Notes for JEAN MONCURE:
"The following letter, written 1820 to the granddaughter of Rev. James Scott by Mr. Moncure's daughter, Jeem, who married Gov. James Wood, of Virginia, is given entire from Mead, Vol. II, p. 198:

I was only ten years old when I lost my father. He was a Scotchman, descended from French ancestors, who fled among the first Protestants who left France in consequence of the persecution that took place soon after the Reformation. He had an excellent education, and had made considerable progress in the study of medicine, when an invitation to seek an establishment in Virginia induced him to cross the Atlantic, and his first engagement was in Northumberland County, where he lived two years in a gentlman's family as a private tutor.

During that time, although teaching others, he was closely engaged in the study of divinity, and at the commencement of the third year from his arrival returned to Great Britain and was ordained a minister of the then Established Church; came to Virginia and engaged as curate to your great uncle, Alexander Scott, who at that time was Minister of Overwharton Parish, in Stafford County, and resided at his seat of Dipple. Your great uncle died a short time after, and my dear father succeeded him in his Parish and resided at the Glebe house.

Your grandfather, the Rev James Scott, who inherited Dipple, continued there until he settled at Westwood, in Prince William. He was my father's dearest, kindest friend, and one of the best of men. This intimacy brought my father and mother acquainted, who was sister to your grandmother Scott.

Old Dr Gustavus Brown, of Maryland, my maternal grandfather, objected to the marriage of my father and mother. Although he thought highly of my father he did not think him an eligible match for his daughter. He was poor and very delicate in his health.

Dr Brown did not, however, forbid their union, and it accordingly took place. The old gentleman received them as visitors, and visited them again, but would not pay down mother's intended dowry until he saw how they could get along, and to let them see that they could not live on love without other sauce.

I have often heard my dear mother relate the circumstances of her first housekeeping, with tears of tender and delightful recollection. They went home to your grandpa's, where they were married, with a slenderly supplied purse, to an empty house, except a few absolute necessaries from kind friends. When thus arrived they found some of my good father's parishioners there; one had brought some wood, another some fowls, a third some meal, and so on. One good neighbor would insist on washing for them, another would milk, and another would tend the garden, and they all delighted to serve their good minister and his wife. Notwithstanding these aids, my mother found much to initiate her into the habits of an industrious housewife, and my father in those of an active, practical farmer and gardener, which they never gave up.

When the business of preparing their meal was over, a small writing stand was their table, the stair steps furnished one a seat and a trunk the other.

Often when provisions were scarce my father took his gun or fishing rod and, with his dog, sallied forth to provide their dinner which when he returned his happy wife dressed, and often would she accompany him a-fishing and fowling, for she said they were too poor to have enjoyment in domestic happiness.

Though destitute of every luxury, they had a small, well-chosen library, which my father had collected while a student and tutor. This was their evening regale. While my mother worked with her needle he read to her. This mode of enjoyment pleasantly brought round the close of the first year.

When the minister's salary was paid they were now comparatively rich. My dearest father exchanged his shabby black coat for a new one, and the next year was different. By this time the neighboring gentry found out the value of their minister and his wife, and contended for their society by soliciting visits and making them presents of many comforts. Frequently these grandees would come in their splendid equipages to spend a day at the Glebe, and bring everything requisite to prevent trouble and expense to its owners--merely for the enjoyment of the society of the humble inhabitants of this humble dwelling.

These dear parents became quite easy in their circumstances. My father purchased a large tract of land on the river Potomac. He settled this principally by tenants, but on the most beautiful eminence that I ever beheld he built a go od house, and soon improved it into a very sweet establishment.

Here I was born. My brother and two sisters, considerably my senior, were born at the Glebe. My brother, who was intended for the church, had a private tutor in the house. This man attended also to my two sisters, who previously to his residence in the family were under the care of an Englishman, who lived in the house, but also kept a public school, under my father's direction, about a mile from his house.

Unhappily for me, I was the youngest, and very sickly. My father and mother would not allow me to be compelled to attend to my books or my needle, and to both I had a decided aversion, unless voluntarily resorted to as an amusement. In this I was indulged. I would sometimes read a lesson to my sister or the housekeeper, or if their authority was resisted I was called to my mother's side.

All this amounted to my being an ignorant child at my father's death, which was a death-stroke to my dearest mother. The incurable grief into which it plunged her could scarcely be a matter of surprise when the uncommonly tender affection which united them is considered. They were rather more than middle aged when I was old enough to remember them, yet I well recollect their inseparable and undeviating association. They were rarely seen asunder. My mother was an active walker and good rider. Wheneve r she could do so she accompanied him in his pastoral visits, a faithful white servant attending in her absence from home. They walked hand in hand, and often rode hand in hand, were both uncommonly fond of the cultivation of flowers, fruits and rare plants. They watched the opening buds together, together admired the beauty of the full-blown blossoms, and gathered the ripening fruit or seed. While he wrote or read she worked near his table, which always occupied the pleasantest place in her chamber, where he chose to study, often laying down his pen to read and comment on an impressive passage.

Frequently when our evening repast was over (if the family were together) some book amusing and instructive was read aloud by my dear father, and those of the children or their young associates, who could not be silent, were sent to bed after evening worship, which always took place immediately after supper.

Under the void which this sad separation occasioned, my poor mother's spirits sunk, and never rallied. The first six or eight months were spent in a dark secluded chamber, distant from that formerly occupied. The management of the family devolved on my brother and second sister. My eldest married two or three years previous to this period. I was left pretty much to my own management.

The education of my brother and sister was so far finished that they not only held what they had acquired, but continued to improve. But alas, poor me! I as usual refused everything like study, but became unfortunately, immoderately fond of books. The key of the library was now within my power, and the few romances it contained were devoured. Poetry and a bontanical work with plates came next. This gave me a useless superficial knowledge of what might have been useful, but what in this indigested form was far otherwise. The 'Tatler,' 'Guardian' and 'Spectator' were the only works I read which contained beneficial instruction, and of these I only read the amusing papers, and taking the beautiful and sublime allegories which abound with moral instruction in a literal sense.

This kind of reading made up a pernicious mass of chaotic matter that darkened while it seemed to enlighten my mind, and I soon became romantic and exceedingly ridiculous--turned the branches of trees together and called them a bower, and fancied I could write poetry, and many other silly things.

My dear mother suffered greatly towards the close of her life with a cancer. For this she visited the medicinal springs, and I was chosen to attend her. It was a crowded and grave scene for me, who had lived almost entirely in seclusion. I did not mix in its gayest circles, yet it was of service to me, as it gave me the first view of real life that I ever had. My beloved parent was not desirous of confining me, but I rejoice at the recollection that I very seldom could be prevailed on to leave her.

There I became the favorite and devoted friend of your most excellent mother. Forgive the vanity of this boast, my dear cousin, but I can not help observing that she afterwards told me that it was the manner in which I discharged this duty that won her esteem and love.

At this place I first met General Wood, who visited me soon after my return home, and became my husband four years later."

[Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II, J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907, 432-435.]

More About JEAN MONCURE:
Burial: 1825, Private Cemetery, Henrico County, Virginia⁷
Personality: Gifted with poetic and musical talents; benevolent
character⁷

More About GENERAL JAMES WOOD, JR:
Military service: Served in the Revolutionary War⁸
Public Office: Member of the Virginia Council; Governor of Virginia, 1796-1799⁹

Child of JEAN MONCURE and JAMES WOOD is:
i. MARIA FRANCES³ WOOD, b. 31 Jan 1776¹⁰; d. Unknown.

More About MARIA FRANCES WOOD:
Cause of Death: Died young¹⁰

1. Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II , (J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907), 430.
2. Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II , (J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907), 435.
3. Brock, Dr R A, VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS, Volume I, (H H Hardesty, Publisher, Richmond and Toledo, 1888.), 91, "Mrs Wood was the first President of the Society, and untiringly performed the somewhat arduous duties of that responsible station until her death, in 1825, at the age of sixty-eight years."
4. Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II , (J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907), 430.
5. Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II , (J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907), 435.
6. Brock, Dr R A, VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS, Volume I, (H H Hardesty, Publisher, Richmond and Toledo, 1888.), 90.
7. Brock, Dr R A, VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS, Volume I, (H H Hardesty, Publisher, Richmond and Toledo, 1888.), 91.
8. Brock, Dr R A, VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS, Volume I, (H H Hardesty, Publisher, Richmond and Toledo, 1888.), 90, "He was appointed by that body (Virginia Convention of 1776), Nov 15, 1776, a Colonel in the Virginia line, and rendered gallant service in the cause of Freedom, as well as in the defence of the frontiers of Virginia from the Indians."
9. Brock, Dr R A, VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIANS, Volume I, (H H Hardesty, Publisher, Richmond and Toledo, 1888.), 90.
10. Du Bellet, Louise Pecquet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Volume II, (J P Bell Company Publishers, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1907), 435.