Jean Moncure Wood
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May 22, 1753
Jean Moncure Wood | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Virginia | |
| In role December 1, 1796 – December 1, 1799 | |
| Governor | James Wood |
| Preceded by | Mary Ritchie Hopper Brooke |
| Succeeded by | Elizabeth Monroe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jean Moncure May 22, 1753 |
| Died | March 4, 1823 (aged 69) Virginia, U.S. |
| Spouse | James Wood (m. 1775) |
| Children | 1 |
Jean Wood (née Moncure; May 22, 1753 – March 4, 1823) was the first lady of Virginia from 1796 to 1799 as the wife of James Wood, the 11th governor of Virginia. She was also a notable early woman poet in Virginia and influential in charitable circles.
Governor's wife
During the late 1770s, Wood suffered a bout of severe illness from which she recovered.[7][8]
Wood served as one of the early first ladies of Virginia upon her husband's election as Virginia's governor. As the governor's wife, she was a prominent figure in Virginia society and charitable circles.[4][9] The Executive Mansion was not yet built during this period, so during her husband's term as governor they lived at Chelsea Hill and also resided at their Glen Burnie estate.[10][11]
In 1807, she established the Female Humane Association to aid women and children in need, of which she served as president.[12][13][14] The organization is considered as one of the first examples of a women's charity in Virginia, and was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1811.[15][16][17]