Irish Quaker Immagrations

"Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania 1682-1750
with Their Early History in Ireland"
By: Albert Cook Myers, M.L.
Pub. by the author, Swarthmore, Pa 1902, pp. 394-398
Submitted by: Candy Carter Roth

"THE WRIGHT FAMILY"

John Wright (1) and wife Elizabeth, from Castleshane, County Monaghan, Ireland, had settled in Menallen Twp., York, now Adams County, PA, as early as 1748, and were members of Warrington Monthly Meeting. A certificate for John Wright and children, directed to Sadsbury, was granted at New Garden Monthly Meeting, Chester County, 4 Mo. 28, 1746. Their daughter Rachel, as stated in her memorial (2) 'was born at Castleshane, (3) in Ireland, in the year 1737, and removed to Pennsylvania with her parents, John and Elizabeth Wright, who, after some years, settled in York County, within the compass of Warrington Monthly Meeting.' They had nine children: I. Mary; II. Samuel; III. Rachel; IV. Joseph; V. Alice; VI. Benjamin; VII. John; VIII, Joel; IX, Jonathan.

I. - Mary, m 5 Mo. 9, 1753 at Menallen Friends' Mtg., to Samuel Hutton, of Menallen, son of Joseph Hutton, deceased.

II. - Samuel Wright, m 9 Mo. 4, 1754, at Huntington Friends' Mtg, now Adams County, Gertrude Wierman, daughter of William and Gertrude (Sietman) Wierman. He died probably about or prior to 1781, and she married secondly, William Ferguson, widower, of Menallen. She died in 1802, having had eight children by her first husband, Samuel Wright as follows:

1. John Wright, m 12 Mo. 12, 1781, at Menallen Friends' Meeting, to Ann Griffith, daughter of Thomas and Eve Griffith, of Menallen, and had seven children: Samuel, Thomas, Mary, William, Ann, John and Rachel.

[1.] Samuel Wright, b 9 Mo 27, 1783, m. 3 Mo. 28, 1804, at Menallen Mtg., Rebecca Harris, daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Harris. Children: Jacob, Thomas, Rebecca, Barbara, Mary Ann, Nathan, Melinda, Ann, and Ruth Anna.

[2.] Thomas Wright, b 8 Mo. 6, 1784, m. Anna Harris. Children: Israel, Leah, Lydia, Lucy, Harris, Hanson, Anna, Julia, and Isaac.

[3.] Mary Wright, b 6 Mo. 5, 1786, m. 5 Mo. 27, 1807, at Menallen Mo. Mtg., Jacob Harris, son of Benjamin and Mary Harris. Children: John, b 10 Mo. 9, 1808; Samuel, b 11 Mo. 25, 1810; Mary Ann, b 12 Mo. 31, 1812; Silas, b 2 Mo. 19, 1815; Rachel, b. Mo. 12, 1817; Rebecca, b. 9 Mo. 5, 1819; Ellen, b. 10 Mo. 28, 1821; William; Benjamin.

[4.] William Wright, b 12 Mo. 21, 1788, d. 10 Mo. 25, 1865, m. Phebe Wierman, daughter of William and Hanhan (Griest) Wierman, at Huntington Mtg., 11 Mo. 7, 1817. She was born 2 Mo. 8, 1790, and d. 1 Mo. 30, 1873. They were both buried near their ancestors in the graveyard at Huntington Friends' Meeting house, near York Springs, Adams Co., PA. William Wright and his wife were probably the most active and prominent agents of the Underground Railroad in Adams County, and hundreds of slaves fleeing from southern masters found rest and shelter in their hospitable home until forwarded over the Underground Railroad to the promised land of Canada. Two interesting oil paintings of William and Phebe, his wife, are (1902) in possession of the only surviving child, Mrs. Annie Phillips, of Lancaster, PA. Children: General William Wierman Wright, b. 7 Mo. 27, 1824, d. 3 Mo. 9, 1882, unmarried, buried beside his parents; Mrs. Rachel W. Day, d. 1901; Mrs. Hannah Mifflin, d. 1901; Mrs. Annie Phillips.

[5.] Ann, b. 3 Mo. 4, 1791.

[6.] John, b. 4 Mo. 8, 1793.

[7.] Rachel, m. John Farquhar. Children: Augustus, Sarah, Ann, Angeline, and Caroline.

2. Hannah, d. unmarried.

3. Rachel, m. 6 Mo. 13, 1781, at Menallen Meeting, James Hodgson, son of John and Martha Hodgson, of Berkley Co., VA. Child: James.

4. William Wright, m. Agnes Tanger. Children: Agnes and Margaret.

5. Jesse, m. first, Alice Hammond, and had one child, Samuel; m. secondly, Catharine Davis, and had one child, Jesse (m. Elizabeth Mantz. Children: Eliza and Jane).

6. Benjamin Wright, m. first, Hannah Hendricks. Went to Kentucky and married a second time.

7. Samuel Wright, m. Eve Latchew. Children: Hannah, m. Nathan Harris, and removed to Salem, Ohio; Jane, m. Daniel Minnich; William; Jesse, m. Susanna Pittendorff.

8. Phebe, m. William Ferguson.

III.- Rachel, born in 1737, at Castleshane, Ireland; died 4 Mo. 19, 1777; m. 10 Mo. 31, 1759, at Menallen Mtg., William Farquhar, jr. (b. 10 Mo. 11, 1735), of Pipe Creek, Frederick, now Carroll Co., MD, son of William and Ann (Miller) Farquhar. She became a minister of the Society of Friends. Children: Joel and James.

IV. - Joseph Wright, m. in 1761, Mary Farquhar, daughter of William and Ann. Children: William, Samuel, Moses, Elizabeth, Mary, Rachel, and Susanna.

V. - Alice, m. 1 Mo. 29, 1766, at Menallen Meeting, Samuel Hendricks, of Menallen. Children: Stephen, Elizabeth, and Hannah

VI. - Benjamin Wright, m. 5 Mo. 20, 1766, at York Mtg., York Co., PA, Jane Falkner, daughter of Jesse Falkner, of Hellam Township, York Co. Children:

1. Martha, b. 8 Mo. 10, 1767, m. Levi Hutton. Children: Benjamin, m. Beulah Harris; Jane, m. Benjamin Harris. (Children: Samuel, Martha, etc.); Samuel; Jesse.

2. John Wright, b. 9 Mo. 16, 1769, m. Susanna Griest. Children: Daniel, Benjamin, Jesse, Ann.

3. Alice, b. 11 Mo. 7, 1771, d. 7 Mo. 1777.

4. Jesse, b. 3 Mo. 30, 1774, m. in Virginia.

5. Elizabeth, b. 7 Mo. 12, 1776, d. unmarried.

6. Alice, b. 2 mo. 16, 1779, m. David McCreary. Children: Benjamin, Thomas, David, Jesse.

7. Samuel B. Wright, m. Elizabeth Harvey. Children: William H., m. Jane Cook, dau. of Henry and Mary (Way) Cook; Martha; Ann, m. Moses Price; Rebecca.

8. Benjamin Wright, m. ? Harvey.

9. Thomas Wright, m. a sister of Jesse's wife.

VII. - John Wright, b. 1739 or 1740, probably at Castleshane, Ireland; d. 6 Mo. 29, 1820; m. 9 Mo. 30, 1767, at Menallen Mtg., Elizabeth Hammond, daughter of John and Deborah Hammond. She was born in 1749 or 1750; d. 7 Mo. 23, 1824. Children:

1. Deborah, b. 6 Mo. 23, 1768; m. Jonathan Potts. Children: John, etc.

2. Elizabeth, b. 4 Mo. 15, 1770; d. 12 Mo. 24, 1846; m. Jacob Koch. Children: John, Jacob, Ruth (m. John Blake).

3. Ruth, b. 2 Mo. 1772; m. Thomas Hammond, Child: Elizabeth m. Eli Thomas, and lived in Salem, Ohio.

4. Sarah, b. 5 Mo. 1774; m. George Wilson. Children: William m. Mary Wierman; Benjamin m. Susan Wierman; Ruth m. James Wills and had two children (the late Judge David Wills, of Gettysburg, and Ruth, m. Walhay); John.

5. Rachel, b. 8 Mo. 1777.

6. Willliam Wright, b. 9 Mo. 29, 1778, d. 3 Mo. 8, 1853, m. Rachel Thomas. Children: Abel; Ellen, m. George Hewitt; Thomas, m. Charlotte Stewart; Isaac, m. Sarah Garretson; Elizabeth; Susanna.

7. Samuel, b. 4 Mo. 7, 1781.

8. John Wright, b. 4 Mo. 28, 1782; d. 12 Mo. 20, 1860; m. 10 Mo. 24, 1804, Alice Wilson. Children: Sarah, m. Enos McMillan, son of Jacob and Ruth (Griffith) McMillan; George, m. Lucy Wright; Joel; Eliza, m. Jacob B. Hewitt; Ruth; Jane; Charles S. m. 9 Mo. 30, 1846 Hannah G. Penrose.

9. Nathan Wright, b. 9 Mo. 28, 1784, d. 10 Mo. 4, 1853, m. Elizabeth Harris, 10 Mo. 24, 1810. Children: Elijah, m. Mary ?; Maria; Hiram S., m. Alice Garretson; Ruthanna; Lydia; John, m. Mary Nebinger.

10. Mary, b. 8 Mo. 2, 1790, d. 10 Mo. 1, 1844, m. Daniel Davis. Children: Uriah and Franklin.

VIII. - Joel Wright m. Elizabeth Farquhar, daughter of William and Ann Farquhar. Children:

1. Allen Wright, m. ? Ellicott.

2. Ann, m. Joseph Elgar. Two daughters: Elizabeth and Margaret.

3. Jonathan Wright, m. Mary Bateman. Children: Mahlon, Aaron, Josiah, Hannah (m. Dr. Plummer).

4. Rachel, m. Joseph Hibberd.

5. Israel Wright, m. Leah Ferree, of Lancaster County. Children: Oscar and Isaac.

6. Elizabeth, m. Jareett Cowman.

IX. - Jonathan Wright, m. 5 mo. 1770, Susanna Griffith, daughter of Thomas Griffith, deceased, and Eve [Faulkner], his wife. Removed to Ohio in 1801, and finally settled at Poplar Ridge, Fayette Co., IN. Children: Thomas, agent to the Cherokee Indians in Mississippi; Rachel, m. Benjamin Farquhar; Elizabeth, m. John Shaw; Mary; Jonathan, m. Susan Jones; Joel; Phebe, m. Oliver Mathews; Susanna; Rebecca. --- 'See Friends'Intelligencer for 2 Mo. 29, 1896, Vol. LIII., pp.: Literary Era,Vol VII, 125.

Sources of information:

(1) Meeting Records; MS. - Chart of Wright Family, made about 1840, by General William Wierman Wright, etc. - At Warrington Mo. Mtg., 10 Mo. 14, 1775, one Elizabeth Wright produced a certificate of removal from Grange, near Charlemont, Ireland.

(2) A Testimony from Pipe Creek Mo. Mtg., MD, concerning Rachel, wife of William Farquhar, Jr. -- 'A Collection of Quaker Memorials,' printed at Phila., in 1787, page 388.

(3) A Friends' meeting was established at Castleshane, 1723. -- 'Rutty, 343'

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