Table of Contents for Jefferson County, Georgia and Genealogy Site

Included in the LeConte manuscript in the Rare Books and Manuscript Section of the University of Georgia Library is a letter from John Wright, of Monaghan, Ireland, dated May 3, 1804 to his daughter, Mrs. Jane Wright Bothwell, widow of Rev. David Bothwell. A copy of the letter was given to Mr. LeConte by the late Miss Louisa M. Wright, who was Judge of the Probate of Jefferson County. Parts of the letter are quoted:

Care of the Post-Master in Louisville, State of Georgia, America, Favor of Mr. John Hogan

Two days ago I recd. yours of the 20th of Novr. & 29th of Janry last, as likewise all you mention sent to your brother and I, either by you or Eben, since the deth (sic) of Mr. B. for which you have my warmest thanks, these letters are like Ezekiel's Roll, full of Lamentation mourning & woe - all of women born are sure heirs to the mothers' throes, in this shape or that.

You are in a Land of Liberty, & plenty, sitting under your vine & fig tree & none to make you afraid; and if you are elated with Riches, you are not depressed with poverty, you have food and Raiment...It gives me great pleasures to think you are an Exercised Christian & that God in his provance (sic) has raised so many Christian respectable friends to you in the wilderness, be thankful for them.

My sons, Eben, John, James & David, see that you are obedient to your mother...There was a Mr. John Patterson Junr. Inclosed a letter to me, requesting me to forward it to a Jas. Wright near Carcintcel, which I did, thro' the Rev. Jno. Bridge. Jas. Wright came up to me and you may let Mr. Patterson know that he is alive and well, that he appears to me to be in middling good circumstances and was very glad to hear from Mr. Patterson and promised to write to him. When Mr. Patterson writes again, Let him direct to James Wright of Raheghey, Care of Revd. John Bridge, Dunganon, Ireland.

Let Mrs. Widow McBride know that her Brother, Mr. Findly is alive and well; That him and I was talking shortly that was very glad to hear from her. He is in middling good circumstances and lives near Glascough.

Arthur Patterson is alive, but very old and frail. I have not seen him this long time; you may let his daughter know that him and her brothers are all alive, living near Castle Shane and in middling good circumstances; if she wishes to write, Direct for them to my Care, or Alexr. Hall, Monaghan, Ireland, but tell any of the above to mention you and family and order their friends to let me know.

Sam London alive and well. Jno. Bodle and family well - but time and paper would fail to mention all. Old Saml. Lewis is dead, last March was a year - as to the Rosses or Ministers and c. you mention, we have very little intercource unles we meet by accident, few of them calls at the house and your mother and I are very seldom abroad - your mother had failed, does nothing that signifyes, scarcely remembers anything, or where she lays anything. She was not over three times to meeting since Novr. last; the only thing she does is to rock the cradle, or nurse little Wm. who is now about 13 months old - her and I seldom rise before breakfast, we live pritty comfortably...I have a middling state of health, mostly able to set about and go to meeting with a staff.

It would be vain for your mother or I to attempt to go to America. We are but lumber where we are, not worth carriage so far, neither could we bear the carriage....

We have had peace mostly yet, except a rebellion that broke out Dublin last Summer in which the rebels killed a Judge, Lord Killinwarden and many others or lesser note and a number of them...Rebels was killed and many of them taken and hanged afterwards. We seem to be fully prepared to attack the French if they land, and if not much afraid of them, but we may not feel the safer of that, we deserve a Scourge as well as other places, for if the French are all sinners, I am afraid we are not all saints, God only knows where it will end...Your Unkles Wright and Burns familys are all well, nothing new among them, except your cousin, Jerry Wright that is dead more than a year.

Your brother is going to Dublin and intends to send this with him, perhaps may find a vesel bound to America...do you the same, that as we are not privileged with seeing, we may have pleasure of conversing by letters with each other, in yr. next I trust you give me a full acct. of yr. Plantations, their produce, yr. mode of culture, your houses, stock, servants, soil, climate, if there is plenty of grass, the inhabitants, their dress, what you can expect with prices of the diferant kinds of victuals and produce, the price of labour and c and c... but you say these would make a history, but you can write small and close and give a hint of each. let me know if the boys should be refractory or harsh to you...You are young and may stand in need, do not put all in their power (corupt nature is the same in all countryes) but God is all sufficient...I have all your letters and it is a feast )now and them) to yr. mother and I to read them. I am, yr. afft. father, (sighned) John Wright.

If you send over Eben with a venture of cotton, it might be in his favor...I intend you should get fifty pounds for yourself from me after my Demeas (sic). If you send him over I will send it with him and I will pay for his schooling while he stays, at some good school...May your and their souls prosper; my blessing and God's blessing beon you all' fare welll. (sighed John Wright.

Included with the letter was a page showing the Bothwell-Wright Genealogy. John Wright the writer of the above letter, was born July 20, 1738; his wife was May Lowther, who was born, July 25, 1737.

Jane Wright Bothwell was born January 24, 1773, and married David Bothwell on October 9, 1789. Rev. Bothwell was born in 1756. They were the parents of Eben, James, John, David, and Samuel.

There is no mention of marriages for Eben, David or Samuel. James Bothwell married Mary Gamble, and they had James Thompson, married (1) Mrs. Milledge Smith, (2) Mrs. Lockhart; Samuel Ebenezer married Anna Belle Tucker; David John married Elizabeth Neely.

John Wright Bothwell married Margaret McGill Gamble, and they had: Louise Jane, married (1) John Crooks; married (2) A. T. Scott; Mary Caroline married John W. Alexander.

Grandchildren of Jane and David Bothwell married into the Powell, Wright, Fleming, Johnson, Oates and Hudson families.

In 1808 Jane Wright Bothwell married Rev. John Renwick, who died in Newberry, South Carolina in 1849. They had three children: Rosanna, who married Dr. Henry; Eliza, who married Adam Widener, and William Renwick, born May 5, 1811.

Letter was published in the Ancestoring Through Weekly Newspaper Columns - Col. 59, 10-29-1980.

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