Stephen Wood

!Birth-Death: E-mail message from J. Brian Smith Sep.1993. !Birth: Letter from Helen M. Pratt to J.Brian Smith. !Death: MD 6:203 (note: Sue Andrews has 21 Dec 1694) He immigrated circa 1643 to Eastham [Genealogical Guide to the Early Settlers of America, Whittemore, 1906.] In Genealogy and Biography of Southwestern Massachusetts, Volume 3, it is mentioned that Stephen made his home in the part of Eastham, Mass. that became known as Wellfleet. He is said to be the ancestor of all the Cape Cod Atwoods. In his history: Ye Atte Wode Annals, of October 1929, Elijah Francis Atwood says, "Stephen was invariable Wood at Plymouth in all early records, but almost always Atwood on the Cape. On August 16, 1641, Stephen and Henry Wood were given 8 acres each at Loute Pond, Plymouth. In 1645 he was appointed surveyor of highways for Eastham. He was one of the founders of Eastham, on the east side of Cape Cod Bay, nearly opposite Plymouth. The Atwood homestead stood near the spot where the exploring party of Pilgrims had their first encounter with the Indians previous to the landing at Plymouth. In his Genealogical Directory of 1st settlers, Savage says Stephen of Plymouth 1643, had John b. 1648, Hannah 14 Oct 1649; in the will of John Dunham 25 Jan 1669 Stephen Wood is called his son-in-law. !Children: Sue Andrews. He received 8 acres at Plymouth in 1641. ATBA at Plymouth 1643; Freeman 1 June 1647; on list of freeman at Eastham 1648; though probably not a resident there yet; grand jury, Plymouth 1650; constable at Eastham 3 June 1650; meadow grand (appears to be an addition) at Eastham, 3 Juen 1650; surveyor of highways for Eastham. Short bio. also printed in "Gen. of Atwood Family" by C.H. Wight, 1900, pg. 5 Ye Atte Wode Annals, p.3:1, by Elijah Francis Atwood, 1928, says this:"Stephen was invariably Wood at Plymouth in all early records, but almost always Atwood on the Cape. Some of his sons were entered on records at times as Wood, but descendants finally all used the name Atwood. \\ The following are notices of Stephen Wood, alias Atwood, which have come to my notice: \\ 1641, August 16, Stephen and Henry Wood, 8 acres each at Loute Pond, Plymouth; John receiving additional grant of 6 acres, he having been there since 1636. Dec 31, Henry and Stephen, garden plot. These records indicate that Stephen was born by 1620 at the latest, as he would naturally be of age to receive land. 1643, John Henry and Stephen Wood able to bear arms. Plymouth 1643, Stephen Wood in charge of herring weir at Plymouth 1647, May 7, John, Henry, and Stephen Wood propounded Freeman: admitted June 1 1648: John, Henry, and Stephen Wood join grant of 3 acres next to former grant at Loute Pond. 1650, June 4, Stephen Wood, Grand Jury, Plymouth; Oct 2, on petty jury. He had been on petty jury Oct 4. 1650, June 3, Constable at Plymouth, to be sworn in at Eastham. We find no record of Stephen's earliest grant at Eastham, but in 1654 he had a meadow grant at Eastham which seems an additional grant. In 1655, Eastham, feeling the need of a "common store" arranged for inhabitants to contribute voluntarily and Stephen assessed himself 16 shillings. In 1655, the inhabitants of Eastham were set off in groups of five, for the propagation of cattle; one group consisted of Thomas Prence, Nicholas and Mark Snow, Stephen Atwood and Thomas Atkins. In 1654, Plymouth appointed Stephen Wood surveyor of highways for Eastham. In 1673, Eastham and Stephen Atwood made an agreement: Eastham took his land with his "new room and chimney" and granted him a tract on the Billingsgate road, with until October to move the rest of his buildings; they also paid him thirty pounds and each inhabitant was to give him one day's labor, provided it was not demanded in planting time or harvest. In 1680, one Stephen Atwood was one of five specially delegated to put a stop to Indians cutting timber, gathering pine knots and running tar on the common lands of Eastham; the Indians were allowed one week in which to remove results of past labor. He died in February 1693/4."