Veteran Bio

On January 25, 1847 Captain Wood was issued Bounty Certificate No. 292 for 1280 acres of land for having served in the army from December 18, 1835 to October 20, 1836. In Service Record No. 6329 it is certified that he remained in the army until May 22, 1837. The House of Representatives of the Fourth Congress of the Republic passed an Act February 2, 1839, directing the Treasurer of the Republic to pay to Captain Wood the sum of $402.00 "for his dividend at San Jacinto". On December 20, 1838, he was issued Donation Certificate No. 141 for 640 acres of land for having participated in the battle.

Retiring from the army, Captain Wood settled in Brazoria County. On March 1, 1838, he received a Headright Certificate for a league and labor of land from the Brazoria County Board. In about 1849 he moved to Houston where he died June 7, 1854. In his will signed the day before he died he said: "It is my desire that my body be buried on the battleground of San Jacinto and I request my comrades in arms to see to this". He stated that he was heir to an estate in England through his uncle, William, and his aunt, Elizabeth Holbrook. He asked that his comrade-in-arms, Judge Algernon P. Thompson, be appointed administrator of his estate, and requested that Judge Thompson be given his watch. The rest of his estate he willed to his two daughters, Ann Elizabeth and Jane Wood.

The following notice of Captain Wood's death was published in the "Central Texian", Anderson, Texas, June 17, 1854. It was reprinted from a Houston paper: "Death of Capt. Wm. Wood - This gentleman, one of the officers commanding a company at the Battle of San Jacinto, died this morning at the Pierce House. Capt. W. had been in declining health for many months. We understand it was one of his last wishes that his remains should be interred on the battlefield, where he and his brave comrades achieved fame, and for their country, victory and independence.

We are happy to state that through the liberal contributions of our citizens, measures have already been adopted to carry out his wishes, and that accordingly his remains will go down to the battleground this afternoon on the steamer, Eclipse. A Procession will escort them from the Pierce House at 2 o'clock, p.m. The citizens generally are invited to meet. The old soldiers of Texas and the survivors of San Jacinto in the city will be present." The State of Texas caused a monument to be erected at Captain Wood's grave on the battlefield in 1936.

February 28, 1837. {At Columbia} Saw Lt. Woods, of Sherman's Company; he was married to a Mexican woman; bought lots here, and is improving them, in the woods; a pretty place.

William Fairfax Gray,: From Virginia to Texas, 1835, 213.

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