Rachel Stafford and William Wright

7.  Rachel Stafford³  (William¹) Born 01 September 1786¹ in North Carolina² was the daughter of William Stafford;³  died 14 July 1864 in Fairfield Township, Highland County, Ohio and is buried in the Fairfield Quaker Cemetery;¹ married William Wright on 27 June 1805 in Highland County, Ohio.^3,4 Census records for William and Rachel suggest they never left Highland County, Ohio.^2,5,6,7,8  In 1850, the 67-year-old William was described as a farmer in Fairfax Township in Highland County, Ohio, who was born in Virginia. He was apparently very successful considering that his real estate was valued at $12,000, which is quite substantial for that time.  The valuation of many of the neighboring farmer's real estate was valued at a 10th of the property held by William and Rachel Wright.  In 1850, William and Rachel's household included a single 24-year-old woman, Hannah Wright --presumed to be their daughter, two single young men named, Jonathan Dutton and Wallace Galespey and themselves.²  Additional evidence is needed to determine if Hannah is their daughter.  It is not known if Jonathan and Wallace were hired men or if they were relatives.  Both were described as farmers rather than farm laborers.²

No research has been done in the other record groups for either William Wright or Rachel Stafford.  The listing of their burial record in Fairfield Quaker Cemetery provides evidence either or both may have been Quakers and that the Fairfield Quaker Records may be the next step to learn more about William and Rachel Wright.

Analysis of Census Records:

Since the cemetery transcriptions indicate William and Rachel Wright died between 1860 and 1870, we would not expect to find them in the 1870 census.  A check of the Ancestry 1870 census index supports the cemetery transcription information as no elderly, William or Rachel Wright were found in Highland County, Ohio fitting this couple's description.

In 1860, there are three Wright households enumerated in Fairfield Township in Highland County, Ohio on the same page that William and Rachel Wright are listed. Also living in their household appears to be another younger family, Dennison and Hannah Barrett with three Barrett children.  It is possible that Hannah is the William's daughter since two of the children are named for William and Rachel Wright.⁵

The neighborhood where William and Rachel Wright lived in 1850 again has three Wright families living close by one another.^2,10,11  Since these three families appeared in both 1860⁵ and 1850² census records in close proximity to one another, it is worthwhile to look closely at their data.  The household immediately after William and Rachel Wright is the John Wright family.  The household is composed of the following members:

• John Wright, 32 years old, born in Ohio [birth year would have been 1818; therefore could be William and Rachel's son or nephew]

• Ann Wright, 28 years old, born in Ohio

• Joel Wright, 8 years old, born in Ohio

• William Wright, 5 years old, born in Ohio

• Levi Wright, 2 years old, born in Ohio

Research in probate records might provide evidence to support the conclusion that John Wright is William's son.  Another Wright family was enumerated just two households before William and Rachel Wright on the 1850 census.²  This family is headed by David D. Wright.  The composition of his household is as follows:

• David D. Wright, 49 years old, born in Tennessee

• Ruth Wright, 47 years old, born in Virginia

• John Wright, 19 years old, born in Ohio

• Jane Wright, 16 years old, born in Ohio

• Anna Wright, 14 years old, born in Ohio

• David Wright, 11 years old, born in Ohio

• Eleanor Wright, 9 years old, born in Ohio

• William D. Wright 2 years old, born in Ohio

• Rachel Wright, 7/12 year old, born in Ohio

• Hannah Wright, 90 years old, born in Virginia

Close examination of the information about William and Rachel Wright suggests that David D. Wright is probably not William Wright's son due to their ages.  In 1850, David D. Wright was 49 years old indicating he was born in 1801,² which is prior William and  Rachel's marriage which occurred in 1805.⁴  It is possible that David D. Wright could be a nephew or brother to William Wright.  It is interesting to note that both households have a woman named Hannah Wright living with them.  In David's household Hannah is 90 years old¹¹ and the Hannah in William's household is 26 years old.²  Although, it could be coincidental, it is possible that the younger Hannah was named for the older one indicating a relationship.  The 90-year-old Hannah was born in Virginia,¹¹ which also lends support to the idea of a connection between both families.  Another clue may be that David D. and Ruth Wright named their youngest daughter, Rachel, possibly after William's wife, Rachel.

The presence of the other households in Fairfield Township headed by men with the Wright surname help to identify the correct William Wright's household in 1840.  David  or David D. Wright is enumerated immediately above William Wright, suggesting that this is the correct neighborhood and the same families that are listed in 1850 and 1860.  William's 1840 household⁶ consists of the following people:

• a man and woman, both aged 50-60 [birth years = 1780-1790]

• 3 females between the ages of 10-20 [birth years = 1820-1830] - Hannah could have been one of these females.

• 2 males 15 to 30 years of age [1810-1825] - John Wright could have been one of these males.

The 1840 census indicates that William may have had another son and 2 daughters that remains nameless at this time.

Following this family through the census records in reverse chronological order brings us to the 1830 census.⁷  Again we find a William Wright family in Fairfield Township in Highland County, Ohio.  William's household at that time had the following individuals:

• a man and a woman, both aged 40-50 [birth years = 1780-1790]

• 1 girl 10-14 [birth years = 1815-1820]

• 1 girl 5-9 [birth years = 1820-1825]

• 2 girls < 5 [birth years = 1825-1830]; Hannah may have been one of these girls

• 1 male 20-29 [birth years = 1800-1810]

• 1 male 15-19 [birth years = 1810-1815]

• 1 male 10-14 [birth years = 1815-1820]; John may have been this boy.

• 1 male 5-9 [birth years = 1820-1825]

The identity and relationship of these people to William and Rachel Wright has not been determined and needs to be researched.

The earliest census available for Ohio is the 1820 census.  In 1820, the census taker recorded the following household members for William Wright's household:⁸

• 1 free white male 26-44 [birth years = 1775-1794]

• 1 free white female 26-44 [birth years = 1775-1794]

• 1 free white female 10-15 [birth years = 1804 - 1810]

• 1 free white female < 10 [birth years = 1810-1820]

• 1 free white male 10-15 [birth years = 1804 - 1810]

• 3 free white males < 10 [birth years = 1810-1820]

This branch of William Stafford's line ends with Rachel Wright nee Stafford.  At this time no further research of this line is planned.