WRIGHT-L Archives

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Subject: WRIGHT: Four sisters of CT & NY b 1750s
Date: Tue, 10 Dec 1996 23:21:56 GMT

To: Wright Family Discussion List
From: Lin,
Date: Tues 10 Dec 1996
Subject: The Four Sisters (no, it's not a Chekhov play)

Hello, Wright researchers!

My name is Lin, and I'm a new subscriber. I wonder if you can help me with
my Wright problem. I am trying to identify four Wright sisters who were
born in the 1750s or so probably either in Connecticut or in Saratoga Co
NY. Would you mind having a look in your Wright miscellanea files for them?

My ancestor Adrian Manville (c1749-c1845), born in Woodbury, Litchfield Co
CT, died probably in Saratoga Co NY where he lived, was married 1stly in
about 1755 to a woman whose name is disputed by Manville researchers. I am
hoping that you Wright "experts" can set us straight.

One genealogy says her maiden surname was Wright. Another says only that
she was "Polly". The Death Certificate of her son Jonas Smith Manville
(1790-1888) gives the maiden name of his mother as Maggie W-------; the
surname is obscured by a large ink blot! :-(

Maggie/Polly Wright is known to have been one of at least four sisters, and
only their married names are known. They are all likely to have been born
in the 1750s in Connecticut or in Saratoga Co NY.

WRIGHT Maggie/Polly, m Adrian MANVILLE, d 1795
WRIGHT Miss, m Mr WHITNEY
WRIGHT Miss, m William MARVIN
WRIGHT Bathsheba, m Peter BETTS, d c1856 Troy

Because Maggie/Polly died in 1795 leaving several children, the two
youngest were brought up by sisters of their deceased mother. Jonas Smith
Manville (my line), the youngest, went into the household of Peter Betts
and wife Bathsheba in Troy, Rensselaer Co NY. They seem to have had no
children of their own, and Bathsheba lived in the same household as Jonas
Smith Manville all the rest of her life. Both Peter Betts and Bathsheba
Betts left wills; Peter's names several dozen heirs-at-law, but none on the
Wright side, and Bathsheba names mainly her nephew Jonas Smith Manville and
his children. She does mention her "adopted daughter", Mrs Polly Bolt wife
of Charles Bolt, of Chenango Co NY.

Mrs William Marvin, another of these Wright daughters, took Maggie/Polly
Manville's youngest daughter Eliza Manville, b c1788, into her home and
brought her up. I do not know where this was. Eliza Manville married Edward
Dunning and had only one child of record, Lucinda Dunning.

After Maggie/Polly Wright Manville died, her widower married Patty Dyer
Waterman Cory, who had a daughter Julia Cory by her first husband. Her
Waterman family had emigrated from Rhode Island to Saratoga Co NY. Julia
Cory married Mr Dumont and settled in Switzerland Co, Indiana. She was an
authoress of some note, I am told, and lived in New York City late in life.

Does anyone recognise any of these people? We have been "stuck" on
Maggie/Polly Wright Manville's line for so long, and we'd be most grateful
if you could offer us even the tiniest clue.

Lin

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