52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 26 – Wiley Woodard (1)
Wiley
Woodard (I) was born about 1784 in Brunswick County, Virginia. He was a black man, perhaps a slave or born
as a free man of color. The story of
finding him was amazing to me. Back in
the day, the only way to research was writing down what was known based on
interviews of family members about various branches. Knowing about my
grandfather, John Henry Woodard, led me to finding his father, Wiley Woodard (2)
and mother, Josephine Martin. They
married in Meriwether County, Georgia on 18 July 1868. Documentation was found in John Henry
Woodard’s West Virginia’s death certificate for 15 January 1932 and in the 1900
US Census for Meriwether County in the small town of Odessadale Georgia,
leading me to Wiley Woodard (2) was born in Virginia about April 1825.
The
challenge was moving back in time to Wiley Woodard’s (2) parents. The trial was finding information without
“proper documentation” for Georgia didn’t begin recording deaths until later
than what was needed. You see it
appeared Wiley (2) died about 1905-09 for he was not found in the 1910 census
and his wife; Josephine was listed as a widow in that record. While researching at the Georgia Archives
standing in line to make copies, a red book was on a shelf above the
copier. It caught my attention and was
titled 1860 Georgia Census Index. I
moved with the strong feeling that it needed to be check out while my thought
was why do you need to look at that book, blacks where slaves then and weren’t
listed until the 1870 Census. Going with
the flow, I reach for the book and while still standing in line, looked for any
Woodard listings. Sure enough, I found
one listing for “Wiley Woodard” and quickly left the line and to pull the film
for review on the microfiche machine. I
found Wiley Woodard (I) listed as a black man and the path of my journey
changed. He lived in Milledgeville,
Georgia and additional records showed he was a free person of color born in
Brunswick County, Virginia that worked as a brick mason and his sponsor
(required at that time for any free person of color) was Thomas Crowder, also
born in Brunswick County, Virginia.
Wiley (1) was listed 1837-1845 in the Baldwin County Free Persons of
Color Registers and in the 1850-1860 US Census.
Further
research found that James Woodward, 1793-1839 of Norfolk, Virginia, a
cabinetmaker emancipated his slaves. The
question became was Wiley (1) one of the emancipated slaves? Thomas Crowder, Wiley I’s sponsor owned
slaves and included Lucy with children, Wilson, Milton, Sally and Wiley among them. When Thomas died his friend H. J. Malone
managed Thomas’ estate and purchased these slaves. H. J. died within a couple of years of the
purchase and had a son, Chris Malone and Amanda Malone. Amanda was married to man named Gilbert and
they lived in Meriwether County. Perhaps
it is all a coincidence or mayhap it tells a story.
There
are additional hints that lead me to claiming Wiley Woodard (I) and while I
don’t tie him to Wiley Woodard 2, I do believe the ancestors speak on the
journey.
