Name: William Wright145 
   Born: 25 Mar 1761
  Place: Rowan County, NC
   Died: 1840
  Place: prob Medora, Jackson County, IN
 Buried: 
  Place: Wright Cemetery, Jackson County, IN145 
Y-Haplo: R-FT357952

William is sometimes said to have been born in Guilford county, North Carolina but Guilford did not exist until 1770, having been cut from Rowan and Orange counties in that year. It may be true that he was born in that part of Rowan that later became Guilford but stating that he was born in Guilford would be as inaccurate as saying that his father was born in the United States. There was, of course, no such thing circa 1730. The fact is that if a researcher wished to look for records related in any way to William's birth (a deed for his father in 1761, for instance), they'd look at records for Rowan (possibly Orange) county.

I have often seen William referred to as "William R Wright" in family group sheets and the like. In fact, I have yet to see him referred to as such in any primary record. So far as I know, he had no middle name, as was common with Americans born before the 19th century. In a June 2009 email, Michael J Wright of Jackson County,. Indiana says, "out of the over 100 or so source references to William, I have found no 'R'." However, based on the article below by Grant Wright, I'm tempted to take the initiative and assign to William the fictitious appellation of William "Red Cap" Wright. Historians do it, why can't we?

The O'Byrne text,¹⁰⁴ page 391, states that William Wright was born 25 March 1760. However, the website for the Indiana State SAR¹⁴⁵ has a picture of a gravestone clearly stating that his birth date was 25 Mar 1761, as stated in his pension record (see below). Unless good evidence is found, the 1760 date should be considered erroneous. For all we know, it could have been nothing more than a typo.

The following is taken from J. P. Dick, pages 40-41.¹⁰³ The source is cited as "Mrs. Harvey Morris, Salem, Indiana." Additional military service information is found at the SAR website [local mirror].

William Wright enlisted in the Revolutionary War, Dec., 1780 and served in John Litteral's Carolina Regiment about the time of the surrender of Cornwallis. He also served a few weeks as substitute for Philburt Wright. (Probably not his brother, then thirteen years old.)

He moved to Ky. in 1800, lived there nine years, then moved to Washington Co., Ind. "He applied for pension Sept. 26, 1832, rate $30 per annum, commenced Mar. 4, 1831. The last pension check was paid July 5, 1839." (From letters from Veteran's Adm. and the Gen. Acc. Office. The first one states that his brother Amos was living in Washington County, Ind., in 1832.)

Patra Goss, Rising Star, Tex., Page 139, says that William Wright, her great grandfather, furnished his own arms, money, horse and everything he used in the war. Phoebe Wright-Hill, daughter of West Lee Wright and granddaughter of William, kept the silver buckles that he wore on his shoes in the Revolution. Page 127.

William Wright and family lived on their farm three miles south of Salem, Ind. He and his wife are buried in the Philburt Wright Cemetery.

From page 18 of the same book:

A government stone marker was placed at his grave by the Christopher Harrison chapter of the D. A. R.

Drew Wright visited the Philbert Wright Cemetery in 2007 and took this photograph of the marker. He believes it was erected after 1914. Note the incorrect year of death.

"Government marker" installed possibly post 1914

In other words, there are two stones for William. The marker at the Philbert Wright Cemetery south of Salem was placed by the DAR. The stone at the Wright Cemetery in Jackson county may actually mark his gravesite and was presumably erected after the death of Martha in 1834. Michael Wright of Jackson county has taken photos of this stone. Interestingly, there is an inscription on the other side for their son West Lee Wright. The following is part of a March 2009 email I received from Mike.

I came across a cemetery book of Jackson County. In it was the Wright Cemetery west of Medora. It was logged and plotted in 1994. For William, it had a special note of "soldier of '76". This intrigued me. I wondered if that was what was inscribed in the lower LH [left-hand corner] of Wm. and Martha's stone. Sure enough, after closer examination, I realized that's what it says!...soldier of '76. I wondered if this was a common terminology when referring to soldiers of the American Revolution. I googled it, and yes it is!


Wright Cemetery, Jackson county, Indiana. Click for larger images.

Mike has also dug up a treasure trove of probate records for William, making it clear that he died in 1840,¹.

William and Martha are known to have had the following children.

Grant Wright's Bio of William

I copied and pasted the following from http://www.brunersstation.com/kissing.htm#phil. I allowed my spell checker to correct what were probably typos on the part of the unnamed transcriber. It's not clear to me from where the article originated. The author, Grant Wright, was a son of Philburt Wright, a great grand-nephew of William's who remembered him and his small red cap.

WILLIAM WRIGHT
By Grant Wright

WILLIAM WRIGHT, son of Richard and Ann or Nancy Jane Wright was born Mar. 15, 1761. (Authority) Pension claim 1601 16301 in Washington, D.C. he was of English descent. William Wright and his wife lie buried in the Philburt Wright cemetery, located on State Highway 135 about 3 miles south of Salem, Ind. on the Philburt Wright farm. I placed a marker on his wife's grave a few years ago. I had the name Elizabeth put on the marker. My father remembered William Wright. He wore a little red cap and I think he died at his son Arvin's on the farm where I own. And there is a D.A.R. marker at his grave. William m. Martha Morgan who was called Patsy, she was b. in N.C., Aug. 8, 1768, and d. in Ind. Sept, 17, 1834. Until recently we thought her name was Betsey, and it is put this into records of D.A.R. and S.A.R. The Bible of her son West Lee Wright gave her name Martha. Mrs Harvey Morris of Salem, Ind. searched records to determine her name, she found a deed from William Wright and Marthew his wife to Wiley Johnson dated Nov. 18, 1832. Wright sold N 1/2 S.W. 1/4 Sec.32.- 2 N. 4E for $600, the name should have been spelled Martha. Martha was the daughter of James and Mary Morgan. Martha was sometimes called Patsey, she was buried by her husband. William Wright enlisted in Randolph Co. N.C., sometime in Dec. 1780 and served three months as private in Capt. James Robinson's Co. Col John Litteral's N.C. Regiment. He served a few weeks later as substitute for Philburt Wright 3 months in Rowan Co., N.C. and served 3 mo. in Capt. William Grey's Co. Col. Thomas Dugans regiment. This last service being about the time of the surrender of Cornwallis.

William moved to Ky. in 1800, lived there 9 years, then moved to Washington Co. Ind. He applied for a pension Sept. 26, 1832, and it began with March 4, 1831, amounting to $30 per annum. The information in this paragraph came from letters from the Veteran's Adm. and from the Gen. Ace. office both in Washington, D.C. the first letter states that his brother Amos was living in Washington Co. Ind. in 1832. William's granddaughter Phoebe Wright Hill of Medora, Ind. has the silver buckles he wore in the Revolution. Patra Goss says he furnished everything he used in the war, arms, money, and horse.

William was a farmer, and owned land adjourning that now belongs to Grant F. Wright. Children of William and Martha or Nancey Morgan Wright, birth dates from West Lee Wright Bible:

3-1 Elijah Wright, b.Jan. 11, 1788
3-2 Selah Wright, b. July 20, 1793
3-3 Samuel Wright, b. Jan. 10,1796
3-4 Sarah Wright, b. Sept. 1, 1797
3-5 Arvin Wright, b. Feb. 10, 1799
3-6 Morgan Wright, b. Nov. 20, 1801
3-7 West Lee Wright, b. Feb. 12, 1803
3-8 Betsey Wright, b. Au. 29, 1804

Pension Record of William Wright

I've transcribed here only the letter from A D Hiller of the National Archives in response to Mrs Stroope's inquiry. Please see the digital copies of the nine pages of William's full record.

William Wright S. 16301 BA-J/AWF

Mrs. R. B. Stoope
7520 Stewart Ave
Chicago, Illinois
Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regards to William Wright, born March 25, 1761, enlisted in the War of the Revolution in Randolph County, Indiana.

The data furnished herein were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 16301, based on the military service of William Wright in the Revolutionary War.

William Wright was born March 25, 1761, place not stated, nor were the names of his parents given.²

William Wright enlisted in Randolph County, North Carolina, sometime in December, 1780, and served three months as private in Captain James Robinson's company, Colonel John Litteral's North Carolina regiment. He served a few weeks later as substitute for Philburt Wright, three months in Captain James Ranes' company, and in several skirmishes with the Tories. He moved to Rowan County, North Carolina, and served three months in Captain William Gray's company, Colonel Thomas Dugan's regiment, this service was about the same time of the surrender of Cornwallis.

He moved to Kentucky in 1800, lived there nine years, then moved to Washington Country, Indiana.

The soldier, William Wright, was allowed pension on his application executed September 26, 1838, then a resident of Washington County, Indiana.

Amos Wright, brother of the soldier, was a resident Washington County, Indiana in 1832.

The papers on file in this claim contain no reference to wife or children of William Wright, nor was it shown that Philbert Wright for whom he served as substitute was a relative.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of person paid, and possibly the date of death of this pensioner, you should apply to The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D. C., and furnish the following:

William Wright
Certificate # 5104
Issued February 4, 1833
Rate $30.00 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1838
Indiana Agency

Very Truly Yours A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

William Wright Homestead

The following was written and sent to me in October 2007 by Drew Wright.

William Wright took out two land patents in Washington County, In.

1. 7/29/1813. SW ¼ Sec. 32, T2N, R4E. 160a
   Tract is in Washington Township. This was immediately west of Philbert Wright Homestead. He sold this 80a of this 160a to his son in law, John Cooley, on September 28, 1825 when he was 64 years old. Deed listed wife as "Marthew". John & Celia Cooley sold this tract to John Brewer on March 3, 1846. He then sold the other 80a to Wiley Johnson on November 5, 1832 when he was 71.
2. 3/9/1815. NW ¼ Sec. 5, T1N, R4E 160a
   This was immediately south of Tract #1 Both tracts lie on east bank of Blue River. Tract was in Jackson Township (now Pierce Twp.) He sold this 160a his son in law, John Cooley, on February 16, 1816. Deed listed wife as "Patsy" John and Celia Cooley sold this tract on date presently unknown to me.

Therefore William Wright et ux did not own land in this area after fall of 1832. I wonder if he then bought land in Carr Township in Jackson Co., IN or moved in with one of his children in Jackson Co., IN.