Richard Murphy Wright
1849 - 1924 (75 years)-
Name Richard Murphy Wright Nickname Dick Birth 28 Jan 1849 Union Co, GA 
Gender Male _UID FCB4888DD2DAD4118AC4444553540000D4E1 Death 14 Feb 1924 Swain Co, NC Burial Wright Cem, Swain Co, NC Person ID I440 Marty and Karla Grant Last Modified 10 Nov 2012
Father James S Wright, b. 23 Nov 1813, Surry Co, NC d. 9 May 1902, Rhodo, Cherokee Co, NC (Age 88 years) Mother Caroline C Winfrey, b. 13 Dec 1822, Surry Co, NC d. 5 Dec 1916, Cherokee Co, NC (Age 93 years) Marriage 1837/1838 Surry Co, NC 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.
Family ID F394 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Mariah M C Stillwell, b. 15 Jun 1848, Macon Co, NC d. 9 Jun 1936, Swain Co, NC (Age 87 years) Marriage 27 Nov 1870 Macon Co, NC Children 1. Nancy Caroline Wright, b. 13 Aug 1871, Macon Co, NC (now Swain Co, NC) d. 10 Jan 1921, Buncombe Co, NC (Age 49 years)2. William A Wright, b. 1872/1873, Swain Co, NC d. 10 Mar 1932, TN (Age 59 years)3. Margaret Jura Wright, b. 16 Apr 1875, Swain Co, NC d. 11 Jan 1961, Swain Co, NC (Age 85 years)4. James S Wright, b. 9 Apr 1877, Swain Co, NC d. 7 Jun 1952, Swain Co, NC (Age 75 years)5. Richard W Wright, b. 7 Jan 1879, Swain Co, NC d. 30 Sep 1911, Swain Co, NC (Age 32 years)6. Thomas Patton Wright, b. 28 Jan 1881, Swain Co, NC d. 5 May 1971, Mecklenburg Co, NC (Age 90 years)7. Clementine M Wright, b. 2 Mar 1883, Swain Co, NC d. 25 Jun 1948, Gaston Co, NC (Age 65 years)8. Americus Erastus Wright, b. Mar 1885, Swain Co, NC d. Aft 1930, Orange Co, CA (Age > 46 years)9. John Zedwick Wright, b. 3 Mar 1887, Swain Co, NC d. Aft 1930, Orange Co, CA (Age > 44 years)10. Amanda E Wright, b. 11 Aug 1889, Swain Co, NC d. 29 Dec 1901, Swain Co, NC (Age 12 years)11. Leander A Wright, b. 23 Jan 1892, Swain Co, NC d. 5 Sep 1976, Swain Co, NC (Age 84 years)Family ID F405 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 24 Mar 2025
- !MARRIAGE:
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Photos 
Wright_Richard_Murphy_(1849-1924)_Death_Certificate.jpg Wright, Richard M (1849) TS Wright Cem (Nichole Rowland).jpg
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Notes - !NOTES:Marty Grant's 2nd Great Grand Uncle.;
!NOTES:Apparently named after his Great Grandfather Richard Murphy, perhaps more directly named for his uncle Richard Wright (don't know if his uncle had a middle name though);
!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;
!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;
!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;
!MARRIAGE:27 Nov 1870 Macon Co, NC Richard WRIGHT & Mariah STILLWELL by A.A. JUSTICE, MG;
!CENSUS:1880 Swain Co, NC PHF 184B-86-86 Nantahala Township
Richard M. Wright W M 30 M Farmer GA-NC-NC
Mariah M.C. W F 31 Wife M Keeping House NC-NC-TN
Nancy C. W F 8 Dau NC-GA-NC
William A. W M 7 Son NC-GA-NC
Margaret J. W F 5 Dau NC-GA-NC
James S. W M 3 Son NC-GA-NC
Dick W. W M 1 Son NC-GA-NC
Allen Black W M 18 Cousin Dentist GA-GA-GA
- Zadock Allen Black (c1862 GA) is Richard's 1st cousin 1x removed;
!CENSUS:1900 Swain Co., NC Nantahala # 145/146
Richard M. Wright Jan 1847 53 M 29 GA-NC-NC Farmer
Mariah? C. Wife Jun 1848 51 M 29 11-11 NC-NC-NC
Thomas P. son Jan 1881 19
Tina M. dau Mar 1883 17
Erastus son Mar 1885 15
John Z. son Apr 1887 13
Mandia E. dau Aug 1888 11
Leander A. son Jan 1892 8;
!JURY:1900 Swain Co, NC R.M. WRIGHT Paid $ 1.10 for serving;
!JURY:1903 Swain Co, NC R.M. WRIGHT Paid $ 5.10 for serving;
!CENSUS:1910 Swain Co., NC Nantahala # 58/58
Richard Wright, Head, 64 m1 40 GA-NC-NC
Mariah, wife 62 m1 40
Leander son 18 NC-GA-NC;
!CENSUS:1920 Swain Co, NC Nantahala # 194/195 pg 232B
Dick M. WRIGHT, 74 GA/NC/NC
Maria C. wife 71 NC/NC/NC;
!NOTES:See Death Certificate for more information (North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 Ancestry.com) -
http://www.martygrant.com/genealogy/wright/documentation/Wright_Richard_Murphy_(1849-1924)_Death_Certificate.jpg
- !NOTES:Marty Grant's 2nd Great Grand Uncle.;