Gideon Wright and Catherine Anderson
Gideon WRIGHT (son of John WRIGHT, Sr born 1740 and unknown wife - See Wright Family) was born December 30, 1777 in NC, possibly in Bute Co.
The family was living in Warren Co. NC, after the formation of that county. On October 30,
1809,
Gideon signed a deed for his interest in a farm in Warren Co. NC. to his brother, John WRIGHT,
Jr. In 1813 Gideon married Catherine ANDERSON, daughter of Robert ANDERSON and Mary
BURNEY, and granddaughter of John and Margaret ANDERSON. She was born in NC on April
14, 1790 and came with her parents and grandparents to Sumner County when she was only six
years old. In 1814 Gideon WRIGHT bought a farm of 150 acres on Desha's Creek. He later
bought and sold other tracts of land on the same creek. Aunt Myrtle Wright Bertrand said that
they lived in a log house on the hill just south of our home, on land now (1988) belonging to
Tommy Gordon. But they had probably earlier lived in a log house on the east side of the creek in
a field now owned by Keith Myers's father-in-law, Mr. Innman.
In 1820 they appear on the census with older children and 1 male slave aged 14-26. He probably
freed this slave because in 1830 there is a Peter WRIGHT, free Negro, living near him. Negro
Peter is buried in the cemetery in our yard according to Aunt May Boles. He had no slaves in
1840 or 1850. By 1860 all children were gone and they appear on census aged 82 and 70
respectively, with real estate valued at $5250 and personal property at $3500.
In February 1833 Court Minutes show that Gideon, along with his sons William and Robert were
indicted for assault and battery on Samuel C. TYREE. William was found not guilty, but Gideon
and son Robert were fined $5 plus court costs each. Robert KILPATRICK, a neighbor signed as
security for their fines and costs. Same Court Minute Book shows that he served as a juror later in
1833.
In addition to farming, Gideon owned and operated a woolen mill, where he made wool blankets
and "woolsey-linsey" cloth, which was used for making men's pants. Other brought their wool to
be made into cloth and blankets for which they paid a percentage of their wool. This was a family
trade passed down to his sons and grandson. Son, James Porter WRIGHT, said that at age 20 he
began learning the millwright trade.
Both Gideon and Catherine were members of Shiloh Presbyterian Church.
Gideon died September 26, 1867, aged almost 90. He is buried in the family cemetery in our yard.
In 1870 Catherine was living with her grandson, John Worth WRIGHT and his wife and baby.
John worked in the woolen mill with his father, Gideon Venuel WRIGHT. Catherine died
February 20, 1873.
Children of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON are:
William WRIGHT (eldest son of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON), was born in
Sumner County, TN 28 Nov. 1814. He married first Margaret J. PATTON in Sumner County on
18 Dec. 1838. They evidently went to IL for a short time where the eldest child was born Dec.
1839. They were back in Sumner County in 1841 when William was baptized and joined the Dry
Fork C. P. Church on 22 Aug 1841, but Margaret joined Shiloh in October. Their two eldest
children were baptized at Shiloh on 28 Sept 1842.
Before 1850 they moved to Gallatin, where it is shown on the census as a "wool carder." In 1860
his occupation is shown as "wool manufacturer." His first wife, Margaret, was born 11 June 1820,
died 11 Oct 1860. On 28 June 1861 he married Jane GRIFFITH, who died 3 months later on the
8th of October. Aunt Myrtle said that his woolen mill was located on what is now Factory Street
where Genesco Shoe Factory is located. But the last location was evidently near the present
Baptist Church on East Main St. A title bond dated 1870 to the Christian Church shows the
property bounded on the east by Howard Female College, and this bond says, "same building used
by me heretofore as a woolen factory."
He was a loyal Unionist. He was elected City alderman in 1862. In 1865 he was elected to the
House of Representatives but resigned because "his conservative notions met with no favor with
the Radical majority." A very bitter southern man who had lost one son in the Conf. Army and
another son lost a leg. He was elected Mayor of Gallatin in 1868 and he was able to get his son,
G. B. appointed post master the same year.
Some time in 1862 he married his third wife, Miss Libba FERGUSON. They had a son who died
and a daughter, Betty, born in 1864. In April 1870 Libba filed for divorce. That lawsuit contains
pages and pages of testimony. It tells that the trouble began when they returned home from their
honeymoon and his daughters had stomped on her bonnet. Testimony shows that Mrs. CONKLIN
came to help care for her sister, Mrs. PARKER, at their father's home. Carrie PARKER died at
her father's home in 1868. The daughters testified that she had a violent temper and drove the
negro cook away and on one occasion "pulled out half their father's beard." Libba claimed that he
became angry at her because she paid a lady to make quilts for her said she had plenty of time to
make her own, since she had a negro cook and do the laundry for her.
When the census was taken in the summer of 1870 they were living separately, William with only
a negro servant. Libba and daughter, Betty, were living with the family of Henry M. AUSTIN, a
lawyer.
William died on 8 Nov. 1870 and is buried in Gallatin cemetery with his first two wives. Betty
married John B. COOK in 1882.
Children of William WRIGHT and Margaret J. PATTON are:
Child of William WRIGHT and Libba FERGUSON are:
James Knox Polk WRIGHT (son of William WRIGHT and Margaret J. PATTON) was born
October 24, 1847 Sumner Co. TN, died October 5, 1927 LaGuardo, Wilson Co. TN. He married
1st in 1869 to Elizabeth G. VAUGHN (daughter of Dr. Henry B. VAUGHN and Susan), married
2nd on 23 Oct. 1889 to Annie M. MCMURRAY.
Children of James Knox Polk WRIGHT and Eliz. VAUGHN are:
Children of James Knox Polk WRIGHT and Annie MCMURRAY are:
Jane S. WRIGHT (daughter of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON) born April 18,
1816 in Sumner Co. TN, died September 1894 Portland, Sumner Co. TN. Buried in an unmarked
grave at Old Ft. Head Cem. Married John MCNEELY born September 1806, died Dec. 3 1857.
Information from Mamie in 1979 Mamie was 11 when her grandmother died and remembered her
as a small lady who helped care for the grandchildren, "always seeing that they got their baths at
night."
Children of Jane S. WRIGHT and John MCNEELY are:
Robert WRIGHT (son of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON), was born in Sumner
Co. TN, on April 14, 1818. He married first Susan BARR, who was the mother of eight children.
They moved to KY, where the elder children were born, but were back in TN before 1850. Susan
BARR was born abt 1820 and died between 1850 and 1860.
He married second Amanda ANGLEA on March 5, 1860. Aunt Myrtle told us an interesting story
about "Uncle Bob" and Amanda. He was very jealous of her. One day he told her that he was
going to visit a friend, but instead of leaving hid in the back yard, under a wooden box, expecting
her to have a male visitor. But she saw him hide. She went out, killed a chicken, laid the chicken
on the box and poured boiling water over it. Of course, the boiling water ran through the cracks
and burned Bob. She then left him and went home to her family.
"Uncle Bob" was much dislike by "Pappy Wright" and his brothers, Bob, Andy and Jimmy. When
they were teenagers they sent him a valentine which they had made and which read.
In 1860, Bob, Amanda and his children lived in District 2, post office Enon College.
On 7 Sept, 1868 he married Lucy TALLEY and in 1870 they were living on Dry Fork Creek. He
was shown as aged 51, Lucy 40, and the single children Sarah 25, Mary 20, Cynthia 17, James 15,
and Susan 12. He was born in VA which is incorrect. Lucy was born in VA. In 1880 he and Lucy
and their daughter Luella age 9.
In 1883 his brother, Gideon Venuel WRIGHT, had borrowed money and mortgaged his woolen
mill to three persons, the largest lien holder being Bob. He sued his brother, after paying off the
other two people. The court awarded him the woolen mill and the farm, but Gideon appealed the
case, which was reversed in State Supreme Court. Bob got the woolen mill machinery, but
Gideon kept the farm and this house. Aunt Myrtle said that Bob took all the machinery up to his
farm and stored it and it was never used again. Naturally Gideon's sons disliked him even more
after this lawsuit.
Aunt Myrtle said that when he died, her parents were discussing sending flowers and "Pappy
Wright" said, "No, send him dog fennel." (Dog fennel is a foul smelling weed).
Children of Robert Anderson WRIGHT and Susan BARR are:
Child of Robert Anderson WRIGHT and Lucy H. TALLEY:
John M. WRIGHT (son of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON) born August 13, 1819
Sumner Co. TN, died April 19, 1865. Buried at Barr Cem, Baskerville Lane. Married 1st to Mary
WRIGHT (daughter of William R. WRIGHT? and Elizabeth SANDERSON?). Married 2nd to
Elizabeth J. PENN.
Children of John M. WRIGHT and Mary WRIGHT are:
Children of John M. WRIGHT and Elizabeth J. PENN.
James Porter WRIGHT (son of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON) was born August
18, 1823 in Sumner Co. TN, died Nov. 10, 1893 in Simpson Co. KY. He married on December
21, 1848 to Susan E. STUART (daughter of Robert STUART and Elizabeth BIBB). Susan was
born February 29, 1828, died July 24, 1877 in Simpson Co. KY. James and Susan are buried at
Pilot Knob Presby. Church Cem.
Children of James Porter WRIGHT and Susan E. STUART are:
Gideon V. WRIGHT (son of Gideon WRIGHT and Catherine ANDERSON) born July 14, 1825
Sumner Co. TN. Married Feb. 18, 1847 Sumner Co. TN to 1st Mary Catherine DOBBINS
(daughter of Thomas Carson DOBBINS and Annie BEARD. married 2nd on Nov. 24, 1875 to
Mary Lou DRANE. For information on this family see see Thomas
Carson Dobbins.
1425 Wrights
Lane
Gallatin, TN 37066
we picked you for our Valentine;
We picked you from among the dozen,
Because we know you are a hog's own cousin."