Thomas Wright, Esq., immigrant ancestor of the Wright family of Wethersfield, Conn., s. of John Wright and Grace Glascock, and descendant of John Wright, Lord of the Manor of Kelvedon Hall in Essex, England. Thomas was b. at Brook Hall and bapt. Nov. 19, 1610 in St. Peters Church in South Weald, Essex, England. He d. testate in Wethersfield, Conn. before Apr. 29, 1670, the date his estate inventory was taken. Some claim he d. Apr. 21, 1670, but this is the date he wrote his will and there is no record confirming this was also the date of his death.
Thomas m. 1) Aug. 10, 1629 at Brook Hall in South Weald, Mary Cranbrook, claimed to be the daughter of William and Mabel Cranbroke of Cranbrook, Kent. Thomas and Mary came to America in about 1635, settling initially in Watertown, Mass. eventually removing to Wethersfield, Conn. as early settlers of that town. Mary (Cranbrook) Wright d. at least at or after the birth of her son Joseph, b. per his known gravestone inscription on or after Dec. 18, 1639. Thomas m. 2) May 2, 1647 the widow Margaret Elson, by whom he had no children. She d. testate in Wethersfield betw. Jan. 19 (date of will) and Apr. 4, 1671 (date of her inventory).
Thomas was eventually the owner of nearly all the lots on Manhannock Island, subsequently known as Wright's Island, once located off the western shore of the Connecticut River in Wethersfield. The island eventually ceased to exist when the river changed its course. He was Deputy to the Connecticut General Court in 1643, town Selectman in 1658, and town constable in 1668-1669.
Thomas is undoubtedly interred in the Wethersfield Village Cemetery, the town's only common burying place until the early 1800s. However, by 1899 remnants of his gravestone could not be found.
The documented children of Thomas Wright and Mary Cranbrook, the first three bapt. in Southweald, Essex, the others born either in Watertown, Mass. or Wethersfield, Conn., are:
• i. Thomas Wright, Jr., bapt. Aug. 13, 1630, d. Aug. 24, 1683 in Wethersfield, Conn., Æ 54; m. June 16, 1657 in Wethersfield, Elizabeth Chittenden, dau. of Maj. William Chittenden and Joan Sheafe, b. circa 1636 likely in Cranbrook, Kent, England. She d. in Wethersfield, Conn. Feb. 17, 1675/6. Four children of the family.
• ii. Lydia Wright, bapt. Oct. 27, 1634, d. Feb. 15, 1689/90 in Wethersfield, Conn., Æ 56; m. 1) Joseph Smith, who d. before Aug. 1673 poss. at Wright's Island, once located in the middle of the Connecticut River in Wethersfield. Four children of the family. Lydia m. 2) William Harris after Aug. 5, 1685 (death date of Harris' first wife in Middletown, Conn.) by whom she had no known children.
• iii. Ens. Samuel Wright, bapt. Sept. 14, 1636, d. Feb 13, 1689/90 in Wethersfield, Conn., Æ 54; m. 1) Sept. 29, 1659 in Wethersfield an unidentified Mary who died one week later on Oct. 6, 1659; m. 2) by early 1660 (first child b. Jan. 6, 1660/1), Mary Butler, dau. of Dea. Richard Butler and his unnamed first wife, b. circa 1639 in Cambridge, Mass. She d. Sept. 12, 1689 in Wethersfield, Conn. Seven children of the family.
• iv. James Wright, b. circa 1638, d. Dec. 24, 1727 in Middletown, Conn.; m. 1) Nov. 20, 1660 in Wethersfield, Dorcas Weed, dau. of Jonas of Stamford, Conn., formerly of Wethersfield, who d. in Middletown, Conn. Dec. 24, 1692. He m. 2) Mary, who d. Oct. 20, 1740 in Wethersfield. James had numerous children, but their identity is not well-proved.
• v. Dea. Joseph Wright, b. after Dec. 17, 1640 prob. in Wethersfield, d. Dec. 17, 1714 in Wethersfield, Æ 75 (g.s.); m. 1) Dec. 10, 1663 in Wethersfield, Mary Stoddard, dau. of John Stoddard and Mary Foote, b. Wethersfield, Conn. Mar 12, 1643/4. She d. in Wethersfield Aug. 23, 1683, Æ 40. Joseph m. 2) his deceased wife's unmarried sister Mercy Stoddard, b. Nov. 1652 in Wethersfield. She d. Jan. 2, 1714/5. Seven children by first wife Mary and two by second wife Mercy.
Edited 12/21/2017 (findagrave.com)