14 Facts About Abraham Wood

Abraham Wood, sometimes referred to as "General" or "Colonel" Wood, was an English fur trader, militia officer, politician and explorer of 17th century colonial Virginia.

Abraham Wood emigrated from England as a 10-year-old boy in 1620.

The English ship Margaret and John, on which he sailed as an indentured servant or cabin boy, was attacked by two Spanish vessels in the West Indies; Abraham Wood was one of the few survivors; the attack led the vessel to turn to the Virginia colonies.

Abraham Wood filed several land claims for areas on the lower Appomattox River in the 1630s.

Colonists thought the tax burden too great, so the government allowed the fort and 600 acres of land to be sold to Abraham Wood, who agreed to keep 10 armed men at the fort for three years.

Abraham Wood represented Henrico County in the House of Burgesses from 1644 to 1646, then Charles City County from 1652 and 1656.

Abraham Wood was a justice of Charles City County in 1655.

Abraham Wood was elected to the Virginia Governor's Council in 1657 and actively served until at least 1671, and according to correspondence, he kept his seat through at least 1676, probably 1680.

Abraham Wood dispatched several exploration parties from Fort Henry during these years, including one that he personally led in 1650, which explored the upper reaches of the James River and Roanoke River.

In 1671 Abraham Wood commissioned the first English expeditions to cross the Eastern Continental Divide.

In 1673 Abraham Wood sent his friend James Needham and his indentured servant Gabriel Arthur on an expedition to find an outlet to the Pacific Ocean.

Abraham Wood was appointed colonel of a militia regiment in Henrico and Charles City counties in 1655.

Abraham Wood retired to patent more plantation land in 1680 west of the fort, in what had been Appomattoc territory, notwithstanding it being disallowed by the House of Burgesses.

Abraham Wood died some time between 1681 and 1686, possibly in 1682.