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Wright Research
Bob Wright     Ben Sessions

Callender / Cammack Research
Ed Miller

Millsaps Research
Susan Barlow Holmes    Bob Wright    Ben Sessions

Cranfield Research
Joan Montgomery     Mary Lois Hubbs

Sessions Research
Ben Sessions

Godbold Research
Ed Godbold

Wright / also spelled as Right

Elijah Wright Sr. took part in the 1805 Georgia Land Lottery and obtained a land lot through that the Lottery granted to him on January 22, 1806. For unknown reasons, he, wife Mary and family moved to Adams Co Mississippi and later settled in Franklin Co Mississippi.   (I note that their daughter Louisa, who married Charles Robinson, relocated to Adams Co Mississippi between 1870-1880, where there were several other Robinson families, most likely related to her husband) 

In the 1805 land Lottery of Georgia, Elijah Wright drew land lot 207 in the 5th land district of Baldwin County, GA. At the time he was living in Washington County. The land was granted him on January 22, 1806 (page 144 of an original Grant book entitled Register of Grants-District 5-Baldwin, on file and an official record in the Georgia Surveyor General Department, Office of Secretary of State, Archives and Records Building, Atlanta, GA. Elijah and Mary came to Copiah County, Mississippi after 1805 and then later settled in Franklin County. Elijah received patents for land in Franklin County in 1818 and 1836.  [Information from Ed Godbold]

Elizabeth K.2 Wright (Elijah1) was born June 03, 1797 in North Carolina, and died January 30, 1872 in McCall Creek Franklin Co Mississippi.

She married James Godbold May 28, 1821 in Franklin Co Mississippi.   The son of John Godbold and Priscilla Jones, he was born December 1785 in Georgetown, Prince George Parish, South Carolina and died March 01, 1869 in McCall Creek, Franklin Co Mississippi.   He had previously been married to Mary Elizabeth Tarver, and had 4 children before marrying Elizabeth.

Mary Ann3 Godbold, born April 13, 1822 in Franklin Co Mississippi, and died November 02, 1875 in Brookhaven, Lincoln Co Mississippi, burial in Rosehill Cemetery in Brookhaven, Lincoln Co Mississippi.
She married 1) Horace M. Gilmer October 10, 1853 in Copiah Co Mississippi.
She married 2) William Webster Millsaps July 23, 1857.   William had previously been married to Mary Wright, aunt to Mary Godbold, and sister of her mother.
Mary Ann was married twice but had no children of her own. According to early records of the Bethesda Methodist Church: "Miss Mary Ann Godbold - married W. W. Millsaps in 1848, moved by letter, married H. M. Gilmer in 1853, died 02 Nov 1875" Marriage Index reflects: Millsaps, Wm. W. and Gilmer, M. A. Mrs. 1857 July 23 This correctly shows that Mary Ann Godbold had been married previously to Horace M. Gilmer.

For further Godbold genealogy, see Ed Godbold's website 'The Godbolds of Montgomery Co Alabama'

James Ferdnand Wright, born August 10, 1840 in Franklin Co Mississippi, and died October 01, 1899 in Franklin Co Mississippi.

Thomas Anthony Wright, born March 1844 in Franklin Co Mississippi, and died 1925 in Harrison Co Mississippi.

Kendall J.2 Wright (Elijah1) was born May 15, 1807, and died March 15, 1858 in Copiah Co Mississippi, burial in Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Copiah Co Mississippi

He married Louisa Millsaps November 13 or 18, 1830 in Copiah Co Mississippi.  The daughter of William Millsaps and Rebecca Webster, she was born April 26, 1810 in Georgia or South Carolina, and died September 23, 1890 in Copiah Co Mississippi, burial in Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Copiah Co Mississippi.

William Webster3 Wright, born November 18, 1831 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died January 22, 1832.

Elijah Kendall Wright, born October 22, 1832 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died October 22, 1913.  

In 1860, James and Kendall are living with their grandparents, John and Celia Wheat. I did not locate the rest of the children.   In 1870, James is 24, and unmarried

Kendall Elijah Wright, born March 01, 1850 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died July 11, 1933 in Hazelhurst Copiah Co Mississippi.     He married Miss Sarah Scott.

I was unable to locate them in an 1880 census.   Their son David married in Catahoula Parish Louisiana in 1872, but I find none of this family either in Louisiana or Mississippi, including David.

Elijah Kendall3 Wright (Kendall J.2, Elijah1) was born October 22, 1832 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died October 22, 1913 in Copiah Co Mississippi, burial in Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Copiah Co Mississippi.   No stone exists.

He married Mary G. Cranfield April 21, 1860 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died August 22, 1887, burial in Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery, Copiah Co Mississippi.   She was the daughter of Daniel Cranfield and Mary Callender. Daniel's second wife was Mary Millsaps Barlow, daughter of William and Rebecca Webster Millsaps, and widow of John Barlow

Aged Citizen Passes Away

Mr. Elijah Wright ____ (torn out) aged, and highly esteemed citizen of the Western part of the county, died Friday, August 22, at the home of is daughter, Mrs. Jasper Barlow, near Glancy. He was buried in the old Millsaps family burying ground near Pleasant Valley.
Mr. Wright's mother was a member of the well known Millsaps family. Deceased was a brother of Dr. Jack Wright, a prominent physician of Rodney. He leaves two sons, R.J. Wright, of Vinita, Oklahoma, who worked in Hazelhurst some years ago for W.S. Howard, and Dan Wright, of Missouri. Several daughters also survive him.
Many prominent men in the county first went to school to Mr. Elijah Wright, and all these hold his memory in tenderest reverence.

According to he Mississippi     Confederate Pension Application in the year 1924    Margaret J. Sessions applied via Francis M. Sessions service in the 36th MS from Lincoln Co Mississippi

Margaret Jane Wright: Burial: United Methodist Church - Matthews Chapel, Franklin Co Mississippi

Francis Marion Sessions: Burial: Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery

The Leader, Tuesday, September 19, 1893 Married Mr. Thos. W. East, of Red Star, was united in marriage with Miss Jariah Sessions, at the residence of Rev E.P. Douglass, September 12th, Rev. Douglass performing the ceremony.

June East Lofton - Biographical and Historical Memories of MA, Vol, 2, 1891     Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chapter X VII, entitled " Prominent Families" Page 684

East, Thomas W. merchant and farmer, is the senior member of the firm of Thomas W. East & Sons of Red Star, Mississippi, and resided nine miles northwest of Brookhaven, Mississippi. Although a prominent planter of Copiah Co, he lives on what is now known as the Jackson and Liberty road, seventeen and one half miles south of Gallatin, where for many years prior to his death he kept a public house for the entertainment of horse and muledrivers from Kentucky and Tennessee, in route to and from different portions of Louisiana and the general through travel to the capitol and various sections of the North and South before the construction of the South Carolina railroad.

The subject of our sketch received his education in the common schools near his home, and was the eldest in a family of thirteen children. A Whig from the age of twenty-one to the presidential election of 1856, and as the Whig Party put forward no candidate at that time, he voted for Millard Fillmore. At the election of 1860 he voted for Bell and Everett. He voted against secession in 1861. In 1876 he cast his vote for Samuel J. Tilden, and in 1884 for Grover Cleveland and again for Cleveland in 1888.

He was strongly opposed to the secession of the states, but when he saw that war was inevitable, he naturally decided to cast his lot with his neighbors, friends and relatives of the South. He volunteered in the Confederate army in 1862. He was first stationed at Camp Moore, and went thence to Port Gibson, where he remained about two months, going there to Port Hudson, where he was taken sick and removed to a hospital at Clinton, Louisiana. There he remained until October 12, 1862, when he was discharged and came home. In February 1863, he was elected to fill the un-expired term of W.D. Brown, who had died, as justice of the peace. In the following November he was elected to the same office for a full term. He did not re-enlist in the Confederate army, but served the Southern cause as a traveling agent for the hospital at Brookhaven, gathering supplies for the sick and wounded soldiers, at the same time acting as assistant agent for caring for the soldiers' widows and children in Copiah Co. After the war he resumed planting, and in 1871, built a water mill with the operation of which he combined the business of corn production and cotton ginning and since that time had done an extensive business in the last named department, (cotton ginning) On account of the scarcity of water in 1885, he replaced his water power by steam power, which had enabled him greatly to increase his ginning capacity. He began merchandising in 1884 and has met with continued success. Red Star was then known as East's mills precinct. The post office was established in 1888 under its present name, with William T. East as postmaster, and his brother James was assistant postmaster.

Member of the Methodist Church

A strong prohibitionist, fired the first cannon that opened the local campaign in Lincoln Co., in 1886. He is a man of great public spirit, and has the welfare of his town, county and state at heart. His support of churches, school and charitable and beneficial interests generally had been liberal in the extreme. His business qualifications rateof the highest order, and he is recognized as one of the leading merchants and business men of this part of the state and it may be said that his sons inherit in a marked degree his talent for commercia l management. Though in no ordinary sense of the term a politician, he takes a deep interest in and is exceedingly well informed upon, all questions of public moment, and his influence is felt none the less because it is exerted quietly, nor is it the less beneficial because he is a helpful, earnest citizen, and not a professional place hunter.

Lincoln Co Mississippi - Its People Vol. II

Thomas W. East was a son of Joel and Catherine Lofton East, and was born in Copiah Co., April 13, 1834. In 1856, when but 22 years of age, he was married to Miss Kezziah East, of his native county, and there born to this union four children, two of who James W. and William T. are now residents and well-known business men of Brookhaven. Marion B., the eldest died in infancy and Albert T. the youngest , passed from mortal existence at the early age of 11 years. The mother of these children died in 1887.

Mr. East volunteered as a Confederate soldier in 1862, but after a few months was discharged because of ill health after service as agent and solicitor for the Confederate hospital located at Brookhaven. In 1884 be began a successful mercantile business and carried it on for several years, assisted by his sons, under the firm name of Thos. W. East & Sons. The memory of this business venture will be perpetuated, probably through all time, since 1888 a post office was established at their place of merchandise, and has been known ever since as Red Star. Wm. T. East, the son, was appointed the first postmaster.

In politics, Mr. East was, originally, a Whig, and opposed secession; but after the war always affiliated with the supported the Democratic party. He was a strong and enthusiastic prohibitionist and he and his sons fired the first cannon which opened the memorable local option campaign in Lincoln Co., in 1886. In 1893, Mr. East again married, his second wife being formerly Miss Sessions, a sister of Hon. J.G. Sessions, of this county, who is left to mourn in solitary widowhood, no children having come to bless this union.

William Reuben 'Billy' Sessions, born December 21, 1874 in Copiah Co Mississippi, and died April 27, 1918 in Jackson Hinds Co Mississippi. History of the Millsaps indicate that William Sessions was never married.    One source tells us that Billy died by drowning.    Burial: United Methodist Church - Matthews Chapel, Franklin Co Mississippi

Joseph Godfrey Sessions, born July 28, 1883, and died August 10, 1902.    History of the Millsaps indicate that Joseph Sessions was never married.   See write up under Thomas Walker East, above, shows that J.G. was a judge Burial: Old Pleasant Valley Cemetery Copiah Co Mississippi

Egbert 'Bert' Sessions, born September 28, 1884 in Wesson, Copiah Co Mississippi, and died December 25, 1961.
He married Martha Ann 'Mattie' Fore September 21, 1912.    He is said to have lived in Brookhaven, Mississippi and had a dry goods store there.    Both are buried in United Methodist Church - Matthews Chapel, Franklin Co Mississippi

After Francis Marion Sessions married Katie Johnson they lived with his mother Mrs. Margaret Sessions for several years. They moved to Texas first living in McKinney, Collins Co Texas then to Dallas, Dallas Co Texas and on to Orange, Texas. While in Orange, Francis Marion worked in a sawmill. From Orange they moved to Wichita Falls and were there for the birth of Maurice in 1905. They next moved to Alpine, Texas. They lived after that in Hefner, Olney, San Saba, Hearne, Bishop, Corpus Christi, Kastonyz, Petronila, Post and Austwell, Texas.    At the very least we can state this family was well traveled.

Lillian Margaret Sessions, born 1896 in McKinney, Collins Co Texas, and died October 1918.   She married Stanley Couch.
Lillian graduated from High School in 1915, went to Normal School for a teacher's certificate and in 1916 taught at Orange Grove, Texas. She was pregnant when she died. She and the baby are buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Corpus Christi, Nueces Co Texas Stanley Couch: When he married Lillian he was a soldier and in July, 1918 he went overseas. He was a cook with the 5th Engineers.

Anna Kate Sessions, born February 21, 1899 in Dallas Dallas Co Texas, and died January 03, 1992.    She married Roy K. Marberry January 30, 1949.
Anne graduated in 1917 then went to Normal School and obtained a teacher's certificate. She then taught in a Mexican school at Portland for six months with wages of $50.00 per month. After Anne quit teaching she worked as a deputy clerk in the court house in Corpus Christi, Texas.  She then became ill from T.B. and went to Dr. Thompson's Sanatorium in Kerrville, Texas

Richard 'Dickie' Sessions, born 1912 in Hearne, Texas, and died 1924.   He died while he and his parents were visiting his grandmother, Mrs. Johnson in Post, Texas. His death occurred just before his 12th birthday. Burial: Rose Hill Cemetery, Corpus Christi, Nueces Co Texas

Joseph Godfrey Sessions    

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