Ephraim Wright (1786 - 1879)

Born 18 Feb 1786 in New York

Husband of Lydia LeMunyon — married about 1810 in New York, United States of America [uncertain]

Husband of Sephronia (Sprague) Taylor — married 23 Jun 1866 in Vernon, Shiawassee, Michigan, United States

Descendants

Died 8 Oct 1879 at age 93 in Vernon Township, Shiawassee, Michigan

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^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Biography

Ephraim Wright was born in New York state the son of Edward Wright and Freelove Bennett. His birth date was estimated from his age at death to be 17 February 1786.^[1] He is listed as an heir in Freelove Wright's 1840 probate record.^[2]

Ephraim married Lydia LeMunyon by 1810 probably in New York state. Ephraim appears as head of a household consisting of a male and female each aged 16-26 on the 1810 United States Census at Farmington, New York.^[3]

Ephraim and Lydia's first four children, Diantha, Leicester, Hannah and Alonzo, were born in New York state, probably at Farmington, Ontario County. Manchester was formed from Farmington after 1820.

The Wrights moved to Auburn, Geauga, Ohio about 1819.^[4] Ephraim appeared as a head of household on the 1820 United States Census at Auburn. This household consisted of an adult male and female aged 26-45 and five children: 3-males 0-9 (Alonzo 2, Lester 6, Unknown) ; 2-female 0-9 (Diantha 7, Hannah 9).^[5] From this record, it appears there may have been a tenth child who died before the 1830 Census was taken. A biographical sketch of the family only lists nine children^[4]. The next five children were born at Auburn: Edward M., Billings O. Plympton, Maria, Laura and Morrison.

Ephraim again appears as a head of household on the 1830 United States Census at Auburn. This census record shows: 2 Males under 5 (Plympton & Edward); 1 Male 10-14 (Alonzo); 1 Male 15-19 (Lester); 1 Male 40-49 (Ephraim); 2 Female under 5 (Maria & Laura); 1 Female 10-14 (Hannah); 1 Female 15-19 (Diantha); 1 Female 40-49 (Lydia) for a household of 10.^[6] The last child, Morrison wasn't born until October of 1830.

Ephraim and family moved to Shiawassee Township, Shiawassee about 1836 where Ephraim had purchased 560 acres in Section 13 of Shiawassee Township, Shiawassee, Michigan Territory. He was elected Highway Commissioner in 1837. He also served on the first petit jury in Shiawassee county 25 November 1838.

On the 1840 United States census Ephraim is a head of a household in Shiawassee Township consisting of twelve people seven of whom are engaged in agriculture. Son Lester is a separate household in the next entry on the census page.^[7]

The 1850 United States Census for Shiawassee Township, finds Ephraim and Lydia in a household that includes son Lester and his two sons Ephraim and Eli, son Plympton and his wife Emily, granddaughter Mary Crafts and their youngest son Morrison.^[8]

By 1860 the Wrights had moved just to the east to adjacent Vernon Township where they appear on the 1860 United States Census. Again, the household is a mix of family members with grandchildren Eli Wright and Maria Hopkins in the household. ^[9]

Ephraim's wife Lydia died in January of 1866. At the age of 80, he remarried about six months later on 23 June 1866 at Vernon.^[10] His new wife was a widow, Sophronia (Sprauge) Scougle age 39, with three young sons still at home. On the 1870 United States Census, Sophronia's three sons, Isaac (19), Monroe (16) and John (14), are listed as surname Wright.^[11]

Ephraim died 8 October 1879 in Vernon Township, Shiawassee, Michigan from injuries received in a fall from a buggy.^[1] He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Vernon, Michigan.^[12]

Research Notes

There are numerous records related to property owned by Ephraim in Shiawassee County. He dealt in land speculation and often bought and sold property.

Ephraim appears on the 1880 Mortality Census - need source citation.

Because he was an early settler in Shiawassee County, references to him appear in many of the county histories.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} "Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N3NG-B8H : 12 December 2014), Ephram Wright, 08 Oct 1879; citing p 98 rn 2120, Vernon, Shiawassee, Michigan, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,363,667.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "New York Probate Records, 1629-1971," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYCR-N4Q?cc=1920234&wc=Q7P2-N36%3A213301901%2C214049301 : 28 May 2014), Washington > Minutes 1836-1842 vol C-D > image 467 of 576; county courthouses, New York.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH26-1ZS : accessed 14 January 2019), Ephn Wright, Farmington, Ontario, New York, United States; citing p. 697, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 33; FHL microfilm 181,387.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Pioneer and General History of Geauga County Ohio (N.p.: The Historical Society of Geauga Co., 1880),p. 174. Lester Wright.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHL3-DW5 : accessed 13 February 2018), Ephraim Wright, Auburn, Geauga, Ohio, United States; citing p. 94, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 91; FHL microfilm 181,397.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHGV-HRW : 9 September 2017), Ephraim Right, Auburn, Geauga, Ohio, United States; citing 261, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 131; FHL microfilm 337,942.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHYX-W88 : 15 August 2017), Ephraim Wright, Shiawassee Township, Shiawassee, Michigan, United States; citing p. 186, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 210; FHL microfilm 14,797
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MF8G-DR3 : 12 April 2016), Ephraim Wright, Shiawassee, Shiawassee, Michigan, United States; citing family 40, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MWDR-X6N : 14 December 2017), Ephraim Wright, 1860.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1} Lucille Couzynse, Early Shiawassee county Marriages 1862-1867 (N.p.: n.p., n.d.). #1290 23 June 1866 Vernon. Ephriam Wright, Vernon 80 Sophrony Scougel, Vernon, 39 A. Wright, J.C. Wright witnesses. E.T. Branch, min.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHCV-5ST : 12 April 2016), Ephraim Wright, Michigan, United States; citing p. 35, family 296, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,203
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVK7-WHZW : 13 December 2015), Ephraim Wright, 1879; Burial, Vernon, Shiawassee, Michigan, United States of America, Greenwood Cemetery; citing record ID 35634420, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

• Ancestry.com. U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010., Census Year: 1870; Census Place: Vernon, Shiawassee, Michigan; Archive Collection Number: T1164; Roll: 22; Page: 9; Line: 3; Schedule Type: Agriculture. Ephraim Wright.
• Ancestry.com. U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010., Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Vernon, Shiawassee, Michigan; Archive Collection Number: T1164; Roll: 59; Page: 25; Line: 3; Schedule Type: Agriculture. Ephraim Wright.
• Michigan Historical Commision, Michigan Historical Collection, 40 v. (Lansing, Michigan: Michigan Historical Commision, 1874), v. 3 (1881) p. 621 Mr. Ephriam Wright.
• County Atlas of Shiawassee Co., Michigan (New York: F.W. Beers & Co., 1875), p.85 Sect. 16 E. Wright.
• Where the Rails Cross: a Railroad history of Durand, Michigan. I.E. Quastler, Coronado, CA: R&I Ent., 2005. p. 14.
• Past and Present of Shiawassee County (Lansing, Michigan: n.p., no date (after 1902)), p. 155.
• History of Geauga and Lake Counties Ohio (Philadelphia: Williams Brothers, 1878), p. 196. (https://archive.org/stream/oh-geauga-lake-1879-williams#page/n297)
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 08 January 2018, 00:13), entry for Ephraim Wright(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:2C2Z-3YX); contributed by various users.