Mary Jane Hedley, born May 27, 1851, was the second daughter and eighth child
of Nicholas Hedley and Jane McBride. She was four years younger than her sister Ann
and two years younger than Edward. When her family left the stone house in March
Township and moved to West Wawanosh Township Mary Jane was about ten years old.
At the age of 17 she married James Woods, born in Armagh County, Ireland in 1837,
(or 1840), the son of Thomas and Jane Woods of Concession 9, West Wawanosh.
 

        It is not understood why Mary Jane's birthplace is listed as Ireland. It was more probably
March Township, Carleton County, Ontario. Perhaps she was confusing her mother Jane's
birthplace with her own. It is interesting that when she registered her mother Jane's death she
listed Jane's birthplace as Huntley Township (Carleton County, Ont.) rather than Ireland,
where Jane was actually born. At the time of her marriage Mary Jane was living in Ashfield
Township, probably with her parents and her six younger sisters and brothers. Nicholas,
her 24-year-old brother was living in Wawanosh.
        In 1865, two years before he was married, James Woods had been granted by the
Crown 100 acres of land in West Wawanosh on Concession 8, Lot 20 (East Half).
The land was swampy, and at that time included part of Mud Lake. In 1868 James Woods
sold it and purchased 100 acres of good farmland in Kincardine Township, Bruce County
on Concession 9, Lot 13, post office Tiverton. Mary Jane and James Woods raised their
large family on this farm.(iv)
    1 - Jane (Woods) Stirling "Jennie" ( 1868-1949) was born when Mary Jane was 18.
         She married George Stirling, Kincardine Twp, They moved to Michigan in 1892.
            One son, (v) John Stirling.
    2 - Annie Woods
    3 - Susan Woods
    4 - Sarah Woods
    5 - Rachael Woods
    6 - James Woods (1880-1882) died in childhood.
    7 - Maria Woods "Mae" (1882-1973) was a librarian at Kincardine Public Library
        for many years. She also taught piano. She was unmarried.
    8 - Thomas Woods
    9 - Adeline Woods (1885-1975) Adeline, a teacher,married Ernest A. Henry, owner of a
        Kincardine bookstore. Their son, Ernie, born about 1916, went to Kincardine High
        School with Clarence Hedley.
  10 - Estella Woods (1888-1891) died in childhood.
  11 - Alma Ette Woods (b. 1891)
Mary Jane was 40 when Alma was born
The 1891 Census for Kincardine Township shows Mary Jane and James with 10 children
 

        Mary Jane's father, Nicholas, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1894 at his home south
of Lucknow.  Two years later, in 1896, Mary Jane's husband, James Woods, died at age 59.
On July 3, 1903 Mary Woods, aged 53, registered the death of her mother, Jane (McBride)
Hedley who died of Bright's disease at the age of 84 after a two month illness. Mary Jane
remained on the farm until 1906 when her son, Thomas, then 23, took over. Mary Jane
moved to Broadway Street, Kincardine, with her daughter, Mae.
        Mary Jane (Hedley) Woods died in 1934 at age 84.

       this page was updated Jan. 26, 2003

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