Landed - From US War Veteran to Canadian Farmer

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Nancy Jane (Andress) and Ira Mallory Wood

My 3 times great-grandfather, Ira Mallory Wood, was a veteran of the U.S. Civil War, who landed in Canada in 1866 and stayed until his death in 1922.

Ira was born in Morristown, St. Lawrence County, New York, USA on October 29, 1839. Morristown is a small town sitting on the St. Lawrence River almost directly across from the city of Brockville in Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1821 and many of its earliest settlers came from New Jersey and Vermont. These facts became important to me when trying to identify how he came to marry Nancy Jane Andress who was born on January 16, 1840, in Mallorytown, Leeds, Ontario, Canada. Mallorytown is about 14 miles south west of Brockville and Nancy’s great-grandfather hailed from Vermont. I believe the families were familiar with each other and will continue to research the connection.

Ira and Nancy were married in 1862 or 1863. There first son, my 2 times great-grandfather Ira David Wood was born November 24, 1863, in Lyons Falls, Lewis County, New York, USA. In total they had 10 children. The first four are listed in the 1871 Census of Canada where they are living in South Leeds, the Township of Front of Escott. Ira’s profession is given as Blacksmith. The four children are Ira D, age 7 and Charles H, age 4, both “going to school”. George E, age 3 and Hannah E, age 1.

Sometime between the 1871 Census and the 1881 Census they moved to Addington district, sub-district Clarendon and Miller. Ira’s occupation is now Farmer. Living with him are nine of the 10 children. I suspect Nancy was pregnant at the time of the census because their 10^th child, William, was born in September of that year.

In addition to Ira D, Charles, George, and Hannah are now Emma, Steven, Loretta, Geraldine, and Mary. All the children except for the eldest, Ira and youngest, Mary are “going to school.”

I know that Ira and Nancy settled in Plevna Village which is noted in later census information as well as several Canada, City and Area Directories. In an 1884 directory, the concession of their property is listed as swr, which means southwest rear, and the lot number is 40. It also indicates freehold, which tells me he is the owner of the land and immovable structures attached to it.

In the 1891 Census of Canada their son Ira is no longer living with them. He was married in 1883 to Margaret Jane Brown. The remaining children still live with Ira and Nancy in Clarendon & Miller.

The 1901 Census of Canada is interesting because it gives more detail on Citizenship, Nationality and Religion as well as information about Earnings. It indicates Ira’s “Year of Naturalization” as 1865 and he is of English origin and his religion is Methodist. Ira is still farming and working on his own account. The earnings are 120. The census doesn’t indicate what period this represents. I’ve searched and found both monthly and annual as the general opinion, so I cannot confirm. I lean toward monthly because the preceding columns ask about how many months employed before it asks for the earnings. In 1901, their children Loretta, Mary and William still live with them.

The 1921 Census of Canada is the last census Ira is found. The “Place of Abode” is Plevna Village, and he owns his home. The home is a single house constructed of wood and has 5 rooms. It indicates his year of immigration was 1866 and naturalization 1868. He is now a Retired Farmer, and his “Nature of Work” is War Pension, with income given as 600.

This was the first I had seen any indication that Ira had a military background. I began searching and discovered that he had served in the U.S. Civil war from 1863 to 1865. I started looking on Fold 3 and discovered several documents for Ira M Wood. One of the pension documents assured me I had my Ira because it listed his widow as Nancy J Wood and the address in Plevna, Ontario, Canada.

I found his Muster Roll Abstract and discovered that Ira had enlisted for duty in August 1863, and he was discharged July 31, 1865. This explains the years between his two eldest children’s births (Ira David 1863, and Charles Henry 1867)

Ira was in the 20^th New York Cavalry, company “B”. He originally enlisted August 27, 1863, at Lafargeville, NY and was mustered in on September 1^st, grade: Private.

On December 29, 1863, he enlisted again in Orleans, NY with the grade Farrier in the same company. He was mustered out January 5, 1864, near Manchester, Va, with his company.

Remarks at the bottom of the muster roll provide more information about Ira.

• Recruit bred to 20^th Dist
• Born in Morristown, St. Lawrence Co., NY   Occupation blacksmith 
• Grey Blue eyes, light auburn hair, light complex 5 ft. 4 in. high

I consider it lucky when I can find descriptions of how my ancestor looked. It seems to help me feel a little more connection to them.

A Farrier was a blacksmith that specialized in shoeing horses and was assigned to each company. It was a vital role in the war to keep the horses healthy and available for whatever duty was required of them. The Farriers were kept busy because horses were used heavily and needed to be reshod often.

Muster Roll Abstract from Fold 3

Ira died on November 5, 1922, at the age 83. He died at Plevna, survived by his wife Nancy who died in 1928. The Medical Certificate states he had been attended to by a physician on October 26^th and his primary cause of death was Asthma with a contributory factor of Emphysema of the Lungs. He is buried in the Grindstone, Cemetery, Ompah, Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada.

Headstone of Ira Mallory Wood

Grindstone Cemetery, Ompah 

on Find A Grave website

Ira David Wood, son of Ira Mallory, is the father of my great-grandmother Clara Patience Wood from his 1st marriage to Margaret Jane Brown.