufus,” 1940 United States Census, 1940, accessed October 22, 2020 from ancestry.com database https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-03972-00629?treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=Kxs1278&_phstart=successSource&pId=38684670.
Conserve History 