DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM (JOEL W.) & MARY ANN HARRINGTON WRIGHT

Contributed by: Belinda Hudson
Posted July 13, 2005 by Myrtle Bridges



Susan Hoke and I descend from the same Wright patriarch, Joel W. Wright.  From Richmond Co. NC 
census record research, I put together a grid which establishes the location of William Wright, Sr. 
(mentioned in Isaac Williamson's Estate who purchased 10 bushels of corn.) and George Wright, ( who 
from records posted on your site,  were believed to be brothers from Ireland) in Richmond Co. from 
1790 to 1880 (through their children.)  

I believe our Joel W. is one of the sons of William Wright, Sr. who married Lydia.  (Lydia was still 
found in the 1850 Census with a female child and grandchildren living with her after William Sr.'s death 
between 1840-1850).  I found a younger William Wright with wife and 1 child in the 1820 Richmond Co. 
census who I believe is our Joel W. before he moved his family to Anson Co, NC for the 1830 census 
headcount.   
(1) I could not find Joel and his young family in census records anywhere in North Carolina 
or in the household of other Wrights before 1830 until we found this William in the 1820 Richmond Co. 
Census. The ages fit exactly the age Joel W. and Mary Ann Harrington Wright would have been in 1820 
shortly after their marriage.    This younger William Wright does not show up in Richmond Co. census again 
anytime after 1820.  But Joel does show up in Anson in 1830/40 and 50.   

(2)  Another reason I believe our Joel was the son of William, Sr. is that Joel's youngest sister, 
Elizabeth married Isaac Williamson, Jr. and that one of Joel's son,  Joseph Harrington Wright, married 
the Brown who descends from the Williamson line.   

(3) We know the first four of Joel Wright's children were born in Richmond Co. before he migrated to 
Anson Co. in 1830 where census records show he migrated from from Anson to Lauderdale Co, MS. 
 
(4) Our Joel W. named his first child William, (possibly after his father, William, Sr. and himself.)
 
    The following information is put together from both descendents of George Wright information and the 
Isaac Williamson info.
 
George Wright b. 1765 in Rockdale, Richmond Co. NC  d. 9/27/1836 buried in Alabama 
     m. Sabra Pate b. 1770 daughter of Thurgood Pate
Children:  Cameron                  b. 1790 d. 12/1846 m. Lucy Jones
                William P.                b. 1799 d. 1862 m. Frances Godbold
                Samuel                    b. 1802 d. 1848 Richmond Co. m. Sarah Ann Gibson in 1824
                Duncan Cameron      b. 1804
                John P.                    b. 1806 named in Sabra's will
                James Cameron        b. 1810 named in Sabra's will
                Arthur                       b. 1815
 
William Wright, Sr. b. 1760-1765 d. 4/18/1843
     m. Lydia (Unknown)
Children:  Sabra (2nd)            b. 1790 m. John C. Wright b. 1785 their children: John & James
                 William (Joel W.)    b. 1792 m. Mary Ann Harrington
                 Henry                    b. 1793 who was insane
                 George (2nd)          b. 1799 d. 1867 in Richmond Co. m. Rebecca 
                 Thomas                 b. 1800 m. Nancy Williamson, sister to Isaac, Jr.
                 James                   b. 1803
                 Lydia                      b. 1805 d. before 1882 married Unknown Smith
                 Nancy                    b. 1810 d. 1882 married Unknown Webb
                 Mary                      b. 1812
                 Elizabeth(Betsy)      b. 1815 m. Isaac Williamson, Jr. b. 1808

Some say William Wright b. 1792 (son of William Sr. and Lydia) wife's and children's names are not known 
and that they were not residents of NC in 1882.   The reason they are not known is that (only my theory) 
is that William b. 1792 did not want to be confused with his father, William Sr. and so began to use his 
first name (Joseph ie Joel) when his family is found in the 1830 Anson Co. NC Census, therefore no 
researcher ever connected our Joel with his father, William Sr.  They were not found in the 1880 records 
because in the 1850's he left NC for Lauderdale Co, MS.  My theory also explains why Joel W. ( Joseph William) 
Wright named one of his sons, Joseph (after his first name) Harrington (after his wife's family name) 
Wright (Susan Hoke's ancestor).   Joseph Harrington Wright was listed as Joel, Jr. in the 1860, Lauderdale, 
MS Census.  He moved back to North Carolina as Susan's info states.
 
There are too many coincidences and similarities not to conclude that somehow this family was our family.  
The only document we have with any other name but Joel Wright on it is a MS Lauderdale County Agricultural 
Acreage information sheet which lists Joel as Joel W. Wright next to his son's acreage.   From this initial 
and the names of his children I began to put two and two together.   Joel's family Bible does not list his 
name or his wife's- only his 12 children.
 
I can use all the research help I can get.  Susan's Hoke's Uncle Dan's info tries to have us descend from a 
Thomas Wright.  I have thoroughly and exhaustively searched all the the other Wright families from the 
Thomas Wright of Surry Co. NC, to the Wrights connected to George Washington, and every other Wright family 
that ever came over to America. None of those Wrights have a Richmond Co, NC connection but William, Sr. 
and George.

Joel W. (Joseph William) Wright and Mary Ann Harrington of Richmond and Anson Counties, NC had the 
following children:
 
William b. 1822 (named for his father Joel W. (William?) and his grandfather William, Sr.
Vernon b. 1824
Joseph Harrington (Joel, Jr.) b. 1825
John Pinkney b. 1827
Wesley Warren b. 1829 ( my gg grandfather-named after his mother's brother, Warren Harrington) 
                                    my grandfather was named Joel Columbus Wesley Wright.
James Berrygrove b. 1832
Benjamin Franklin b. 1834
Mary Ellen b. 1836
George Washington b. 1838 (named for his great uncle George who married Sabra Pate)
Harvey b. 1841
Ann Elizabeth b. 1843  (named for Joel's baby sister, Elizabeth (Betsy Williamson)
Martha Sara b. 1845
 
Our family has located descendents of all the above children exect two- William who remained 
in Anson Co, NC. (We know his son, Charles married Eliza Gardner) and Vernon who moved to 
Lauderdale Co, MS with his children found as late as 1870 in the census. He died between 1870 
and 1880 and we can't seem to find his wife or children after that.
 
The James Wright of Kemper Co. is is James Berrygrove.  Note his children's names ie Willie
( William for his great grandfather, William, Sr. of Richmond Co.?, his grandfather, Joel W.
( William) and his Uncle William), Joel (for his grandfather Joel W.),  George (for his great 
great Uncle George of Richmond Co. and Uncle -George Washington) and Harvey for his other uncle.
 
The disappointing thing, is I can't prove any of this as there are no records anywhere to prove that 
our Joel W. is the son of William except for the clues- the birth date of Joel fits that of William 
son of William Sr, family names, and birth locations of the children.
 
If anyone can help with this family please let me know. Thank you. Belinda Wright Hudson


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