The Wright Brothers (no, the other ones)

John Guttridge Wright and Sophia Kelley Hull (my great-great grandparents) had three children. 

• William John Wright (1860-1939)
•  Madeleine Wright (1861-1932)
• Frederick Harriman Wright (1863-1993)

The previous Wright family chapter discussed the family and life of my great grandfather, Frederick Wright. This chapter will bring you to the family of his brother, William John Wright (1860-1939).

William J. Wright, the eldest of the siblings, was born in New York City in February of 1860 in the 21st Ward. The 1860 census did not include residence addresses but we do know that the 21st Ward was bounded north by E. and W. 40 St, the East River, south by E. & W. 26 St, and on the west by 6th Avenue.

By the 1880 census, William, and sister Madeleine,were living with his mother, Sophia Wright, and his grandmother, Sophia Kelley Hull (1838-1927) at 401 Third Street in Brooklyn. William's father, John, was living at 426 6th Street with Frederick for some reason. I haven't been able to find him in the 1900 census.

In between 1880 and 1909, William relocated to the Washington DC area. He had become an Episcopal minister and on October 29, 1909 married Lucy Hayden Gough (1881-1969) - 21 years his junior - at Christ Church in Chaptico, Maryland.

Christ Church, Chaptico, MD

The 1920 census tells us that William & Lucy lived at 1613 30 St NW in our nation's capital but a search of Episcopalian church records show that Reverend William was the Rector of Christ Church in 1916. Perhaps they maintained dual residences. The church apparently had them relocate once again because by the 1920 census they were living on Walnut Street, in Statesville, North Carolina and William was a minister of Trinity Church. Our last information for William was on the 1930 census where the Wright family was back in Washington DC, living at 1810 Ingleside Terrace NW. William died in January 1939. His wife stayed in Washington and lived for 30 years past her husband and died May 16, 1969 at 89 years old.

Rev. William & Lucy had two daughters, Lucy Gough Wright (1913-1995) and Madeleine H. Wright (1916-1971) - and coincidentally my grandmother's married name - both born in Maryland. While doing the research for this family I came across something quite confusing... while they had the same last name prior to marriage, they also kept popping up in searches as having the same last name, as well. I was able to determine that Lucy & Madeleine married a set of brothers.

Lucy married Ernest Douglas Birchby (1913-1980) and Madeleine married John Pinsent Birchby (1917-1976) of Kensington, MD. Ernest & Lucy had a son, Ernest, Jr. (my second cousin once removed) born in 1942 and according to internet records still resides in Kensington. I have not been able to locate any children for John & Madeleine, who relocated to Newport, Maryland. An obituary for Madeleine states that she was interred at Trinity Episcopal Church and her nickname was "Boots".

Next Wright family addition will be the story of William and Frederick's sister Madeleine.