State of Missouri  }
County of Saline  }ss.

            Personally appeared before me a Clerk of the County Court in and for the County and State aforesaid, on the 5th day of March 1881. Mrs Lavinia S. Marmaduke and Mrs. Sarah M Yerby, both resident of Marshall, Saline County Missouri, who are known to me to be persons of credibility, and being sworn by me upon. their oaths state that they knew Cleve Wood in his life time and that Harriet Wood was his wife. That said Harriet was servant to the affiant Lavinia S.  Marmaduke, that she was named Harriet Marmaduke, and by that name was married to said Cleve Wood on or about the 15th day of August 1847, and that there is no public record of said marriage, because the State of Missouri being a slave state, no legal marriages between slaves could be had but that said Cleve Wood and Harriet Wood were married according to the prevailing Custom among slaves at that time, and mutually recognized each other and cohabited together as man and wife for many years that is to say from the date of said marriage up to the time of enlistment of said soldier in the service of the United States as set out in the application of M M Marmaduke a guardian for the minor heirs of said Cleve Wood, for pension on file with the Commissioner of Pensions at Washington D.C. and that as the issue of said marriage the said soldier had by said Harriet Wood, the following named children and no others; viz: – 

Cleve, son of soldier by Harriet Wood born Oct. 18 1848.

Eliza Daughter of soldier by Harriet Wood born Aug. 1 1850.

Isabel, Daughter of soldier by Harriet Wood born June 17 1855

Henry son of soldier by Harriet Wood. born Sept 15, 1859

Minny son of Soldier by Harriet Wood born Apl 12, 1861

Preston, Son of Soldier by Harriet Wood born Dec 10, 1862

Betty Daughter of Soldier by Harriet Wood born July 3, 1864.

and that of said Children, Betty has died since filing the application herein, the date of her death being on the 25th day of Dec 1880. All the others named are living as affiants are informed and believe.

Affiants say that said Harriet Wood, widow of said Cleve Wood died on or about the 15th day of June 1871, in Saline County Missouri, and said Betty died in Saline County Missouri, and they say said Harriet remained the widow of said Cleve Wood from the time of his death to the time of her own demise, and that said soldier was not married before his said marriage with Harriet Wood and left no children by any such marriage, living or dead, and affiants have no interest in this claim.

Lavinia Marmaduke

S. M. Yerby

Subscribed and sworn to before me this the 5th day of March 1881 and I hereby certify that the contents of the above affidavit were fully explained and made known to said Witnesses before swearing and I have no interest in this claim either direct or indirect.

R J McMahon
Clerk of the County Court