Robert N. Grant is the expert on Wright families from Southern Virginia, here's his email [log in to unmask]
Nathan W. Murphy, MA, AGŪ
Researcher and Marketing Director
Price & Associates, Inc.
http://www.pricegen.com
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From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history on behalf of Diane Ethridge
Sent: Tue 1/16/2007 10:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [VA-HIST] Early Methodist-Episcopal churches in VA
My Wright family of Brunswick Co. (and surrounding counties)., VA were early members of the M-E denomination but I haven't been able to find out just where they came from prior to VA. From what I've read, they freed their slaves & gave them the funds to return to Africa to set up the state of Liberia. Also, some of the Wrights went with the freed slaves as missionaries & died over there of tropical diseases for which they had no immunity.
Many in this Wright family left VA & went to Greene Co. OH where they started M-E churches around Xenia, OH. My ancestor, Reuben Wright, went on to Henry Co. IN to pastor a church in Knightstown, IN. At least one of his sons, James (my line), continued the ministry in IL as a "circuit-rider" preacher. My Reuben Wright married an Anna (or Joanna) Gilbert of the large Gilbert family in early Surry Co. VA area.
Since these families were large, obviously quite wealthy & influential, were early "Planters & Gentry" of the area & also quite active in the early history of the M-E denomination, I'm completely baffled as to why the information on them is so scarce. There were numerous folks in Bedford Co. VA, at this same time, of other Wrights & Gilberts, but the connection between them & mine hasn't been established even though quite a bit of research has been done on the Bedford Co. group. I've written to the Surry Co. Historical Society to inquire about "family group sheets" but was told that they couldn't do my research for me. I wasn't looking for that but just some info to help in my search.
Anyone with info or connections to the WRIGHT, GILBERT and/or COOPER families in early VA, please contact me at [log in to unmask] or post here. I would so appreciate any clue.
Thank you very much,
Diane P. Ethridge
Conroe, TX
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