Polly Dooley-Wood (1780-1754) owned "Polly's Ordinary" on Peaks of Otter Bedford County, Virginia Contrary to popular belief, Polly did not live out her final years and die in Bedford Co., VA. She moved to Buchanan Co., Mo. with, at least, three of her sons in about 1843. She appeared there on the 1850 Census, and she died in the fall of 1854. Much of the confusion has apparently been caused by the existance in Bedford Co. of a second woman named "Polly Wood" (1782-20 Dec 1854). She was the daughter of Paul Wood, and she married Thomas Wood (son of Charles Wood) in 1804. That "Polly Wood" is recorded in the Bedford Co. Death records on 20 Dec 1854 as dying from Dropsey at age 72. Her name, residence, and life-span was so close to that of Polly Dooley-Wood that it is easy to see how the two women have been confused. Mary Polly Dooley-Wood's life in Bedford County is fairly well known. Her "Polly's Ordinary" cabin has been moved out of the lake bed, and preserved for visitors to the Peaks of Otter. Polly was a daughter of John and Elizabeth Birks-Dooley, and grand-daughter of Henry and Martha Anderson-Dooley. Polly married Jeremiah Wood (son of Thomas Wood, Jr.) on 28 Dec 1796. They had ten children: Rhoda (died young), Wesley, Nancy, John, Jeremiah Jr., Mary, Thomas, Henry, DeMartha, and Bird. Jeremiah Wood Sr., died 30 September 1829, and was buried near his daughter, Rhoda, on Harkening Hill. Published reports of what happened after Jeremiah's death are mostly correct, except for a couple of minor details. Polly was about 49 years old at that time, instead of the reported 47 years. Jeremiah had left a Will, but it was found to be unacceptable and refused for probate, therefore, "intestate" proceedings were carried out. Bedford County marriages show that 3 of Polly Dooley-Wood's sons married 3 daughters of Philip Feazle (Feazel). Thomas Wood & Mahala Feazle 7 Dec 1829 Jeremiah Wood & Martha Feazle 7 Dec 1829 Bird Wood & Mary Feazle 6 June 1832 These 3 Wood-brothers and 3 Feazle-sisters started the families that moved to Buchanan Co.,Mo. in the early 1840's. They bought land and made homes, and Polly Dooley-Wood joined them in about 1843. Jeremiah Wood, Jr. had become Executor of Philip Feazle's Estate, and he assigned a Power-of-Attorney (Wood to Owen, Deed Book 30-pg.386) for that responsibility, at the Bedford County Clerk's office on 5 Sep 1843. Polly Dooley-Wood assigned her "dower" lifetime interest in the Peaks property to Benjamin Wilkes, and personally appeared at the Bedford County Clerk's office 5 Sep 1843 (Deed Book 30-pg.386-87). This seems to indicate that Jeremiah Jr. returned to Bedford County to clear up legal matters, and then escort his mother to their new home in Missouri. 1850 Census records for the Wood families in Buchanan County, Missouri (page 92) (Jeremiah and Thomas both died in 1850) Bird 35 M VA place of birth Mary 34 F VA Teresa 18 F VA Ann 16 F VA Samuel 14 M VA Thomas 12 M VA William 10 M VA Jane 8 F MO Mary 6 F MO John 4 M MO Alexander 2 M MO Lucinda 1 F MO Martha 35 F VA (widow of Jeremiah) Mary 20 F VA Jane 18 F VA Jenetta 16 F VA Martha 14 F VA Malinda 12 F VA (Belinda) Hala 10 F MO (Mahala) Sarah 8 F MO Thomas 39 M VA Mahala 44 F VA Samanthe 19 F VA Minerva 17 F VA Sarah 14 F VA Milton 12 M VA Mary 8 F MO Thomas 7 M MO Mary 70 F VA (Mary "Polly" Dooley-Wood, mother of 3 Wood sons who moved to Buchanan County, Mo.) PROBATE RECORDS found in Buchanan Co.,Mo. (in Northwest Missouri Genealogy Society Library) Mary (Polly) Dooley-Wood's administrator was her son, Bird Wood. He filed her inventory on 20 Dec 1854. This would seem to prove that Polly Dooley-Wood died in Buchanan Co., Mo. in about Oct-Nov of 1854. Three of Mary Dooley-Wood's sons (Jeremiah Jr., Thomas, and Bird) also died in Buchanan Co., Mo. Their widows (3 sisters, formerly Martha, Mahala and Mary Feazle) administered theeir husbands estates. George Sampson Karns (born in Bedford Co., and a son of Michael Karns, Jr.) inventoried all 3 estates. Probate records were filed. Jeremiah Wood = 8 August 1850 Thomas Wood = 21 August 1850 Bird Wood = 27 April 1872 John (another son of Polly) and his wife Nancy Carter-Wood moved to Doniphan Co., Kansas (just west of Buchanan Co.,MO). They were buried 3 miles west of Troy, Kansas, in the Wood Cemetery. These finds resulted from a collaborative research effort by Dorothy and Bill Strange, working in Virginia and Landis Weaver, working in Missouri.