Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Maria Wood (b. circa ? - d. circa ?)
MSA SC 5496-051225
War of 1812 Refugee, St. Mary's County, Maryland, 1814

Biography:

Maria Wood lived on Sotterley Plantation in St. Mary's County, Maryland, as a slave of John R. Plater. Between July 22 and 25, 1814, Maria escaped Sotterley at the age of 10 by boarding the British frigate Severn, captained by Joseph Nourse, in the Patuxent. Maria was one of 49 slaves to escape from Sotterley during the War of 1812 and one of 44 slaves to escape via the Frigate Severn, including two other slaves with the surname Wood: Abram and Jesse Wood.1

Although John R. Plater claimed Maria as his property, she may have initially been the property of his brother Col. George Plater IV, who died in 1802. After his death, Col. George Plater IV's estate, including Sotterley Plantation, passed on to his son George Plater V. At the time, however, George Plater V was only 5 years old and incapable of managing his father's estate. Consequently, John R. Plater, George Plater V's uncle and guardian, took over responsibility for the estate.2 An 1807 inventory of the late Col. George Plater's estate includes a 2 year old female slave named Mariah, potentially the same 10 year old Maria Wood who would later escape Sotterely in 1814.3

Maria likely retained her freedom after the war in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Her name does not appear on the official list of Black refugees settled in Halifax, but she could be the child listed under the care of Jesse Wood, an older slave who also escaped from Sotterley.4  Maria may also possibly be related to Joseph Wood, a slave who escaped from Sotterley aboard the Frigate Loire and served in the First Company of the Colonial Marines.5


1.    Claim of John Rousby Plater, St. Mary’s County, Case #310, Case Files Ca. 1814-28, 3.5 ft. entry 190, Record Group 76, National Archives, College Park.

2.    Chronicles of St. Mary's Vol. 51 No. 10, pg. 90

3.    St. Mary's County Register of Wills (Inventories) 1807-1810 MSA CE443-4

4.    National Archives and Records Administration NSARM (Washington DC) RG 76 Entry 185 GB 1814 no. 51 G.B. 6 (microfilm copy only available at NSARM, microfilm no. 13577)

5.    Weiss, John McNish. The Merikens: Free Black American Settlers in Trinidad 1815-1816. London, UK: McNish & Weiss, 2002. pg. 25
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Return to Maria Woods's Introductory Page


This web site is presented for reference purposes under the doctrine of fair use. When this material is used, in whole or in part, proper citation and credit must be attributed to the Maryland State Archives. PLEASE NOTE: The site may contain material from other sources which may be under copyright. Rights assessment, and full originating source citation, is the responsibility of the user.

Tell Us What You Think About the Maryland State Archives Website!
© Copyright Tuesday, 03-Jul-2012 15:25:29 EDT Maryland State Archives