Sir Gabriel Wood and the compensation claim

This interesting notice appeared in many newspapers both in Britain and overseas in 1891 in connection with Sir Gabriel Wood (1767-1845), founder of the Mariners' Home in Newark Street, Greenock.

Former Sir Gabriel Wood Mariners' Home, Greenock

It reads:- HEIRS WANTED - Wanted, the next of kin, or heirs, of the late Sir Gabriel Wood, Commissary General of the Forces, some time residing in Greenock, in Scotland and latterly in Bath in England where he died without issue on 29^th October 1845.  Sir Gabriel Wood was a son of Gabriel Wood, merchant, Greenock, who died in Greenock in 1822.  In 1796 he was Vice-Consul for the State of Maryland.  He afterwards resided in the West Indies, and before finally returning to Great Britain was resident in various places in Canada as Commissary-General of Accounts for British North America.  He had a number of brothers and sisters, some of who went abroad, and they may have descendants living.  Should any of the relatives of Sir Gabriel Wood be alive and will communicate with the subscribers they will receive information which will be of advantage to them.  J. C. Smith, Macdonald & Crawford, Solicitors, Greenock, North Britain.

Source - Greenock Burns Club

In 1891 a firm of Solicitors in Baltimore had contacted the “Mayor of the town of Greenock” asking for information about a one time Maryland resident, Gabriel Wood.  Gabriel Wood is best known in Greenock as the founder of the Sir Gabriel Wood Mariners' Home in Newark Street, Greenock.  He was born in Gourock in 1767 to merchant Gabriel Wood and his wife Ann Stuart (Stuarts of Castlemilk, owned Gourock estate).  Gabriel Wood worked for the Government and in 1796 he accompanied Sir Robert Liston (1742-1836) to America where he was vice Consul for the State of Maryland. 

While in Maryland he set up business as Gabriel Wood & Co, owning several ships.  He was a partner in the firm of Findlay, Bannatyne & Co, running the Baltimore branch of the company trading between Britain, America and the West Indies.  Several of his ships had been captured by the French during what is know as the “Quasi War” with France.  A claim had been made by the American Government against the French Government for the value of all vessels owned by American citizens captured by the French.  Somehow Gabriel Wood was listed as due compensation for his lost ships.

From the Barbados Mercury 1810

He returned to Britain in 1806 and was shortly afterwards sent to the West Indies as Commissary General of Accounts.  In 1811 he was stationed in the Mediterranean, returning to Britain in 1816.  His next appointment was as Commissary General of Accounts in Canada, but had to return to Britain in 1823 because of ill health.  He received a knighthood in 1825.  In 1830 he married Louisa Augusta Fanning, eldest daughter of General Edmund Fanning (who had inherited land in Prince Edward Island from her father). The couple did not have any children.  After his marriage he resided mostly in Bath until his death in 1845.  In his will he bequeathed a sum to be used in establishing a Home for Mariners.  Lady Wood  and Sir Gabriel’s sister, Frances Ann Wood were responsible for the establishing of the Mariners Home.  Presumably, over the years, the compensation claim had been forgotten.

However, in 1891 the Baltimore solicitors were looking at unclaimed funds and had contacted authorities in Greenock.  When the notice of "Heirs Wanted" appeared none of the immediate family were still alive.  The beautiful Mariners' Home was their legacy in Greenock.  It was reported that the Solicitors dealing with the matter received over 200 letters from people claiming to be heirs of the Wood family.  Only one was true - a man named Gabriel Watson from Paisley was able to prove to the American Government that his great grandmother was a sister of Sir Gabriel Wood’s father.  The money, compensation for those ships captured almost 90 years previously, was split between Watson and the Mariners' Home.  The Mariners' Home received the sum of £778 from the American Government.

Wood Family grave in Inverkip Street Cemetery, Greenock