Marty and Karla Grant

The Genealogy of Marty Grant and wife Karla Mangus Grant.

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James S Wright

James S Wright

Male 1813 - 1902  (88 years)   Has 12 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.


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  • Name James S Wright
    Birth 23 Nov 1813  Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male
    Reference Number 44 
    _UID F4B4888DD2DAD4118AC4444553540000CC61 
    Death 9 May 1902  Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Red Marble Cem, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I436  Marty and Karla Grant
    Last Modified 16 May 2025

    Father Aaron Wright,   b. 1765/1771, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1823/1830, Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 59 years)
    Mother Mary Murphy,   b. 1770/1771, Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1850, Union Co, GA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age > 80 years)
    Marriage 16 Nov 1792  Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _UID DE066DBB876B2E4DBAD343E022463C5320C9 
    Notes 
    • !NOTES:Aaron Wright and Mary had several children according to census analysis. No Will or Estate Records have been found to prove their children. Some are proven by other sources, others are speculative:

      1. Daniel S. Wright - association.
      2. Sarah Wright - married at Aaron Wright's home.
      3. Mary Wright - not proven a Wright. See her own notes.
      4. Richard Wright - living with Mary in 1850.
      5. Minnie Wright - living with Zadock in 1850.
      6. Zadock R. Wright - named for his mother's brother-in-law Zadock Riggs.
      7. Rebecca Wright - association.
      8. Aaron Burwell Wright - association.
      9. James S. Wright - family tradition says his father was named Aaron. James came from Surry (proven), so voila.

      11. Unknown Son born ca 1800/10, home in 1810 and 1820, but gone by 1830. No clue who he might be;
    Family ID F403  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Caroline C Winfrey,   b. 13 Dec 1822, Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Dec 1916, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 93 years)
    Marriage 1837/1838  Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location 
    _UID D5E12B095BA0E548AD7DA984965C02FE5BB7 
    Notes 
    • !MARRIAGE:
      No marriage record was found for James and Caroline in either Surry or Wilkes Counties. The 1900 census lists them married 62 years, which is ca 1837/38. They were living in Surry at that time, but near on the Wilkes border.

      !CHILDREN:
      James S. Wright and Caroline C. Winfrey had 17 children as proven by the 1900 and 1910 census. Only nine of these lived to adulthood. My grandmother Luella George Grant and her sister Marynell George Lequire both told me that there was more than one set of twins who died as infants, or who were stillborn. Of the 8 children who died young, only one of them is known to us by name. The other 7 (probably including at least two sets of twins) are unknown to us. They may not have received names, or else they were forgotten over the years. Unfortunately no family bible has come to light that might have all the names and birth dates in it.

      The other 10 children are well proven by various records, including the 1850 through 1900 census, as well as family knowledge, death records, and scads of other records.
    Children 
     1. Arabella Cirkendal Wright,   b. 14 Oct 1839, Surry Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 31 Jan 1916, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     2. Martha Wright,   b. 1843/1844, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1850/1860, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 16 years)
     3. Aaron Alexander Wright,   b. 2 Oct 1847, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Oct 1907, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years)
     4. Richard Murphy Wright,   b. 28 Jan 1849, Union Co, GA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Feb 1924, Swain Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 75 years)
     5. Laura Caroline Wright,   b. 13 Apr 1852, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jun 1943, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 91 years)
     6. Emaline Rebecca Wright,   b. 15 Apr 1854, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Oct 1941, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years)
     7. Plutinie M Wright,   b. 12 Apr 1856, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Feb 1904, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 47 years)
     8. Americus Erastus Wright,   b. 18 Mar 1858, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Apr 1934, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years)
     9. Ivalee M Wright,   b. 21 May 1860, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Apr 1947, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 86 years)
     10. Media Ann Wright,   b. 30 Apr 1866, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Aug 1947, Clay Co, NC Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years)
    Family ID F394  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 21 Aug 2026

  • Notes 
    • !NOTES:Marty Grant's 3rd Great Grand Father.;

      !NOTES:B/D 23 Nov 1813 from Tombstone, Red Marble Cemetery, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC

      !NOTES:Born in Surry County, NC proven by 1860 Census.;

      !NOTES:Never found any clue as to what his middle initial "S" might be for. It is possible it was SCOTT after his mother's half brothers, but that is just a wild guess.;

      !NOTES:From "Our Heritage", Margaret Walker Freel, 1957, p 370 -
      "The Wright family is of Irish descent. The first immigrant of the Wrights in America settled in the State of KY for a period. Later the family migrated to near present Oxford, N.C., then to Surry Co. To Aran Wright was born a son by name of James."

      !NOTES:I've never seen any direct evidence that James is a son of Aaron, but it seems very likely that he is. My Great Grandmother Della Wright (1896-1982) told me that Aaron was the name of her great grandfather, so that seems to confirm it.;

      !NOTES:On 26 Jul 1977, Alton Wright interviewed and recorded my Great Grandmother Della Wright George (1896-1982). I've had a copy of the transcript since about 1980 or so. Della was a granddaughter of James S. Wright and Caroline C. Winfrey, and knew them. In the interview, she made this comment about James S. Wright and Caroline Winfrey:
      "James Wright, 1813-1902, that was my grandfather. Grandfather was real old. Sat in a corner, had a walking stick--reach over and hit our toes. That's the only way he knew to play with us, you know. Grandmother, she's always the boss. My Daddy said she was--he was always on to her for being mean to Grandfather. She was a pretty rough old gal. Everybody thought she was. She was good."



      !CENSUS:1820 Surry Co, NC pg 774 w/Aaron WRIGHT age 0-9 (1810/20);

      !CENSUS:1830 Surry Co, NC pg 146 w/Mary WRIGHT age 15-19 (1810/1815);

      !DEED:23 Jun 1837 Surry Co, NC Y-33 M.M. HUGHES and James MARTIN to James S. WRIGHT all of Surry Co, NC. Witnesses: D.S. WRIGHT, John STANLEY;

      !DEED:31 Jul 1837 Surry Co, NC W-334 James WRIGHT of Surry Co, NC to Thomas W. CARTER of Jonesville, Surry Co, NC and B.B. BENHAM of same, signed as James S. WRIGHT;

      !WITNESS: 6 Nov 1839 Surry Co, NC Deed Y-213 Caleb WINFREY to Lemuel B. JONES, Witnesses: James WRIGHT;


      !CENSUS:1840 Surry Co., NC pg 112 Caleb Winfrey age 40-49 (1790/1800)
      1000101-111202
      Analysis (who each person *might* be):
      1m 40-49 (1790/1800) Caleb Winfrey (c1799)
      1m 20-29 (1810/1820) James S. Wright (1813) son-in-law
      1m und 5 (1835/1840) Isaac Winfrey (1835) son
      2f 30-39 (1800/1810) Arabella Moody Winfrey (c1803) wife
      ..................... Eliza Moody (c1810) sister-in-law
      2f 15-19 (1820/1825) Caroline Winfrey Wright (1822) daughter
      ..................... Emaline Winfrey (1825) daughter
      1f 10-14 (1825/1830) Eliza Winfrey (1829) daughter
      1f 5-9 (1830/1835) Elizabeth Winfrey (1831) daughter
      1f und 5 (1835/1840) Arabella Wright (1839) grand-daughter;


      !DEED:22 May 1849 Cherokee Co., NC Deed Book E pp. 150-151
      James S. Wright to Franklin Killium, all of Cherokee Co., NC
      For $100
      Saw Mill three parts out of four with two acres around saw mill ...
      Excepting the farm land ...
      S: James S. Wright
      W: James Stewart


      !CENSUS:1850 Cherokee Co, NC # 915/915
      James Wright, 37 Farmer $600 NC
      Caroline, 27
      Arabella 17
      Martha 6
      Alexander 4
      Richard 1
      James Cromwell 15
      * James Cromwell/Crummell is a nephew, son of Rebecca Wright Cromwell/Crummell;


      !CENSUS:1860 Cherokee Co, NC Valleytown Dist. Valley Town PO # 891/891
      James S. Wright 45 Farmer $2200/530 Surry
      Caroline 35 "
      Orra 20 "
      Alexander 12 Cherokee
      Richard 10 "
      Laura 8 "
      Emaline 6 "
      Plutine 4
      Americus 2
      Ivlee 2/12
      Jerry Rogers 22 farm laborer, Macon;


      !CIVIL WAR 1861-1865:
      James was too old to serve in the war, though based on family tradition he was a staunch Republican and Union supporter. His sons were too young to serve. After the war James became Postmaster because he was the only one in the area who hadn't committed "treason" against the United States during the war.


      !CENSUS:1870 Cherokee Co, NC Valleytown Township, Valleytown PO # 20/20
      James Wright, 56 Farmer $1000/300 NC
      Caroline 46
      Alexander 22
      Richard 20
      Laura 18
      Rebecca 16
      Plutina 14
      Americus 12
      Ivalee 10
      Median 3;

      !NAMED: 8 Sep 1879 Cherokee Co, NC marriage of Andrew Jackson JOHNSON and Calla M. MILLER by James S. WRIGHT, Justice of the Peace;

      !NAMED:24 Dec 1879 Cherokee Co, NC Marriage of William E. MORGAN and Lilly CRUSE, by J.S. WRIGHT, JOP;


      !CENSUS:1880 Cherokee Co, NC PHF 325-43-43 Valleytown Township
      James S. Wright W M 66 M Farmer NC-NC-NC
      Caroline W F 57 Wife M Keeping House NC-NC-NC
      Plutinie W F 23 Dau S At Home NC-NC-NC
      Median W F 13 Dau S At Home NC-NC-NC


      !CENSUS:1900 Cherokee Co., NC Valleytown # 143/143
      James S. Wright, head, Nov 1813, 86 M 62 NC-NC-NC
      Caroline C. wife Dec 1822 77 M 62 17-9
      Tinnie M. dau Apr 1856 44 S
      Larra B. Rogers, Lodger, May 1886 14;

      !DEATH: 9 May 1902 from Tombstone, Red Marble Cemetery, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC;

      !TOMBSTONE:Cherokee Co, NC Red Marble Cemetery "James S. WRIGHT 23 Nov 1813 - 9 May 1902";


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