Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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In reply to:
Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 12/28/11
Hi Florence,
I am afraid that we never came across James C. Wright in our research. I see he is listed in the Census of 1850 - 1880, beyond that, I am not able to help. That being said, I have copied all that I have on my wife's gg grandfather: McCarty Wright. Like your James C. Wright, McCarty went to the Elmira, NY area. McCarty went in 1851--and obviously, James was there by 1850. Clarksville is very close to Addison/Thurston where McCarty lived. They are likely related--and could be brothers--given their respective birthdates: 1810 for James and 1815 for McCarty. I have posted all I have in case it helps someone else--or leads to something you have not seen or thought of before! Please read on!Tom Dilts [email protected]
McCarty was born in New Jersey.His gravestone (in Aldrich Cemetery in Thurston, just outside of Risingville, NY) showed his age at 65 years, which would mean that he was born in 1815.According to the 1850 Census for Sussex County, he was living in New Jersey at the time.Based on the 1855 New York State Census for Thurston, Steuben County, NY, he came to Thurston (Risingville) in 1851 with his wife, Sarah, and children.John, their youngest, was born in Risingville, in 1853.McCarty's mother, Rachel, came to live with them in 1853. She came from New Jersey, and according to the 1855 Census, was 78 years old.Rachel is not listed in the 1860 Census and so we assume she died between 1855 and 1860.Cemetery records for Aldrich Cemetery do not have a listing for Rachel, but our guess is that she is buried there as other family members were buried in that cemetery before her death (E. Jane Wright was buried there in 1859.)
McCarty was a farmer. Risingville was first settled in 1812.Our guess is that it was named Risingville because Noble Rising was its first Postmaster.Risingville is a village within Thurston, NY.An 1873 Atlas of the area showed that McCarty, his son Robert S. Wright and the Yosts (in-laws) all owned farms along what is now called Yost Road.Based on our 2009 trip, it appears that those houses no longer exist. The History of Steuben County, NY, 1879 by Clayton, states that "McCarty Wright, a farmer, lived a short distance below the grist mill." It also says that the Methodist Episcopal Church of Risingville was built in 1864 and that McCarty Wright, Robert Heckman and David Wright (undoubtedly "Davis" Wright), his son, were trustees in 1879.McCarty is also listed as Class Leader of the church in 1879.McCarthy died in 1880.
According to the 1880 Census for Thurston, Steuben County, New York, McCarty's parents were both born in New Jersey.We know from the 1850 and 1855 Censuses that his mother's first name is Rachel and that she was born in 1777.Further research is needed to find his ancestors.
The 1850 census for Sparta, Sussex County, NJ lists McCarty and Sarah Wright and all of their children, plus Rachael Wright (aged 73) almost certainly his mother.He is listed as a farmer.We went to the Newton Methodist Church and the Sparta Methodist Church to check church records. The Newton church did not have the book from 1832 - 1850. This is the book we would be interested in.We DID find McCarty and "Sister Wright" as listed on the rolls of the Sparta Methodist Episcopal Church for late 1840's-50's under "Lawrences Class". The church member was broken down into "classes" or small groups based upon where they lived. (See media)
In our checking of Sussex County Deeds, apparently McCarty did not own property.
There is a record of the wedding of McCarty and Sarah Ann in Book A at 309 of records of the Clerk in the Book of Marriages. They were married on December 22, 1838 by Rev. John Swaine, Minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church (now Methodist Church).In 1838 he was minister of the church in Newton.In 1837, the Methodist Episcopal Church was being organized in Lafayette.It is safe to assume that Rev. John Swaine was the organizer of that church--as well as the minister of the Newton church.Whether he performed the ceremony in Lafayette (church was not built until 1841) or in Newton is not clear.
We believe that McCarty and Sarah left Sussex County and went to New York before 1853 (their child, John, was born in Thurston, NY in April 1853).We could not discover a solid reason for their leaving.Perhaps it was because farming was not good enough to support the family.McCarty had 3 sons--and farm land would not have been easily acquired--especially because McCarty did not apparently own land, but was a tenant farmer, renting the land.By going westward, he could get more land--and be able to better provide for his family.We learned that in the early 1850's dairy farming spread because the railroad was extended to Sussex County.What effect this had on their decision, we do not now know. It appears that Sarah's sister, Mary and her husband Henry Yost, had gone to Steuben County New York (Risingville) in or before 1850. So, it appears that they had a family connection in New York before they went. Her sister, Catharine, and her husband John Yost, may also have been in Steuben County by 1850, although they are not listed in the 1850 in either New York or New Jersey. (Also, note that we understand, based upon the 1830 census in Newton, that Sarah Ann lived with John and Catharine Yost as she was growing up.)
Susan found a Henry A. Wright, born in 1817, in New Jersey, who also moved to Addison, New York (Steuben County) in the early 1850's. He is listed in the Federal Census for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. His youngest child was born in New York in 1859--all other children were born in New Jersey. Both of his parents were born in New Jersey--as were McCarty's parents. Henry is a very real possibility to be McCarty's brother--and further research is needed on this. Also, in terms of possible leads, we have two names that need to be checked further: Charles Wright who died in 1815. He lived in what is now Warren County--but at the time Warren County was part of Sussex County. The other name is John Wright, Sr. who died at age 59 on August 6, 1797 in Frelinghuysen Township now Warren County, then Sussex County. He is buried, with his daughter Mary, (and likely his wife Anne) in the "Dark Moon Cemetery", also known as the Dyer Burying Ground, located in Frelinghuysen Township. Certainly, this John Wright could be McCarty's grandfather. There is a reference to John Wright in 1774 as taxpayer in Greenwich Township.
In November 2011, we checked the 1830 census records in the Morristown Libraryfor Wrights living in Sussex County. Only 2 were possibilities for father of McCarty: Ephraim (lived in Byram)-- who had 1 male 5-10, 1 male 15-20 (could be McCarty) 1 male 50-60 and 1 female 10-15, 1 female 15-20 and one female 40-50. Rachel, if born in 1777 would have been 53 in 1830. (Note: The 1850 Census says Ephraims wife's name is Sarah--and was born in 1783. Not Ephraim.) The other is Samuel(lived in Byran) had 1 son 10-15, 2 sons 15-20 and Samuel was 50-60, and 1 female 15-20 and another 20-30. That would not account of their mother--who we assume to be Rachel. The third possibility is Moses Wright (Vernon Twp) who has 1 son 5-10, 1 10-15, 2 sons 15-20 and1 female child 5-10 and 1 female15-20. Again, the mother would not be accounted for.
Susan also found the New Jersey 1850 Mortality book, editor Ronald Vern Jackson. It shows in May, 1850 Samuel Wright of Byram Twp, Sussex County died at age 72 of Dropsy. He is not likely McCarty's father if Rachel is McCarty's mother--because in 1850 he is listed as a Widower--and Rachel was still living.
In August 2011 we went to Easton, PA to check deeds and wills for Pike County before 1814. Until 1814, Pike County was part of Northampton County (Easton is county seat).We found nothing. Earlier trips to Goshen and Orange County New York also lead to nothing new and no new leads.
Family tradition says that the Wright are related to Ethan Allen.This is entirely possible.Ethan Allen's(1738-1789)father was Joseph Allen (1708-1755).He was born in Deerfield, Franklin County, MA and died in Woodbury, Litchfield Co., CT.His father was Samuel Allen and his mother was MERCY WRIGHT.She was born in Northhamptom, Hampshire County, MA on March 14 1669, and died in Litchfield, CT on February 5, 1728.There is a split among the printed family histories on who Mercy Wright's parents actually are. Most say that her father was Judah Wright and her mother was Mercy or Mary Burt. Other material on Family Search and printed texts say that her parents were Samuel Wright, October 3, 1632 - 13 September 1675, dying at the Battle of Bloody Brook in Northfield, Massachusetts. Her mother, it is said, was Elizabeth Burt (December 4, 1638 - February 14, 1691, and they were married on November 24, 1653.
Judah Wright and Samuel Wright were brothers. Most authorities agree that they are both sons of Deacon Samuel Wright and his wife Margaret Wright. Deacon Wright is said to have arrived in America in 1630 or 1632, presumably from England as part of"The Great Migration"."Notes on the Ancestors and Immediate Descendants of Ethan and Ira Allen" by John Sprago in 1948 (found on HeritageQuest online) seems most authorative (although a minority position) and claims Samuel and Elizabeth were her parents.
Judah Wright was born May 10, 1642 in Hartford CT and died November 26, 1725 in Deerfield, MA.He married Mercy Burt on January 17, 1667 in Springfield, MA.Judah Wright had many children.Research is needed to connect McCarty Wright to Judah Wright--or one of his relatives. (THD's research on Ancestry.com in July 2011 did not reveal any leads. Judah had 4 children" Judah (1677-1747), Eleaser (1679-1767), Thomas (1682-1744) and Nathaniel (1688-1711). No male children are listed for any of the 3 younger children. Judah to his son Judah, to his son Judah and his sons, Abner & Samuel, pointed to the possibility of Samuel (born 1780) as a candidate to having come from Montague, MA to the Montague, Sussex County, area. But no evidence exists to support this possibility.
Samuel and Elizabeth's male children and their male children need to be investigated to see if there is any link to McCarty.
When we do find McCarty's ancestors, the book "The Wright Family" by the American Genealogical Society in 1972, will be useful. It is in the Morristown Library on Miller Street in Morristown
More Replies:
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 12/29/11
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Thomas Dilts 12/30/11
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 12/30/11
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Thomas Dilts 12/30/11
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 12/30/11
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Fay Hoodock 2/20/12
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 2/20/12
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
shirley Koester 6/04/12
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
Florence Wright 6/04/12
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey
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Re: Wrights of Sussex County, New Jersey