I have been working on my family tree for the past couple of years. What I thought would be a simple tree with mother & father listed and so forth has turned into quite an amazing journey through history with several discoveries. Rather than relay my discoveries through emails to family members, I have decided to share them here and you can read them at your leisure.
I began the research for a few different reasons. I had heard the stories that we, on my mother's side of the Wright family, were related to Commodore Isaac Hull (1773-1843), commander of the USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides. Originally, the story was that he was a great-great etc grandfather. However, quick research eliminated that rumor since the commodore did not have any children. I have not been able to make the connection to Isaac but I have found my 3rd great-grandfather is a Hull. John M. Hull (1810-?) to be precise. Born in New York and married to Sophia Kelley (1815-?). The 1850 census listed him as merchant who owned property valued at $8000. A decent sum in those days. The 1860 census narrows his business ventures down a bit and tells us he was an iron dealer to the railroads that were becoming the veins of this country as the industrial revolution took hold.
The second Wright family lore that I wanted to prove or disprove was a possible relation to William Averell Harriman, former governor of NYS, US Secretary of Commerce, and presidential hopeful in 1950's. The only connection I have found is that he shares his last name with the middle name of my maternal great-grandfather, Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1933).
Lastly, I have always identified and enjoyed my Irish heritage being in the bagpipe band and the Emerald Society but knew little about where we came from. I have discovered names in my lineage such as Scully, Hurley, Kelley, Carroll, Hickey, and Duncan. Thanks to some research done by some other family members several years back, we know that my paternal great-grandfather, Joseph Patrick Fanning (1887-1948), was born in Dublin and traveled to New York at an early age with his parents. Irish records were not well maintained and I continue to search for more information for that side of the family.
Some of the things I have learned may not be news to you. There are factoids I have learned that are items some individuals already knew, while others had no idea. Like any other family, I suppose, we have heroes and scoundrels and I hope you enjoy the discoveries I have made as I relay them through my eyes and emotions.
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