Lemuel C. Wright

Lemuel C. Wright was born in 1837, near Moodyville, Tennessee, in what is now Pickett County, but was a part of Fentress County at the time of his birth. He was the youngest son of John Wright, who was born about 1787 in Maryland or Virginia, and died in 1864, at the head of Hurricane Creek, near Moodyville, Tennessee, and of Elizabeth (Lindley) Wright, who was born about 1797, in Maryland or Virginia, and died in Fentress or Pickett County, Tennessee, after 1880. Lemuel's sisters and brothers were as follows: Elizabeth Jane Wright, born 1817-20, in Virginia; John C. Wright, born 1818-20, in Virginia; Nancy Wright, born in 1822, in northeast Tennessee; Elkana Delaney Wright, born in 1826, in northeast Tennessee; David F. Wright, born in 1828, in northeast Tennessee; and Elihu Wright, born in 1834, in what is now Pickett County, Tennessee. During the Civil War, Lemuel was a 1st Lieutenant in D Company, 1st Tennessee Mounted Infantry, United States Army (Union Army). And, while out with a scouting group, his horse fell on one of his legs, injuring it. His occupation, in civilian life, was as a miller and as a farmer.

Soon after the Civil War ended, about 1866, he married Permelia Huddleston, who was born July, 1844, in what is now Pickett County, Tennessee. She was a daughter of Jarriott A. Huddleston and J. Caroline (Brock) Huddleston. The children of Lemuel C. Wright and Permelia (Huddleston) Wright were as follows: John A. Wright, born in 1867; Elizabeth W. Wright, born in 1869; Elihu Wright, born in 1871; Robert H. Wright, born in 1873; Nancy M. Wright, born in 1875; Charlotte Catherine Wright, born in 1877; James A. Garfield Wright, born in 1880; and Lucinda Wright, born in 1882. Permelia Wright was post mistress from 1883 to 1889, at Permelia, Tennessee; which was located 5 miles southeast of Byrdstown. Which would have been at, or near, the Moodyville.

In 1889, she and Lemuel left there with their children and moved to Alvord, Wise County, Texas; which is just northwest of Fort Worth. They lived there 3 years. Then, by October 21, 1892, Lemuel had bought 640 acres of land, which was within 2 miles of Estelline, Texas, in Hall County. Hall County is located at the southeast corner of the Texas panhandle. And Estelline, which is about 178 air miles northwest of Alvord, was located along the Fort Worth-Denver Railroad line. Permelia died there, at their home, October 8, 1893, and is buried in the Estelline Cemetery. She had been confined to her bed for 56 days, with a chronic inflammation of the stomach. Lemuel was living in Panhandle, Texas, (in the center of the Texas panhandle) on January 18, 1893. But he was back in Hall County by October 8, 1893. And he was still there October 22, 1893. He died in 1909, in Texas.

Since about 1923, or earlier, I have known that my parents and grandparents came here to Casey County, Kentucky, from Little Crab, Fentress County, Tennessee. Then, during September and October 1936, I worked for James Barnes, in Pickett County, Tenn., with James Poore, born in 1911, whom Mr. Barnes said was a 3rd cousin to me; that his mother had been a Wright. Then, about 1955, my 3 oldest sisters and I spent 2 nights with Dad's 1st cousin, Fatima Jane Wright, at Little Crab. Then, about 1978, I obtained a copy of Hogue's history of Fentress County. Then, about the first of 1980, I began corresponding with my 4th cousin, Wilma Pinckley, who lives in Jamestown, Tennessee, and started in genealogy. Since then, I've made 12 trips to Fentress County; visiting the old ancestral homeplace at Little Crab, the library in Jamestown, a total of about 45 cemeteries in the Fentress-Pickett- Overton County area, the homes of Wilma and about a dozen other relatives in that area, plus some other places. Wilma put me in communication with about 4 or 5 other cousins of mine. My folks and I have erected a new grave rock at our great-grandparents graves at Little Crab. We have located the graves of several other relatives in that area. And I have accumulated several genealogy hooks and a lot of information on our ancestors and relatives.

Also, about 1980, I saw the families of Matthew W., Mathias, Riley Matthew and John Wright listed in the 1850 Fentress County census records. Then, Wilma sent me copies of pages 307 and 308 from the history of Pickett County. I ordered the book, about January 1982, and I learned that John Wright and his folks had lived near Moodyville, and that Permelia (Huddleston) Wright had been post mistress in that area. I was determined to go into that area and locate some of those Wright relatives. And I did just that. I located Ada (Wright) Rains and 2 of her daughters. I got back in touch with James Poore. I visited the graves there of several of the relatives. And I have acquired definite proof that those Wrights are close kin to me. In fact, their ancestor, John Wright, is my ancestor too, my great-great-grandfather.

But there are a few of the Wright relatives whose graves I have not located yet. These include my father's sister Emiline (Wright) Beaty; John Wright and his wife Elizabeth (Lindley) Wright; their sons John C. Wright, David F. Wright and Elihu Wright; their grandson Charles Wright; and David F. Wright's wife, Judith (Huddleston) Wright, who died December 21, 1892, at Etter. (About 3 miles southeast of Byrdstown.) She may be buried in the Etter Cemetery, where Ada (Wright) Rains and some of the other relatives are buried. I have not really looked for her grave yet. Nor for the grave of her husband David F. Wright, my great-greatuncle.

The children of Lemuel C. Wright's oldest brother, John C. Wright, and his wife Mary Wright, were as follows: William J. Wright, born in 1843; Jesse L. Wright, born in 1846; Arissa J. Wright, born in 1846; Noah Wright, born in l818;and Martha A. Wright, born in 1850. Noah Wright married Mahala King, daughter of James King and Elizabeth (Beaty) King; Martha A. Wright married William E. Huddleston, born in 1851, son of Thomas Huddleston and Malinda (Stinson) Huddleston. I don't know who the others married, nor what Mary Wright's maiden name was.

The children of Lemuel C. Wright's brother, David F. Wright, and his wife Judith (Huddleston) Wright were as follows: Patience Wright, born in 1854; Martha Wright, born in 1856; Samuel W. Wright, born in 1858; Moses L. Wright, born in 1860; Elam C. Wright, born in 1862; and David M. Wright, born in 1864. I don't know who any of them married.

The children of Noah Wright were as follows: David B. Wright, born 1868; John Allen Wright, born 1869, married "Little Katie" Boles; James E. Wright, born 1871, married Easter Ann Beaty; Dillard Wright, born 1876, married Matha Buck; and Hilary Wright, born 1888, married Garfield Turner. Martha A. Huddleston's children were: John, Alice and LeAnn.

by Roscoe Hollis Wright
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This page was last updated on 09/19/98.