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Susan A. Wood was born July 16, 1846 on her parent's farm near the little community of Henry, located about five miles from Lincolnton, Lincoln Co., North Carolina. She was the daughter of John Henry Wood (1810-1891) & Elizabeth Catherine "Katie" (Bess) Wood (1818-1900), the 5th of their 11th known children. Several family trees show her first given name as Susannah, however, this name does not appear on any official documentation.

Susan's given middle name is thought to have been Alice, however, there is currently no supportive documentation for this given name either. Susan's daughter, Ola Blanche (Boyles) Carr (1876-1964), did name her first and only child "Alice", (Alice Dorothy Carr, 1900-1901), possibly after the child's maternal grandmother.

Susan's parents, who were also born near near Henry, lived their entire lives in that area and are buried there in the Lincoln County Zion Methodist Cemetery with their daughter, Ida Belle Wood Harbister (1859-1850). The three share the same headstone. When her father died in 1891, her brother, John Pinkney "Pink" Boyle (1851-1933), inherited the Wood family home and farm that was located near Howard's Creek in Lincoln Co., NC.

Susan's father, John, was the son of Vincent Caleb Wood II (1789-1861) and Barbara Sheets (1782-1852). Natives of Lincoln County, they are also buried in the Linhardt Cemetery in Lincolnton, Lincoln Co., NC.Susan's paternal grandparents were Vincent Absolum Wood II (1780-1851) and Barbara Sheets (178-1853). They too, are buried in the Linhardt Cemetery in Lincoln County.

Susan's mother, Katie, was the daughter of Boston Bess (1785-1869) and Mary "Polly" Carpenter (1792-1850). They also, were born in Lincoln County and lived their entire lives there. The are buried there in the Zion Methodist Church Cemetery in Lincolnton.

On March 14, 1866, at the home of her parents, Susan married Marcus Wrightman "M. W." Boyles (1842-1892). The Boyles and Wood families were neighbors so despite the four year age difference, Marcus and Susan had known each other quite well growing up. At the time of their marriage Marcus was 23, Susan 19.

Marcus, born in the little community of Laurel Hill, Lincoln Co., NC, was the son of Rev. Josiah Adolphus "Joseph" Boyles (1816-1894) and Anna Elizabeth "Annie" Yount (1819-1905). He was the first of their four known children. Both of Marcus' parents were born in Lincoln County and both died in Morganton, Burke County.

Marcus' father, Josiah (aka Joseph), was a farmer and and "old-time" Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) preacher, as was his father, Rev. John Boyles II (1770-1843). Marcus' 2G-GF, William Boyles I (1720-1818), had immigrated from County Donegal, Ireland to Virginia in America with his brother, Charles Boyles I (1722-1813), around the year 1738. Their original Irish surname may have been "O'Boyles". It is thought that they paid for their passage to America by serving a deck hands on the ship on which they sailed, not an uncommon practice in those days.

Before becoming a minister, Susan's future husband, Marcus Boyles, had fought with the Confederacy during the Civil War. He personally did not believe in slavery, nor did he or his family own slaves. However, he felt compelled to join the Confederate Army in 1861 to defend his North Carolina home as he thought (correctly) that the Union army would eventually invade their state.

When the Civil War ended in 1865 Marcus was a prisoner in the Camp Lookout Prison Camp located in Maryland. Upon his release on June 23, 1865, he had to walk all the way (400+ miles) from Maryland to his parent's home in Lincoln Co., NC. Marcus had to be careful e while traveling, avoiding Union soldiers and Union sympathizers, probably walking mostly at night. Also, food was hard to come by for a Confederate soldier in the North. Marcus finally arrived back home in Lincoln County, quite emaciated from his prison camp time and his long walk home. He married his childhood neighbor, Susan, less than a year later.

On Mar. 14, 1866, Marcus and Susan began their married life together. Marcus supported his wife by farming and in 1867 he built his wife a home on his father's Laurel Hill farm located about nine miles from Vale, Lincoln Co., NC. Like their parents, Marcus & Susan were members of the Palm Tree Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) Church in Vale, which was located just two miles from their home.

Marcus never really liked farming that much and after a few lean years caused by weather conditions he began feeling God's persistent call to preach. As mentioned earlier, both his father and grandfather had been "old-time" Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) circuit riding preachers, in addition to being farmers.

In 1872, Marcus , with Susan's support and encouragement, gave up farming and enrolled in Rutherford College in Burke Co., NC in order to prepare for the ministry. During this time Susan stayed in Lincoln County with their two small children, Augustus and Frank. Marcus eventually served 18 years as a circuit riding Methodist preacher in numerous small North Carolina Methodist churches. Those who knew his wife, Susan, said she was "a wonderful preacher's wife".

Susan and Marcus were married for 25 years and had ten known children, four of them dying before their second birthday. Their first child, John C. Boyles (1866-1866), died in infancy. He was apparently named after his paternal grandfather, Rev. John Boyles II and his great-grandfather, John Boyles I.

My maternal grandfather, Dr. Augustus Clingman "A.C." Boyles (1867-1936), was their second child. Thought to have been named after his maternal uncle (his mother's brother), Thomas Clingman "Cling" Wood (1856-1920), AC became a medical doctor, then a truck farmer & then a doctor once again. Read his memorial for more information.

AC was then followed by siblings, Francis Adolphus Boyles (1869-70) and Franklin Columbus "Frank" Boyles (1871-1955). Joseph Henry Boyles (1873-1939), who also became a medical doctor, was their fifth known child. He was probably named after his paternal grandfather, Josiah Adolphus Boyles, who went by the name, Joseph.

Joseph was followed by Ola Blanche Boyles (1876-1964), longtime Supt. of Guilford County Welfare in Greenville. NC. Following Blanche was Minnie Belle Boyles (1878-1880), Marvin Marcus Boyles (1880-1954), Jesse Pittman Boyles (1883-1921) and Willie Brown Boyles (1885-1885). Marvin Marcus Boyles was named after his father.

Marcus, who often went by his initials "M. W.", died on Jan. 15, 1892 in Lexington, Davidson Co., NC as the result of the "grippe", an old time term for influenza (flu), which in his case, had led to pneumonia. Marcus, who was only 49 years of age, was a victim of the worldwide flu pandemic (1888-90, recurrences in 1891 & 1892), that caused the deaths of over one million people worldwide.

He is buried in the Lexington City Cemetery in Lexington, Davidson Co., NC. His impressive Georgian marble monument was furnished by the churches he had served over 18 years in the ministry. At the time of his death he was preaching in the Davidson County circuit and especially the newly established Linwood Methodist Church located just eight miles outside Lexington.

After her husband died in 1892, Susan eventually moved to Greensboro, Guilford Co., NC. Her 24 year old married son, Augustus ("AC"), was in college in Baltimore, Maryland at the time. The four children who went with her were Joseph (18), Blanche (15), Marvin (11) and Jesse (8). All but Augustus and Jesse would spend the rest of their lives in Greensboro.

It is currently not known what motivated Susan to move to Greensboro. There, the Boyles family would attend the West Market Street Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) Church (became United Methodist in 1968) for many years. Her daughter, Blanche (1876-1964), was a member of that church for 72 years and a long-time Sunday School teacher (before it joined the Unite Methodist denomination).

The children of Marcus and Susan were all quite successful in life. Their daughter, Blanche, graduated from Greensboro College (NC) in 1897 and eventually spent many years overseeing the social agencies of that community. Joseph, like his brother Augustus ("A.C"), became a medical doctor and established his practice in Greensboro. He served in the Spanish American-War (1898) and also in WWI (1816-19). Frank became a prominent banker and business man in Greensboro. Marvin became a store owner and city administrator in that same city.

Susan died in Greensboro on May 30, 1895 as the result of dropsy (edema, heart failure) at the age of 48, just three years after her husband's death. The Lexington (NC) Dispatch newspaper printed an article entitled "A Good Lady Passes Away-Mrs. M. W. Boyles" which read "It was a great shock to our citizens to learn of the death of Mrs. M. W. Boyles which occurred at her home in Greensboro last Wednesday night. Her remains were brought to Lexington & interred in the cemetery here on Friday night. Mrs. Boyles was well known all over this county as the beloved wife of the late a & lamented Rev. M. W. Boyles. She was a good, kind, Christian woman. We append below a short sketch handed us by Rev. T. A. Boone."

......................"Sister Susan A. Boyles was born on July 16, 1846 and died ...................

......................May 30, 1895 in Greensboro, NC. She was converted and joined.............

......................the M. E. (Methodist Episcopal) Church early in life. She was .................

......................married to Rev. M. W. Boyles on March 14, 1866. Mr. Boyles died.............

......................on Jan.15, 1892. Sister Boyles was a gentle and modest Christian,..........

......................wife and mother. She rests now with all those who have been ................

......................washed in the blood of Christ and will come with Jesus when.................

......................He returns to establish righteousness in the earth."..................................

The burial sites of Susan and Marcus lay side-by-side in the Lexington City Cemetery. As mentioned earlier, their monument was paid for by contributions from members of the congregations they had served over the years. They share that monument together, just as they shared their lives and their ministry. The inscription on her side of the marker quotes part of Proverbs 31:28. It reads "Her children arise up, and call her blessed. She is waiting for us in the glorious Eden Land which lies beyond the sunset of life."

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The information contained in this memorial for Susan A. Wood, her husband, family members, ancestors and descendants, is thought to be correct. This memorial is revised/corrected, however, as new information becomes available.

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