1759 deed for Joseph Wood, Continental Army

Frame: 16 3/4" x 21 1/2"
Document: 12" x 16 1/2"

Davids notes: This document is rare American Revolutionary material to collectors and historians, for two reasons: Joseph Wood was a Pennsylvania transplant living in Georgia when the American Revolution broke out. Since Georgia was slow to join the cause, Wood returned to Pennsylvania so he could fight. He joined the Pennsylvania Line as a Major and accompanied the Continental Army during the Invasion of Canada.

Joseph sustained a wound but was able to evacuate with the rest of the Patriots when the excursion to Canada went south. Wood rose through the ranks of the Army rather quickly, achieving the position of Colonel.

It seems that his ascendance caused a bit of controversy, as the Pennsylvania Lines method of determining rank was haphazard at best.

With this reorganization, Joseph took the opportunity to resign his commission and be elected to the Continental Congress. (source: founderoftheday.com)

Davids notes: The second important thing about this document is the appearance of the signature of Gershom Mott, lower left.

Gershom Mott was born in Middletown, New Jersey in 1743. At the age of 22, he moved to New York City to become a tradesman and while there he became friends with Mr. John Lamb. The two of them became patriot leaders, helping to form the Sons of Liberty in New York City and raising a protest against the Stamp Act.

As unrest against the British continued to grow, the New York Provincial Congress raised money in 1775 to form an army and Gershom Mott was appointed Captain of the 7th Company in the 1st New York Regiment. Almost immediately the 7th company was armed as artillery and marched with the American army to Canada, joining General Richard Montgomery in the December attack on Quebec. During the winter the army was reorganized and in March 1776 Gershom Mott was appointed artillery commander in Col. John Nicholson’s Regiment in the Continental Army.

In February, 1777, John Lamb, now a Colonel, appointed Mott to be in charge of the 6th Company of the new 2nd Continental Regiment of Artillery. Mott’s Artillery was involved throughout the war, first in Quebec, and later at West Point, Kingston NY, Connecticut, New Jersey and then as far South as Virginia. Gershom Mott died at the age of 43 in 1786 and was buried at Albany, New York. At the end of the war he was ranked 11th of 46 Artillery Captains and 3rd in rank with the 2nd Continental Regiment of Artillery.

Good condition overall