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John W. And Hattie Robbins Wright
John William "Willie" Wright and Hattie Dorthy Robbins were married on May 4,
1929 in the home of her parents, Fate and Mary Ellen Robbins. Willie Wright was the son of
Joseph Wright (March 1, 1883) and Sarah "Joe" Reagan (October 7, 1882). The
brothers and sisters of Willie were Welter, married Sarah Ann Upchurch; Auda, married Joe
Johnson; Homer, married Pansy Smith; Comer; Fred, died young; Wheeler, married Leafy
Gunter; and Zadie.
Willie's father, Joseph Harrison Wright, was the son of Jacob "Jake" Wright
(1851 to October 27, 1924) and his first wife Jane Smith. Jake was a school teacher in
Little Crab in the late 1800'9. "Jake" Wright was the son of Mathias Wright
(1815) and Mathias' first cousin, Elizabeth Wright Wright (1819). They are buried in the
Bailey Bowden Cemetery in Little Crab. Mathias was the son of Matthew W. Wright (April 14,
1789 to November 7, 1865) and wife Margaret Ann Ritchie (July 5, 1790 to March 11, 1882)
who are buried in the Wright Cemetery west of Jamestown near Highway 52. Elizabeth,
Willie's paternal great grandmother, was the daughter of John Wright (1787-1864) and wife
Elizabeth Lindley (1796).
Willie Wright's mother, Sarah Joe Reagan Wright, was the daughter of Thomas Jefferson
(September 30, 1847) and Susan "Ann" Hayes Reagan (1851). Thomas was the son of
John "Appleseed" Reagan (February 8, 1802 to October 5, 1876) and wife Naney
Findley (September 2, 1813 - after 1880). John was the son of Peter Reagan, Jr.
(1779-1854) and wife Nancy Cauthon (1779). Peter Reagan, Jr. was the son of Peter Reagan,
Sr. (1755-1828) and wife Rebecca McCarth or McCardy (1755 - after 1830). Nancy Findley was
the daughter of James and Elizabeth Findley. Captain James Findley (1780-1854) was part
Cherokee Indian.
"Ann" Hayes, Willie's maternal grandmother, was the daughter of Jonathan Hayes
(1826) and wife Jane Beaty (1826). Jane was the daughter of Isaac
Beaty (1803-1854) and Susanna Gwynn (1902-1892). Susanna, the daughter of John Gwynn
and Jane Holbrooke, saw five of her six sons die in the Civil War. Isaac was the son of James Beaty and Mary Catherine Smith Beaty. James was the son of John Beaty (1725) and Margaret Montgomery.
Hattie Robbins Wright (October 6, 1907) is the daughter of Lafayette Bransford
"Fate" (October 7, 1881 to November 5, 1929) and Mary Ellen Robbins Robbins
(March 1, 1883 to October 8, 1975). Hattie's brothers and sisters are Oshie Frankie, born
June 10, 1905; Vonnie Lee, born January 25, 1910; Cecil Britten (October 24, 1912 -
November 20, 1916); Edith Flossie, born May 9, 1915; Kenneth Estil, born August 18, 1918;
Elsie Beatrice, born January 26, 1921; Delphia Iowa, born October 15, 1924; and Willie
Mae, born June 20, 1927.
Fate Robbins and his brothers are known to have "gone north" to work. They were
noted as handsome men and, according to local standards, fancy dressers. Fate is reputed
to have lived and worked in thirty eight states during his early years. He died as a
result of a car accident. Fate's parents were Isaac "Bud" or "Big Bud"
and Mary Winningham Robbins. Mary was the daughter of Henry Bransford (born ca 1810 in NC;
died ca 1880) and Susanna Mayfield (1820 - after 1880) Winningham; the daughter of Polly
Mayfield. Henry was the son of Adam Winningham (1781-1859). Adam may have had as many as
three wives -- only Isobell is known for sure -- and is buried in an unmarked grave in
Bethesda Cemetery, Overton County. Adam's father was Richard Winningham who was living in
Randolph County, North Carolina in 1779 and who died before November 13, 1806.
The ancestry of Isaac, Fate Robbin's father, is less certain. The family believes he was
the son of Bred (John Allen) and "Sis" (Lavina) Reagan Robbins-the daughter of
Charles (1804) and Lavina Reagan. The 1880 Fentress Census has household number 18 which
contains Isaac (1818), Mary (1857), Andrew (1871), Willis (1873), Susan (1879), and Mertha
Masengal (1868) who is listed as a boarder. Fate's brothers and sisters are known to have
been Andy; Willis; Susan who married Landon York and died in childbirth with her third
child; Mack; Eddie; and Edger. This would tend to confirm that the 1880 Census Isaac is
the "Bud" Isaac who married Mary Winningham with children as noted.
Hattie's mother, Mary Ellen (March 1, 1883 to October 8, 1975), was the daughter of John
Robbins (b. 1840 according to Census records or February 15, 1842 according to family
records) and Rhoda Cravens Robbins (July 4, 1847). John was the son of Arter Robbins
(1914-1887) and Mary "Pop" Winningham (1919-1873). Mary "Pop" was the
daughter of Richard Winningham (1796-1893), brother of Adam noted above, and wife Mary Ann
"Polly" Hooser (1803 - living in 1870 at the age of 67). Richard was the son of
the Richard Winningham noted above. Rhoda was the daughter of Henry Cravens and wife Fatsy
Livingston (Peggy). Mary Ellen's sisters and brothers were William Isaac, James Arter,
Henry Elliot, Susan, Lucy Emiline, and Macky.
Willie and Hattie Wright had six children. They were Lester Paul, born May 11, 1929; Betty
Jean, born January 26, 1932, who married Kirby Roark; Jackie Leonard, born May 12, 1933; a
daughter who was stillborn; Maudean, born August 20, 1938, who married Welter Davis; and
William, Jr., born May 18, 1947, who married Margaret Hovel. Willie worked in the coal
mines moat of his life. He died August 31, 1957. Hattie is now living in Jamestown,
Tennessee. She is enjoying her retirement after a life of hard work. She especially enjoys
her telephone, TV Soaps, and spends hours "keeping her scrap books." However,
hard work is still her habit. She keeps her house immaculate and by 9:00 AM her floors are
mopped; beds made; and spider webs are off the wall.
Special thanks are due to Mrs. Wilma Pinckley who provided most of the genealogical
information for this story from her extensive research records.
by Lloyd D. Bryant
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