Our Wright Ancestors have been found to have begun their settlement in the Stark, Herkimer County, New York area between the years of 1820 and 1830 with our 4th great grandfather Jacob Wright. By 1830 Jacob was a permanent resident of Stark. “For six generations the Wright family have lived and tilled the soil in this town.” [statement was published in 1893]
Prior to their settlement in Stark, our Wright ancestors were found on record in the Montgomery County, New York area beginning with our 6th great grandfather Isaac Reit in 1753 with the birth/baptism of his son Johannes Reit.
Isaac’s second son, Jacob Reit, (our 5th great grandfather) lived his whole life in Montgomery Co, New York. His children began changing their surname from Reit to Wright. I wonder what brought about this decision? Was it others who were spelling their name Wright and they decided to just go along with it or was it something else?
Several of Jacob’s sons and grandsons were reported to have been engaged in several different Wars: Rev War, War of 1812, etc. Jacob himself “was a soldier in the Revolution; he served in the 1st regiment of the Tryon County militia, and was wounded at the Battle of Oriskany.” [Ross Eckler, Stark Historian] One of his grandsons died in the Andersonville Prison.
There are many speculations on Isaac’s birth and death, however, nothing has been found conclusive to date. Much research is needed on Isaac Reit. My theory is he came from the Bucks or Berks County, Pennsylvania area. This is the location where I have found several other Reit’s and where his son Johannes relocated to as a young man, married and had his children.
Isaac married into the Wagner family in 1752 in Montgomery County. The Wagner family were among the Palatines who migrated up the Hudson River to the Schoharie Valley about 1710. Isaac’s parents may have been among the Palatines who did not continue up the Hudson. They may have stayed in Pennsylvania. My research continues.
