Family:Michael Woods and Agnes Gilliland (1)

GRANTS AND DOWER LAND. Agnes Woods, widow of Michael Woods, filed for dower rights in the February 1809 session of the Washington Co Court. She lists her children as "Archibald Woods William Woods Green Woods Claudias Buster and Issabella his wife formerly Issabella Woods and Andrew Cowan and Jane his wife formerly Jane Woods and William Lamkin and Rosanna his wife formerly Rosanna Woods". Also mentioned are Fedelia Amanda Woods and David Woods "infant" children of said Michael Woods. Guardian of these children are Angnes Woods and Col John Blair.

Michael Woods "departed this life on the 27th day of January 1808" without a will and died "possessed of a considerable personal property" in Washington County and also a tract of Land in Washington county "upward of six hundred acres". To avoid dispute and lawsuits the parties have agreed to refer all matters in dispute to the decisions of John Adams, David Deaderick, John Chester, William P. Chester, Matthew Stephenson, Jacob Brown and William Colyar. They are to decide the dower portion and shall divide the remainder amongst the children. Later John Nelson was chosen in place of Wm P. Chester.

The document describes the dower land as beginning at a beech and elm tree on the "bank of a river". The land for the children is described.

One of the legatees "deposited in the hands of the Commissioner for east tennessee two Grants for Six hundred Acres of land lying on the South Side of the Tennessee [River(?)] which are also the property of the Estate of the sd. Michel Woods Deceased".

In a court case 21 August 1830, Woods and Baker vs Susan Mitchell et al, the defendants produced a grant from North Carolina [Tennessee statehood was in 1796] to Michael Woods, "father of the defendant", a copy of a grant with certificate of a survey and a plat for 640 acres, dated 10, Nov 1784, "beginning on the north side of the Nolichucky R at a poplar...", adjoining Robert ONeal, Joesph English. The survey is dated 15 Sep 1779.

1.   Toms, Gary R., and William R. Gann. Widows’ Dowers of Washington County, Tennessee, 1803-1899. (Milford, Ohio: Little Miami Pub. Co., c2004).
2.   Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1780-2002.

   Name Michael Woods
   Gender Male
   Marriage Date 13 May 1803
   Marriage Place Jefferson, Tennessee, USA
   Spouse Agnes Gililland

3.   Tennessee Marriages to 1825.

   Name Michael Woods
   Spouse Agnes Gililland
   Marriage Date 3 Feb 1804
   Marriage County Jefferson