James Wright – Our Forefather

Ross County Ohio records indicate he was a wheelwright: a person making or repairing wagon wheels.

Birth: 1799 in the State of Virginia, USA – Death: November 1868 at Chillicothe, Ohio

Burial: Wright-Three Locks Indian Mound Pride Ross County Ohio, USA; The Wright Homestead

WRIGHT, James – 1799-1868 Will dated Aug. 31, 1868; probated Dec. 5, 1868, in Ross County, Ohio.

The following portion is taken and revised from Dianne Stubbs-Metz’s creation of  James Wright’s Find A Grave Memorial:

“Many years of research led (Patricia) Dianne Stubbs-Metz  (great, great granddaughter of Sarah Ellen Wright-Hammond) back to James’ birthplace as Amherst County, Virginia and Wright links to the American Indians. At an unknown point, it appears that James and possibly his father moved to Ross County Ohio where the Shawnee tribe was located. His will discusses an existing Indian burial mound on his farm and that he maintained it as well as his desire for burial in the mound. Family tradition maintains when James Wright died, related Indians came from Virginia and made carvings on the trees at the mound. Shawnees also attended the funeral of his daughter, Sarah Ellen Wright-Hammond and made carvings on the trees near her burial spot at the foot of the Indian mound. She was not allowed to be buried in the Indian mound because she married a white man.”

Dianne had in her possession the hand carved bowl portion of a pipe that her father found in the forested area when he visited the Indian mound area many years ago. It has been reported that the Bennett boys who lived in the area dug into the mound in the 1930’s and stole artifacts. Dianne surmised that the pipe portion was something they dropped as they were exiting the area. 

In February 2016, Joann Wright-Wintenburg (great, great granddaughter of James Jefferson Wright) received the subsequent email response from The Ross County Historical Society regarding the Indian Mound on James’ property:

“The following information was found about the Wright burials in the Franklin Township cemetery book:

James and Sarah Wright, father and daughter, were buried in an Indian mound located on his property, Survey 9809, on the hill overlooking the village of Three Locks.  The mound has long since been removed.

We do not have any information on the Wright, Gee or Gleason families.  It is  suggested that you contact the Ross County Genealogical Society.”

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The Wright Homestead in Chillicothe, Ohio

James and Harriet’s property is pictured below and now is only 7 acres. In 1875 it covered 296 acres plus 40 acres down the road owned by Silas E. Wright. Sarah Ellen, married to Joseph Hammond, owned another 71 acres. Note the location of Three Locks Cemetery where some of the family is buried and the Scioto State Park to the southwest. Contributors:  Mark Smith (great, great grandson of Sarah Ellen Wright-Hammond) and Glenda Wright (great granddaughter of William Allen Wright

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Click to view James Wright Gallia Cty., OH Land Purchase from U.S. Government; Credit Volume Patent Vo. 57 Page 83 Contributor: Glenda Wright

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 James Wright’s Marriages

First:  Harriet Elizabeth Shnider/Schnider July 7,1822, and filed July 12, 1822, Elk Township, Athens County, Ohio. Family search has this marriage indexed as Ross County, but the marriage certificate image is definitely Athens County. Therefore, Harriet is the mother of all James’ children and not Reba as previously reported in many genealogical trees. 

 Second:  “Reby”/Reba (Palmer) Gay, June 4, 1849,  Athens Co., Ohio. “Rebe” Palmer married first March 1, 1833, Washington Co., Ohio to Robert Gay (Sr.) and had a son named Robert (Jr.) b. 1834. Reba Gay is in the 1840 census of Adams Twp., Washington Co., OH.  She and Robert (Jr.) are in the Gallia Co., OH 1850 census with James Wright. Reba (Palmer) Gay Wright died in 1855 and is buried in Mt. Tabor Cemetery, Gallia Co., OH.

Learn about James and Harriett’s children by clicking here.

The Wright Maple Syrup Legacy

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  Family Find A Grave Links

James Wright b.1799  Spouses:   First wife and mother of his 6 children: Harriet Elizabeth Schnider Wright (1801 – 1847)  –  Second wife:  Reba M Palmer Wright (1804 – 1855)  

Children:  Elizabeth Mary Wright Bennett (1826 – 1896) | John “Harvey” Wright (1829 – 1908) | James Jefferson Wright (1822 – 1912) – Correct dates for James are 1832-1913 | Silas Wright 1834-1916* | William Allen Wright (1836 – 1926) | Sarah Ellen Wright Hammond (1838 – 1880)*  | and stepson Robert Gay

*At differing times, Silas lived with his daughter Missouri Thomas who resided both in Sibley and Independence, Kansas.

James and Harriett also had two sons who died early in life and do not have markers nor Find A Grave memorials:  William:  April 1823 – August 12, 1833, Chillicothe, Ohio and Joseph:  April 1841 – January 27, 1842, Chillicothe, Ohio.

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