John Wood (b. circa ? - d. circa ?)
MSA SC 5496-050787
War of 1812 Claimant, Calvert County, Maryland
Biography:
John Wood was a property owner who lived in the Christ Church Parish area of Calvert County, Maryland. This John Wood was the son of James Wood and was referred to as John Wood of James. John Wood was a slave owner. In 1800, Wood owned one person, but by 1810 that number grew to five enslaved people.
During the war between the United States and Britain, enslaved people in Maryland ran off to or were carried away by the British. In 1814, British Admiral Alexander Cochrane issued a proclamation offering immediate emancipation to any person willing to take up arms against America or wanting to relocate to a British territory. John Wood lost 5 enslaved people, Daniel Gross, his wife Bet and their three children Sampson, London, and Gabe. In August of 1814, three armed men from the British fleet lay anchored their barge at the landing of Benjamin Robertson near Benedict. The British soldiers marched through Robertson's yard towards the home of John Wood. When they arrived at the house they demanded that Wood's slaves be turned over and swore that "if they were not delivered to them immediately they would blow the house to hell in a moment." John Wood hid his slaves in the house hoping that they would not be found by the British. After an hour the troops left Wood's home and accompanied by his slaves.
Following the war Maryland residents filed claims for lost property to the Department of State. A commission was formed to handle the claims and decided that Marylanders would be compensated $280 for each slave that was proven to be lost to the British. John Wood and his neighbor Benjamin Robertson gave a deposition of the account to Levin W. Ballard, Justice of the Peace for Calvert County. Additional depositions were given by Edward Wood of Edward, Mary Wood, Pricilla Hammond, and William A. Robinson. Wood's claim was submitted by his agent D.A. Hall. John Wood was awarded $1400 for the loss of his slaves during the war of 1812, a profit considering he estimated them to be worth $1250.
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