General Notes

[Expert Mike Wright's Opinion on Deacon Samuel Wright and the Wright's in general. The following  are e-mails he sent to me and other researchers.]

Samuel probably married about 1625 or 1626 to Margaret ??

Samuel Jr. (m. Elizabeth Burt)
Margaret (m. #1 Thomas Bancroft; (m. #2? Thomas Bliss?)
Hester (m. Samuel Marshfield)
Lydia (m. #1 Lawrence Bliss; m. #2 John Norton; m. #3 John Lamb; m. #4George Colton)
Mary (m. John/Jonathan Taylor)
James (m. Abigail Jess/Jese/Jesse) (Wright Brother's ancestor)
Judah (m. #1 Mercy "Mary" Burt; m. #2 Sarah Woodford)
Helped (Died in infancy or Died young?)

[As far as we know, Deacon Samuel Wright did not have a Benjamin or a Hannah Wright.

*Deacon Samuel Wright m. Margaret ? around 1625/1626 in England. Deacon Samuel was b. ? in England and D. Oct. 17, 1665 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA. Deacon Samuel Wright was one of the first settlers of Springfield, Hampden County, MA and came to that place about 1636 in the company of William Pynchon, and others, from Eastern Massachusetts, who were intent on settling the area for its rich trade and fertile land.  He removed up the Connecticut River to Northampton about 1656 or 1657.  Deacon Samuel Wright Sr. was a Puritan from England, who came to America, ca.1636, and was the ancestor of many of those in western MA. It is said that both his father's and grandfather's name was John, and that they lived at a place called Wrightsbridge, co. Essex, 40 miles East of London.  Upon first arriving in New England, he may have lived in some town at the Bay, as did most of the early settlers, but soon removed to Springfield with the Wm. Pynchon party.  Springfield, originally called by its Indian name "Agawam," until 1640, was surrounded by tribes of savages.  It was the only English settlement in MA, west of Boston and vicinity, and perhaps contained not over 10 or 15 families when Deacon Samuel, and family, came and settled on what is now Main Street, a little below where now stands the historic First Church.  The first record of his presence in the settlement comes in the first jury note in the Agawam court records dated Nov. 14, 1639.  This entry reveals that he served on the Jury, hearing cases between John Woodcoke and John Cable and between William Pynchon and Thomas Merricks.  His fellow jurists included a number of the other original inhabitants of the town, Henry Smyth, Jehew Burr, Henry Gregory, John Searle and Samuell Hubbard.  Here, also, in 1639, he is mentioned in the town records as having been called upon as Deacon of what is one of the 1st churches organized in the states to serve as minister to the flock, "…exhorting the people until such time as another could be got for the job…".  Dea. Samuel  removed, in 1656, to Northampton, where his son Samuel Jr. had preceeded him, and was one of its selectmen that year. On Oct. 17, 1665, Dea. Samuel "died while sleeping in his chair" according to a 1666 record of the event.  Deacon Samuel Wright's Sr.'s parents are believed to be John Wright and Martha Castell.  John Wright, Esq. was an influential London barrister who served as a clerk of the House of Commons, and who came to some note in 1612 due to his authorizing signature being affixed to certain publications of the House of Commons that railed against fiscal and religious policies of James I.  (See endnote below) If the connection to John Wright, Esq. is true, then Dea. Samuel's paternal grandfather was Lord John Wright of Wrightsbridge, co., Essex, England, who was granted arms, June 6, 1590, by Elizabeth I, and was one of the Protestants in the House of Lords who supported Elizabeth, and later James I, in their religious policies.  The Deacon's wife, Margaret was b. ? in England and D. July 24, 1681 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA. Her parents are not known for sure.  Deacon Samuel and Margaret had at least 8 children. They were Samuel Jr. (m. Elizabeth Burt)), Margaret (m. #1 Thomas Bancroft; m. #2? Thomas Bliss?)), Hester (m. Samuel Marshfield)), Lydia (m. #1 Lawrence Bliss; m. #2 John Norton; m. #3 John Lamb; m. #4 George Colton)), Mary (m. Jonathan Taylor)), James (m. Abigail Jess/Jese/Jesse)), Judah (m. #1 Mercy "Mary" Burt; m. #2 Sarah Woodford)) and Helped (died in infancy/or died young)). (*Note-It is thought that Deacon Samuel and Margaret did not have a daughter Hannah but she may have been a niece. Because of the confusion many researchers connected to her have Deacon Samuel Wright and Margaret ? as her parents.)(*Note- The Deacon's connection to this important English Puritan family (Lord John Wright of Wrightsbridge co., Essex, England) has not been conclusively proven.  However, it is currently a far better proposal than previously speculated English parentage (eg. Nathaniel & Lydia (James) Wright, John Wright, Esq.'s younger brother)).