The Shells of Pigeon Creek Genealogy Web Site
The ancestors, descendants, and cousins of the Shells of Pigeon Creek, Alabama.
Notes for James Wright
According to the Warren County, North Carolina Tax List of 1779, James and his brother Jesse are heads of adjoining households in the Hawtree Creek area, just across the Roanoke River from the Pigeon Roost community. Warren County Tax Lists show James Wright's household through 1783. Where he and Lucy were living from 1784 to 1799 has not been established. By 1799 they were living in Newberry District, South Carolina where James bought land from Thomas Joy. He bought additional land from Zaccheus Wright in 1811, Thomas Boyd in 1816, Robert Park in 1816, and John Caldwell in 1823. He sold land to David McConnell in 1813, George Smith in 1815, and Hezekiah and Rebecca Jackson in 1816.
Newberry Co. Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.
The Ellis Line from Surry-Sussex in Virginia, Dixie L. McCrary, 1978, p. 36.
A Time Line for James Wright in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina
by Elsie L. Wright
Before1771: Travelled to America - probably with father, mother and brothers.
1771: William Shell, Lucy (who later married James Wright) Shell's father, settled on lands along Pigeon Roost Creek in Brunswick CO., VA. This was adjoining Bute (which was later Warren Co.) NC. In the Tax List, Bute Co., N.C., 1771, we find John Write, Sr., James ditto (Write) and Jesse ditto (Write), sons. (Sally Parker Shell, 1997)
1774: James Wright and Lucy Shell are married on January 23, 1774.
1775: James and Lucy's first child, William Wright is born January 29.
1776: Revolutionary War: According to Barbara Harrell, James Wright provided supplies for the American Army and thus is named a Patriot for this service. Additionally, Ellyn Fill documents that James rendered civil service in Old Bute County.
1777 May 13: At an Inferior Court and Sessions of the Peace held for the county of Bute at the Buffaloe the 13th day of May, 1777, being the second Tuesday thereof. A deed from Travis Reese to James Wright was proved by the oath of Henry Sturdivant a Witness thereto and on Motion the same is Ordered to be Registered. (Brent H. Holcomb, p. 241)
1777 May 15: Joseph Wright is appointed Overseer of the road from Robinson's road to the County Line near Blacks ferry, and order that he keep the same in repair with the hand of Henry Sturdivant, Henry Fitz, James Wright, Jesse Wright, William Pattershall, Travis Rees, John Pope, Anthony Richard Ballard, Joseph Pattershall, Benjamin Ellis, David Towns, Thomas Grover, Richard Sturdivant. (Brent H. Holcomb, p. 248)
1777: According to the family Bible, January 13 daughter, Amelia (Milly) Wright was born in Bute County.
1779: Tax list Warren Co. lists James and Jesse Wright as heads of households which adjoin the Hawtree Creek area: "James Wright - property valued at 902'8 (902 pounds 8 shillings); Jesse Wright - 170'; Moses Wright 472'8; Sarah Wright - 802'16; William Wright - 6380'." This is just across the Roanoke River from the Pigeon Roost Community. (Jim Hecht, Warren County, Virginia.)
1779 Jan 7: According to the family Bible, son Joseph Wright was born in Bute County.
1780: Tax lists for Hawkins District (districts sometimes named for militia commander of the time): "James 1144'; Jesse 200'; Sarah (called "Old" in records 870'16'2." (Jim Hecht)
1781: Tax lists for Hawtree District: "James Wright 173'; Jesse Wright 1300', John Wright 700'; in Smith's Creek District Simon Wright 476'; and in Capt. John Colclough's District, John Wright (no value shown)." (Jim Hecht)
1783: James Wright's household on the Warren County Lists through 1783.
1783 Jan 9: According to the family Bible, son, Zacheus was born in Bute Co., North Carolina.
1787 Feb 12: According to the family Bible, daughter Elizabeth was born on February 12, 1787 in Brunswick Co., Virginia.
1788: James Wright shows up again in the 1788 tax list for Sixpound District with no land and one FP (there is no knowledge of what FP stands for), and he is listed next to John this time. (Jim Hecht)
1790: In 1790 Virginia Census, James 45, Lucy 34, children: William 15, Zaccheus 7, Elizabeth 3, Mary 2.
1792 Nov 9: According to the family Bible, Lucy was born in Bute County.
1797: According to the family Bible, son James Wright, Jr. was born on June 29 and died on September 17 in Bute County, North Carolina.
1798: In 1798 James and Lucy Wright moved to South Carolina and settled in Newberry County.
1799: Began Tranquil Church in 1799. "The Wright and Shell families helped established Tranquil Methodist Church in Newberry and later moved to Turin, GA; changed from Tranquil Church to Turin where Wrights and Shells are buried. Sometimes called Wrights Crossroads." (Thomas Pope. The History of Newberry County, South Carolina, p. 323.) "Tranquil was first built in 1799 and the first members were Wrights, Shells, Browns, and Seymore families from Virginia who became Methodists in their native state." (Annals of Newberry, p. 701.)
1808: Petitions for Citizenship. James Wright, 1808, Ireland.
1808 Nov 3: According to the South Carolina Naturalization (1753-1850) Record, James Wright naturalized 1808 in Newberry after 10 years residence. (Thomas Pope. The History of Newberry County, South Carolina, p. 323.)
1811: James brought land from Thos. Joy and Zaccheus Wright. (Newberry County Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.)
1813: James sold land to David McConnell. (Newberry Co. Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.)
1815: James sold land to George Smith. (Newberry Co. Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.)
1816: James sold land to Hezekiah and Rebecca Jackson. (Newberry County Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.) James Wright bought land from Thos. Boyd and Robert Park. (Newberry County Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.)
1823: James bought land from John Caldwell. (Newberry County Index to Deeds, Grantors and Grantee, 1776-1843.)
1823: Records will. (Last Will and Testament, Newberry County, South Carolina Courthouse Records, Package 149, Box 60, Estate 1546, page 249.)
"Mentioned in the will of James Wright are 7 black names found recorded in this Bible on a flyleaf with the date of 1817: Lucy b. 6/4/1793; Hager b. 10/18/1811; Moses Andrew b. 7/29/1813; Esther Jane b. 10/7/1815; Peter Harvey b. 10/15/1819; Benjamin Allen b. 1/25/1820; Rebecca Antonett 11/3/1830." (Jeanette Holland Austin. Georgia Bible Record: Mary Wright Shell Bible. 1986. Gadsden Public Library.)
1824: Lucy Wright Dies
1825: James Wright Dies.
According to Virginia Marin of Greenville, South Carolina (richmond01@@webtv.net, 1999), a descendant of James Wright through his son Zaccheus writes: "A notation in my grandparents' Bible states that James Wright was a native of Ireland. My great-grandfather, Robert Zaccheus Wright (called R.Z.) heard many times from his father, James Marian, that his grandfather, James Wright had come here from the old country. After the death of James' wife Lucy (nee Shell), he went to Clinton, S.C., (today, Jalapa - an area where the Old Tranquil Church is located - is just south of Clinton and a "tobacco spit" from a stop in the road called Joanna. It used to be called Goldville, because there was a very lucrative gold vein in the area, which was played out. Little bit on you come to Newberry. Newberry is about 20 minutes from Clinton by car.) to be with his son Zaccheus, as he, James, was not well. He reportedly had a "shaking disease," probably Parkinson's or a form thereof. He died in Clinton at his son's home after about five months and was buried at the Old Tranquil Cemetery in his Newberry District. No mention is made in the Wright Bible to the parents of James, which leads one to believe that they had already died, whether here or in Ireland.
Elsie Wright. Elsie Wright File (ELW.rtf received June, 1999). Jacksonville, Alabama.
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