1819 (year of death) Reuben Wright of Mecklenburg Co., Va., (place of death)
This is part of my study of the WRIGHT families of Mecklenburg Co., jVa.If you have additions or corrections, please let me know.
1819 Reuben Wright of Mecklenburg County, Virginia
REUBEN2 WRIGHT, b. about 1755; d. 1819 Mecklenburg Co., Va.; m. CHARLOTTE _____ about 1776 Brunswick Co., Va. She died 1823 Mecklenburg County, Va.[1]
The Brunswick Co., Va., tax lists, show a Reuben Wright, with three white males, two under 21, and threes black males, present in the upper district in 1783.[2] He appears with a son, Reuben Wright, Jr., in 1787.[3] In 1789, only one Reuben appears.[4] This Reuben Wright appears every year through 1795, when he paid tax on himself, one white under 21, and two black males,[5] and then disappearing from the tax lists.
Reuben Wright appears on the tax rolls of Mecklenburg Co., Virginia, in 1796, where he appears near Austin Wright, paying tax on one white male and five black.[6] In 1798, John Wright, son of Reuben, makes his first appearance on the tax lists.[7] The appearance of John Wright, son of Reuben, on the tax list of 1798 implies he turned 21, so giving an estimated birth year of 1777. Assuming his father, himself, was at least 21, this implies a birth year for Reuben of before1756.
Reuben, subsequently Reuben, Sr., makes an appearance on the Mecklenburg Co., Va., tax lists at least through 1814.[8] (I did not check 1815-1820). He is surely the Reuben Wright who wrote a will 18 December 1817, probated in Mecklenburg Co., Va., 17 May 1819.[9] He signed this will with a mark, and left his estate to his “loving Wife” (not named) and his eight children, of whom John appears to be the oldest son. Reuben Wright 1819 Mecklenburg County, died possessed of at least 17 slaves, and land. He names his sons, except for Thomas, who can be found in the tax lists.
I can find only two deeds where Reuben Wright is the grantee of land purchased in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. The first, dated 16 September 1816,[10] purchased land from Austin Wright, Jr., Mary Wright, and others. The second transaction, which clearly involves Reuben Wright, Jr., dated 16 August 1824 was a purchase from John Hopkins.[11]
He also bought two slaves from his son-in-law, Reuben Drummington 24 November 1807.[12] The debt with Reuben Drummington was returned to his daughter “Polly” in Reuben’s will.
On 21 April 1817, Reuben Wright and Charlotte, his wife, sold land to Joseph Bennett.[13] The administrators of Reuben Wright sold his lands March 15, 1824, the same day that lands inherited by his son William Wright were sold by his administrators.[14] (I do not have a copy or extract of these deeds, either.) Since Reuben had extensive slave holdings, he surely had lands to go with it, yet there is no record of land purchase in Mecklenburg Co., Va., of sufficiently early date to account for this. It looks to me like he must have inherited the land, probably in 1795 or so, when he moved to Mecklenburg County. Secondary sources suggest his land was near the present-day Palmer Springs[15], on the south side of the Roanoke.
The Last Will and Testament of Reuben Wright of Mecklenburg Co., Va.[16]
"In the Name of God Amen I Reuben Wright of Mecklenburg County and State of Virginia being of sound mind and memory but calling to mind the mortality of man and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die and being desirous to dispose of the worldly goods wherewith it has pleased God to bless me do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form as following:
Imprimis: I give and bequeath to all the surviving children of my son Robert Wright, deceased one Seventh part of all the property I leave in possession of my wife after her death to them and their heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son John Wright two negro boys named Duke and Griffin to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to the heirs of my daughter Polly Drummington the judgment I obtained against Reuben Drummington in Brunswick Co., State of Virginia, and further I give and bequeath to the heirs of my daughter Polly Drummington twenty five pounds instead of a little negro girl to make it equal with that I intend giving to William Wright to them and their heirs forever after my wife's death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son William Wright two negroes named Park and Silvy and her increase to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I lend to my son Joshua Wright one negro boy named Anderson (?) and one negro girl named Suckey with the condition that if my son Joshua should depart this life before his wife Feoby (sic) then for the said negroes to be returned and equally divided among the rest of my children, but if Feoby his wife should depart this life first, then I give my son Joshua the two negroes above mentioned to be disposed of as he may think best.
Item: I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Davis two negro boys named Harrison and Sam to her and her heirs forever.
Item: I give and bequeath to my son Reuben Wright two negro boys named ___ and ____ to him and his heirs forever.
Item: I give to my dear and loving wife during her natural life or widowhood all my land and cash on hand and the crop…and all the stock consisting of horses, cattle, hogs, and sheep and all the plantation ___ of any description, and all my household and kitchen furniture, and also nine negroes named Jack, ___, ____, ____, Spencer, Isham, Dolph, Milly, and Sarah. I give my loving wife all this property as before inscribed after paying my just debts ….and after paying one seventh to the children of my son Robert Wright, {the remainder to be divided among the surviving children equally, with the exception that Phoebe, wife of Joshua, is not to inherit anything if Joshua dies first. The copy is too faded to read fully.} Lastly, I constitute and appoint my son William Wright and Reuben Wright executors of this my last will and testament revoking all others by me heretofore made, In witness whereof I have hereunder set my hand and affixed my seal this 10th day of December 1816.
Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence of
Jesse Dortch Reuben (X) Wright
Isaac S. Langley
At a court held for Mecklenburg County the 17th day of May 1819 the above written last will and testament of Reuben Wright, deceased, was exhibited in Court and proved by the oaths of two witnesses thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded. Whenafter on motion of William Wright one of the executors therein named and made oath according to law Certificate is granted him for obtaining ___ thereof, in due form, he having given security. Whereupon he, together with Smith Palmer and Thomas Palmer his securities acknowledge there bond in the penalty of fifteen thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs for that purpose. Teste: Edward S. Babb"
Children of Reuben Wright and Charlotte are:
i. JOHN4 WRIGHT, b. about 1777 Brunswick Co., Va., d. 1820 Mecklenburg Co., Va.; m. REBECCA OSLIN June 19, 1802 Mecklenburg Co., Va.[17]
Children of John Wright and Rebecca Oslin are:
1. REBECCA5 WRIGHT
2. FRANCES L.5 WRIGHT
3. JOHN N.5 WRIGHT
4. REUBEN N.5 WRIGHT
5. WILLIAM R.5 WRIGHT
ii. JOSHUA4 WRIGHT, b. 1781 Brunswick Co., Va. He married PHOEBE SHORT, widow of JACOB SHORT before 1804.
Joshua Wright and Phoebe Wright were witnesses for Austin Wright in his suit against Richard Russell in 1804, at which time they were resident in Warren Co., N. C.[18] In 1811 Joshua Wright and his wife Phoebe Short, widow and relict of Jacob Short filed suit for slander against George Tucker and Edith, his wife, because they had said Jacob Short was not deceased when Phoebe married Joshua Wright.[19] The suit was dismissed by the court for lack of evidence of slander.[20] However, the will of 1819 Reuben Wright makes it clear that he does not want her to benefit from her marriage to Joshua, at least as far as inheriting from him. Obviously, he did not approve of the marriage.
Joshua Wright and Phoebe Wright were grantors to Elizabeth H. Wall on March 19, 1821. (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 19:43.) Joshua Wright was grantor to Bartlett Hubbard on August 22, 1826, (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 22:76.)
iii. ROBERT4 WRIGHT d. before December 10, 1816.
I have not found definite evidence of this man. As discussed, the tax lists and the other documents strongly suggest that the Robert Wright and Robert Wright, Jr., of the tax lists of 1812 and 1813 are not this man, who does not appear in his own name before 1814, when I stopped examining the tax lists. This does not leave him much time to marry and have children. If, on the other hand, Robert Wright, Jr., is actually Robert Wright, the younger, he might be this son of Reuben Wright, although he still does not have much time to marry and beget a family.
iv. REUBEN4 WRIGHT, b. about 1791 Brunswick Co., Va.
Reuben Wright purchased land from John Hopkins on August 16, 1824, (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 21:95.) John Hopkins' land was adjacent to that sold by Robert3 Wright in 1803, as discussed under his entry.
v. WILLIAM4 WRIGHT, d. before March 15, 1824 Mecklenburg Co., Va.
On that date the executors of William Wright and the executors of Reuben Wright of Mecklenburg Co., Va., sold land to William Marshall. (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 20:488.) William Wright was purchaser of two tracts of land in 1821. On July 16, 1821 he purchased a tract from Thomas Palmer, (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 19:140.) On November 19, 1821 he purchased a tract from Reuben Dennington (Drummington?) et. Al., (Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 19:276.) I have examined none of these transactions. Interestingly, he is also listed as a grantee on an indenture from John C. Carroll which was recorded May 17, 1824. I suspect examination of the deed would show that the indenture was executed earlier than the date of its recording, and would probably allow us to narrow the probable date of death of William Wright.
vi. POLLY4 WRIGHT, m. REUBEN DRUMMINGTON.
vii. NANCY4 WRIGHT, m. DAVIS
viii. THOMAS4 WRIGHT
Thomas Wright is listed as a son of Reuben Wright in the tax lists of 1798 and 1801, and 1802. He is present in 1799 and 1800 in his own right.[21] He appears continuously through 1812, but then is not listed.
I have found no record of a marriage for Thomas Wright in Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, or Brunswick Co., Va.
Thomas Wright was grantor on three deeds in Mecklenburg Co., Va., after the death of Reuben Wright.[22] However, I have not examined these deeds to prove that these were the lands being sold.[23]
[1] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Will Book 9:469.
[2] Brunswick Co., Va. Tax List, Upper District, 1783 p. 13.
[3] Brunswick Co., Va. Tax List, Upper District, 1787, p. 26.
[4] Brunswick Co., Va. Tax List, Upper District, 1789, p. 31.
[5] Brunswick Co., Va. Tax List, Upper District, 1795, p. 43.
[6] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Tax List Lower District, 1796, p. 32.
[7] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Tax List Lower District, 1798, p. 49.
[8] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Tax List Lower District, 1814, p. 31.
[9] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Will Book 9:40.
[10] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 16:317.
[11] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 21:95.
[12] Brunswick Co. Va., Deed Book 20:324.
[13] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 16:434.
[14] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 20:488.
[15] Bracey, Susan L. Life By the Roaring Roanoke: A History of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. (Mecklenburg Bicentennial Committee, 1977, p 324.
[16] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Will Book 9:40-41.
[17] Elliott, Katherine B. Marriage Records 1765-1810 Mecklenburg County, Virginia. (Easley, S. C.: Southern Historical Press, repr. 1984,) p. 136.
[18] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Court Order Book 12:251 [9 October 1804.]
[19] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Court Order Book 15:388 [20 February 1811.]
[20] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Court Order Book 16:297 [18 May 1812.]
[21] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Tax Lists: A:49 (1798); B:68 (1799); A:26 (1800); B:40 (1801); B:39 (1802); B:46 (1806); B:40 (1807); B:46 (1809); B:36 (1811); B:55 (1812.)
[22] Mecklenburg Co., Va., Deed Book 20:66 and 20:76 [July 15, 1822]; 20:372 [December 4, 1823]; 22:21 [February 20, 1826]; 23:193 [May 12, 1828].
[23] There is a reference to a Rev. Thomas Wright in a WB 12:401, which I have not examined. It should be about 1830. There is no clue as to why he was not listed in his father's will, since the tax lists are explicit.
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