Wright Families Brown County, Ohio

Sometime ago I was contacted by a Wright researcher, Newell Wright, who found a posting I had placed on the WRIGHT-L mailing list back in 1997 and 2002.  

He believes that his paternal 3rd-great grandmother, Kate (aka Catherine or Cate) Wright might be the same as my maternal 5th-great grandaunt, Catherine Wright, daughter of John and Sarah (Fleming) Wright.

Newell's email stated the following information about the family :

My paternal 3rd great grand-mother Kate (aka Catherine or Cate) Wright married Robert Wright (b 1784 Augusta Co., VA son of John and Margaret (McKittrick)  Wright)  on 11 April 1811 in Adams Co., OH.  Kate Wright was born in KY likely between 1787 and 1790.  Known children of Robert Wright and Kate Wright are:

John Wright 1813 – 1841 OH

Samuel Milton Wright 1815 – 1880 IA

James Wright 1817 – 1871 KS

Sarah Ann Wright 1819 – 1894 KS

Isaac Newton Wright 1824 – 1872 KS (my ancestor)

Elvira Wright 1829 – 1867 KS

Amanda Wright 1831 IN – 1867 KS

(All believed to be born in Adams/Brown Co., OH except for Amanda who was born in Fountain Co., IN)

The information that I have on my maternal 5th-great grandaunt, Catherine, was that she was born May 12, 1789 (no source data), the daughter of John and Sarah (Fleming) Wright.

There are several Wright families in the Adams/Brown/Highland County, Ohio area that I haven't yet sorted out.  What led Newell to contact me was studying the migration pattern of Revolutionary War soldier Robert Wright (1758-1840 brother of my John) from Cambridge to Bordentown; then Philadelphia, move to Westmoreland Co., PA, Mason County, KY and then to Brown County, Ohio.  His ancestor, William Wright had a migratory pattern from Ireland to Augusta Co., VA and then to Kentucky/Ohio.  There were five brothers in this family.  He states further:

Of the five brothers, I descend from John Wright and Margaret McKittrick who settled north of Decatur, Byrd Twp, Brown Co., OH. John Wright (bef 1757 - 1823) also served in Am Revolution and fortunately several descendants applied to DAR for membership and did a fair job of documenting his children and their respective spouses.  John Wright (bef 1757 - 1823) death has been taken from estate documents dated Sep 1823 that were were obtained from Brown County, OH which is different that the "collective" date of 1824.   Caldwell has William, James and Alexander settling in Highland Co. Ohio and Samuel settling on Cherry Fork, Wayne Twp,. Adams Co.

These early Wright families were in Brown County in Byrd Twp. at the same time my Wrights were in Pleasant Twp.  Regarding his ancestor, Robert, he wrote further:

After Robert and Katy's 11 Apr 1811 marriage by Wm Baldridge in Adams Co (Marriage Bk 1, pg 111)., Robert was enumerated in Byrd Twp., Brown Co., Ohio in 1820 and 1830 with family member's ages that match Katy and children's ages.   Robert was again enumerated in 1840 Fountain Co., IN and 1850 District 13 (Ashland) Wapello Co., IA with children, but not with Katy and all children in IN or IA.  Note, that on 21 Feb 1811 Wm Baldridge married another Robert Wright, also born 1784 VA, but son of Samuel Wright Wayne Twp., Adams Co., to Polly Kerr.  This Robert and Poly subsequently moved to and died in Clinton, IN.  I mention this in that members of my family were perplexed and frustrated for many of years by the number of Wrights in Brown/Adams Co. 

In his initial email, Newell left me with some questions that I wasn't able to answer.  I'm posting them here in hopes that others who may be related to these families can respond.

After going for so many decades with no understanding of the MA Wrights in Brown Co., your information has left me with a simple explanation to uncountable hours of family discussions.  I may as well apologize now for the many questions that are swirling in my head.  It will take me a while to sort through them.  However, if you would be so kind to respond to the following three questions when you find time?

            1.   Do you know if Robert  (1758 MA - 1840) or John Wright (1755 MA - 1810) left wills or estate documents that refer to heirs?

            2.   To your knowledge, did other Wright families settle in what subsequently became Brown Co., Ohio than descendants of John and Hannah (Fessenden) Wright and John and Margaret (McKittrick) Wright?

            3.  Do you have source for date and place of birth for Catherine and her KY born siblings? 

Unfortunately, at this time the sources for the information I have on this line is unknown, probably from a family group sheet compiled by someone when in pre-computer days.  I do not know if there were other Wright families that settled in the area beside "my" Wright line and the John and Margaret (McKittrick) Wright line.  As for the wills, I might have them in my files, but I haven't put my hands on them yet.

Postcard Friday : Union is strength - Let's stick together!

Fort Recovery, Ohio

March 8, 1912

Miss Vera Haley

Portland, Ind..

RFD 9

March 7, 1912

Dear friend -

How are you?  I am feeling fine.  Received your card at noon.  I was out at the spelling school last night, had a good time.  This is a bad day.  I am here by my self now.  Earl went down to his grandma's for supper so I am left alone for supper.  I suppose you are wondering what I am going to have.  Eggs and bannas for supper.  I had cheese and crackers for dinner.  Just talked to Jesse N.  He said he saw you last night.

Your friend,

Clarence

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This postcard was part of the collection of my paternal great-uncle and aunt, Clarence and Vera (Haley) Stuber.  

Funeral Home Records Darke County, Ohio

Miller Funeral Home Records, 1917 to 1950, Greenville, Ohio

Published by Darke County Genealogical Society, Greenville, Ohio, 1990

Located this book at the Allen County Public Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana several months ago and just now getting around to extracting the information for my files.

GROENDYKE, ANNA d 31 Oct 1938 RR#1 Hollansburg BD Palestine Cem 2 Nov 1938 b Oct 1866 Liberty Twp age 72-0-23 f GEORGE MILLER York Co PA m BARBARA BOLLINGER sp PERRY GROENDYKE widowed housekeeper

GROENDYKE, WALTER MAIN d 31 Dec 1943 Wayne Hosp Greenville OH BD Greenville Cem Greenville OH 4 Jan 1944 b 8 Dec 1894 Liberty Twp Dke Co OH age 49-0-23 f PERRY GROENDYKE m Eva OWENS sp GEORGIA GROENDYKE married occ: Frigidaire Corp Dayton OH World War I sp GEORGIA 46 years

LAMBERTSON, JAMES WILSON d 22 June 1946 RR#3 Versailles OH BD 25 June 1946 Abbottsville Cem Dke Co OH b 13 May 1857 Montgomery Co OH age 89-1-9 f CARMEN LAMBERTSON m MARY VAN LUE widowed farmer sp EVA JANE LAMBERTSON sons ORA Versailles & OMER Dayton, 1 daughter Mrs PEARL LENINGTON New Paris, 5 grandchildren, 12 greatgrandchildren, 1 halfbrother HARRY O. WEAVER New York city

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The Anna Groendyke (1866-1938) was my paternal 2nd cousin 3 times removed on the Petry side, she had married Perry Groendyke, my maternal 3rd great granduncle.

The Walter Main Groendyek (1894-1943) was Perry's son and Anna's stepson.  his death certificate tells how he fractured his skull in an accidental fall down some stairs.  

The James Wilson Lambertson (1857-1946) was my maternal first cousin 4 times removed.  I didn't know where he was buried, and also the name of son Ora was new to me.  I didn't know James had a half-brother, which indicates that his mother remarried after his father's death, might be why couldn't find her in later census records.