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John Wright
John Wright, my grandfather John Taylor Wright's maternal
grandfather, was born about 1787 or 1788, in Maryland or Virginia. The identity of his
parents is not known. But he was a brother to David Wright, Sr. and Matthew W. Wright, who
was born April 14, 1789, in Maryland. David was the oldest of the 3 brothers, and Matthew
was the youngest.
John was married December 26, 1814, to Elizabeth Lindley, at Bristol, Tennessee. But they
were living in southern Virginia at the time. Probably just across the state line in
nearby Scott County or Washington County, Virginia. Elizabeth was born about 1797, in
Maryland or Virginia. The identity of her parents is not known. The children of John and
Elizabeth were as follows: Elizabeth Jane Wright, b. about 1817; John C. Wright, b. about
1919; Nancy Wright, b. Sept. 24, 1822; Elkana Delaney Wright, b. Oct. 20, 1826; David F.
Wright, b. 1829; Elihu Wright, b. 1834; and Lemuel C. Wright,
b. 1837. Elizabeth Jane and John C. were born in Virginia; Nancy, E.D., and David F. were
born in northeast Tennessee (Greene County, perhaps?); and Elihu and Lemuel C. probably
were born in what is now Pickett County, Tennessee; but was part of Fentress County at the
times of their births. Their marriages were as follows: Elizabeth Jane Wright married
Mathias Austin Wright, a first cousin, s/o Matthew W. Wright and
Margaret Ann (Ritchie) Wright; John C. Wright married Mary somebody; Nancy Wright married
Riley Matthew Wright, a younger brother to Elizabeth Jane's husband; Elkana Delaney Wright
married Phoebe Reagan, d/o Charles and Anna (Grimsley) Reagan; David F. Wright married
Judith Huddleston, d/o Fielding Huddleston; nothing is known about Elihu Wright, except
that he is listed in the 1850 Fentress County census records with the John Wright family;
and Lemuel C. Wright married Permelia Huddleston, d/o Jarriott A. and Caroline (Brock)
Huddleston. John Wright was a miller by trade; as were his son David F., his brother
Matthew W., and his nephew Mathias Wright, part of the time.
During September and October 1936, I worked for James Barnes in Pickett County. He had 5
other men working for him. Among them was James Poore, b. 1911. Mr. Barnes told me that
James is a 3rd cousin to me; that his mother had been a Wright. That is all that I knew
about them at that time. Then, in April 1981, I began corresponding with Thomas Edward
Mackey in Wilmington, Delaware. He was a 4th cousin to me. We corresponded and exchanged
genealogy information for 3 years. He was a great-greatgrandson of David Wright, Sr., a
brother to my great-great-grandfathers, Matthew W. Wright and John Wright. Tom and I
thought that the John Wright who had lived in Pickett County was a brother to David and
Matthew, but we were not sure. Then, I learned about the "History of Pickett County,
Tennessee," by Tim Lee Huddleston, and ordered it; about January 1982. John Wright's
son, E.D. (Elkana Delaney) Wright, his wife, all their sons and daughters, and all, or
most, of their grandchildren are listed in it. Also, a group picture of them, which was
taken in 1896. And a group picture of one of his granddaughters, Ada (Wright) Rains, and
her family, which was taken in 1953. Among those in the 1896 picture, were 2-year-old Ada
and her 18-year-old sister Arvia Wright, who became the mother of James Poore. After I saw
the book, I was still more convinced that John Wright was a brother to David and Matthew
Wright.
Then, by August 1982, I had learned that Matthew's son, Mathias, had married a Wright
first cousin, who almost had to have been John's daughter; as David Wright had no daughter
who had lived in the Fentress County area. Also, I had Learned that Mathias Wright's wife
Elizabeth Jane's "people" had lived "between Double Top Mountain and
Byrdstown." Which was exactly where John Wright and his family had lived. And that
Elizabeth Jane's granddaughters at Little Crab knew Elkana Delaney Wright's nickname -
"Kane" Wright - and called him "Uncle Kane" Wright. And the book
states that Lemuel C. Wright's wife, Permelia, had been post mistress, 1883-1889, at
Permelia, Tennessee, 5 miles southeast of Byrdstown. Which would have been at, or near the
present village of Moodyville.
In August 1982, I visited the Byrdstown, Etter and Moodyville areas and located Ada
(Wright) Rains, who gave me some more information about John Wright and his descendants.
Also, I learned that James Poore lives in Byrdstown now, and I visited him. But I still
was not absolutely certain that John Wright was a brother to Matthew W. Wright, until July
1983. When my 2nd cousin Judy Moulton, who lives in Indiana, sent me copies of the 4
pension application papers of John's widow Elizabeth, which definitely proves that John
and Matthew were brothers. No less an authority than Matthew's widow, Margaret Wright,
herself, stated under oath, in plain English, that this John Wright was a brother to her
husband, Matthew W. Wright, or Mathias, as he sometimes was called. John served in the War
of 1812.
Which reminds me of 2 humorous incidents that 1 witnessed in North Carolina during World
War 2. I was in the Headquarters Squadron of the Technical Training Command of the Army
Air Force, at Knollwood Field, near Southern Pines, N.C., where I was stationed for over a
year. We lived in The Mid Pines, a big fancy 5-story country club hotel building, that the
Air Force had taken over, in the famous Sandhills golfing area. Our 1st Sergeant was a
very intelligent young man from Illinois, named Chambers, who was about 23 years old. One
day, we went out to the rifle range for target tests in shooting. And Sgt. Chambers said
to me, "Roscoe, let's show them how they shoot back in Kentucky." I am not one
of those straight shooting squirrel hunters that he had heard about, who spend a lot of
time with rifles. I am more fond of books, poetry and music than I am of guns. And I knew
that he was in for a big disappointment. But, I didn't say anything. Most of my shots hit
near the outer edge of the target. Some of them probably missed the whole target. Then
Sgt. Chambers turned to me, with a disgusted expression on his face, and said,
"Wright, you are a disgrace to the State of Kentucky!" Some of the soldiers
would lie in bed just as long as possible, in the mornings, then rush into their clothes
and run outside to stand in line for inspection. One morning, the Squadron Commander and
Sgt. Chambers walked slowly along the 4 or 5 long lines of men and stopped in front of a
soldier with long beard stubble on his face. Sgt. Chambers gave him a sour look and asked
him, "Where did you go after you shaved?"
John Wright died May 17, 1864, at the head of Hurricane Creek, near Moodyville. But I
don't know where he and his wife, Elizabeth, are buried. Their son Elkana Delaney Wright,
his wife Phoebe, and several of their descendants, are buried in Mt. Era Cemetery, at
Moodyville. Ada (Wright) Rains died Feb. 18, 1984, 18 months after I met her, at age 90.
She is now buried beside her husband in the cemetery at Etter, between Byrdstown and
Moodyville, Tennessee. E.D. Wright's son John Wright, his wife Jennie (Coe) Wright, their
son Aubrey G. Wright, and their daughter Phoebe Dee Wright are buried in the Cookeville
Cemetery.
by Roscoe Hollis Wright
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