Notes:

It is not known with any certainty whom James Wright's father is. The group I think he is in is haplogroup I-M253, group 1 at the Wright YDNA group. That is a guestimate and not proven.

As for the current theories from research, here are the ones I have found without good support for any of them currently.

1. Tradition says that there were five Wright brothers that settled on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the Colonial period as professed by several aged persons in THE WRIGHT ANCESTRY by Capt. Charles W. Wright, 1907.

2. Two other brothers settled in Baltimore Co, Maryland according to one of these ancients. Maryland's southern border is on the Atlantic Ocean. The additional 2 brothers that settled in Baltimore would have entered Chesapeake Bay and gone north to Baltimore. Baltimore is about 55 miles south by water from where our James Wright can first be verified as living in East Nottingham, Chester Co., PA (now of Cecil Co., MD) via the same bay that comes in from the southeastern side of Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean.

3. James's father according to Don Wright in the "Footprints Database" is John Wright of Pennsylvania. This probably refers to 13 volumes microfiched and available through Salt Lake City's library: "Footprints of Our Past : Our Ancestors and their Descendants" by Don P. Wright. He edited this publication through 1992 under that name and his main interest was researching the Wright surname.

In any case, this Wright family lived above Noris Ford on Marshy Hope Creek literally at the boundary of Maryland and Delaware. It is near 100 miles by land and across the Chesapeake Bay east of where our James Wright can be verified as living in East Nottingham (Now Cecil Co., MD.) in 1707. It is a creek that runs south into the Nanticoke River which runs into the Chesapeake Bay making it even further by water. John was a possible son of two brothers, William (b. bef. 1658 surmised from the fact that he had 5 sons who were born before he died in 1686) and a James Wright that settled in Dorchester Co., MD about 1682 above Noris Ford (Northwest Fork Ford) of Marshy
Hope Creek. That part of Dorchester Co., MD is now a part of Caroline Co., Maryland due to boundary changes. William and James possibly emigrated on the "Bristol Factor" in that same year with one of William Penn's colonies probably through Bristol, England. (C-951)

The two brothers were Quaker preachers and traveled extensively to preach to Quaker communities. Brother William died in Dorchester before June 5, 1686. He had sons William (who married Sarah Noble), Roger, Edward, Samuel and John. (This is likely the John that Don Wright's "Footprints Database" refers to. His sons Edward, Samuel and John supposedly moved west which at that point in time would have been east of the Allegheny Mountains.) His son, Roger, who lived in Dorchester and had several children including sons named Levin, William and *James.
Many of the Wrights in Maryland and Delaware descend from this William. No descendants lineages were apparently kept for James' children according to "The Wright Ancestry of Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset and Wicomico Counties, Maryland." The two brothers were known as Niccolite or Quaker Wrights because of their strict religious sect. The James Wright who came over with his brother William in 1682, might even be our James or William's grandson at a stretch might be our James.

The births of our James and Mary Wright are recorded with the Niccolite Births (Quaker Record Abstracts) in the Hall of Records at Annapolis, Anne Arundel Co., MD supporting this theory. Their particular group was known as the "Northwest Fork River Niccolite Friends." Of course, if one of these James is our James, it still doesn't tell us who his father is. It might be helpful to note that Dorchester Co., MD is 110 miles south from where we can verify that James Wright first lived which was East Nottingham, Chester Co., PA (Now in Cecil Co., Maryland) via the Chesapeake Bay. They and several generations of their descendants worshipped at the Niccolite Quaker Meeting House Branch near Federalsburg, Maryland and at Piney Grove Monthly after it moved locations.

Of all the theories I'm seeing presented, this one is the one with the greatest hope of including our James' ancestors and I will be studying it with a relish. "The Wright Ancestry of Caroline, Dorchester, Somerset and Wicomico Counties, Maryland" is currently available as a free Ebook on Google Books by the way. *It should be noted if this theory ends up being correct, Naomi Wright is supposed to have been a sister to the above brothers. She lived in Sussex Co., Delaware and married Joseph Atkins shortly after their 2nd declaration of intention to marry on Mar. 30, 1699. (C-258, 259)

However, there was at least one Naomi Wright whom is not the sister of William and James but the daughter of Arthur and Abigall Wright in Dorchester Co., Maryland at the time that possibly is this Naomi Wright. In 19 July 1679, An Account of Arthur Wright's estate is recorded, with payments to 147 people. Abigall Wright is listed as administratrix. (MD Accounts and Inventories Lib. 6 fol. 187) On 29 September 1679, Abigail Wright of Dorchester County, widow, gave to her children, Grace Wright, Absalom Wright, Edward Williams, Arthur Wright and Naomi Wright: Livestock. Witnesses Wm. Stephens, Thomas Taylor, William Smithson Acknowledged September 29, 1679. (Dorchester Land Record 4 old 6)*It should also be noted that I'm simply not finding persons whom are tracing their lineages back through anyone but William's son William whom married Sarah Noble - and their dating estimates are really throwing this lineage off.3. A very common ancestral line in public member trees at Ancestry says James was born in Chester Co., PA and was the son of Thomas Wright and Elizabeth Chittenden.

4. Also often stated is that he is the son of John and Martha Wright of Connecticut and John was the son of the above Thomas Wright and Elizabeth Chittenden. A well researched Wright descendant has Thomas and Elizabeth Chittenden Wright listing totally different children and places of birth at http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~legends/wright.html. They descend through an unrelated Connecticut branch of Wrights that go back through Essex Co, England. Y-DNA supports the fact that the Thomas Wright and Elizabeth Chittenden group descends from the Essex Co., England group. It's a very clear match to that grouping with a haplo group of E-M78 and YDNA shows that match. https://www.familytreedna.com/public/wright/default.aspx?section=yresults4.

5. A book referred to as the "Wright Briscoe Pioneers" believed James's father to be one of three brothers, Joshua, Thomas or Samuel who came from Yorkshire, England to New Jersey in 1677. These were sons of Robert Wright and Alice Lawtie of East Riding, Yorkshire, England. We can rule out Joshua Wright and his wife, Elizabeth Empson. Their son was: Richard Wright 1651.

A clue to this family is where they lived. James and his wife died in Frederick Co., Virginia. People from Pennsylvania and Maryland had first settled it sometime between 1738 and 1743. All we know for certain is that they were there before 1759. From East Nottingham (Chester Co., PA, now Cecil Co., MD) they would possibly have come down the Chesapeake Bay to the Potomac River and then taken the old "Indian Trail" down the Opequon Creek basin 35 miles to the newly formed Frederick Co., Virginia. This trail later became known as the "Great Valley Road". It was a common route of passage for early migrantion into Frederick Co., VA.

James married Mary BOWATER or DAVIS, * on 26 Feb 1707 in East Nottingham, Chester, PA, USA. Mary (daughter of John BOWATER, * and Mary MAUNDER) was born on 2 Dec 1689 in London, City of London, Greater London, England; died before 6 Mar 1764 in , Frederick, Virginia, USA; was buried before 6 Mar 1764 in Clear Brook, Frederick County, Virginia, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Hannah WRIGHT was born on 24 Jan 1710 in , Chester, PA, USA; died after 5 Aug 1760 in New Garden, Guilford, NC; was buried in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, United States of America.
2. Anne WRIGHT was born in 29th da 1st mo 1724/5 in Mongoguisie, Cecil, MD; died on 27 Apr 1801 in Hopewell, Frederick, VA, USA; was buried in Tipp City, Miami County, Ohio, United States of America.
3. Mary WRIGHT was born on 3 Jun 1708 in East Nottingham, Chester, PA, USA; died on 21 Oct 1800 in Back Creek, Frederick, VA, USA; was buried in Clear Brook, Frederick County, Virginia, United States of America.
4. Thomas WRIGHT was born on 11 Jan 1711 in , Chester, PA, USA; died on 18 Aug 1765.
5. Martha WRIGHT was born on 14 Feb 1713 in Chester M.M., Chester, PA, USA; died on 28 Oct 1794 in Martinsburg, Berkley, WV; was buried in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia, United States of America.
6. Elizabeth WRIGHT was born on 23 Jan 1715 in Chester M.M., Chester, PA, USA; died in 1790 in , Frederick, Virginia, USA.
7. John C. WRIGHT, * was born on 4 Nov 1716 in East Nottingham, Chester, PA, USA; died between 17 Sep 1789 and 8 Jun 1790 in Bush River, Newberry, SC; was buried in Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina, United States of America.
8. James WRIGHT was born on 8 Nov 1718 in Chester, Chester, PA, USA; died after 5 Aug 1760 in , Frederick, Virginia, USA; was buried in Clear Brook, Frederick County, Virginia, United States of America.
9. Isaac WRIGHT was born on 25 Mar 1723 in New Garden, Chester, PA, USA; died on 31 May 1777 in , Frederick, Virginia, USA.
10. Sarah WRIGHT was born on 15 Mar 1727 in Monocacy M.M., Prince George's, MD; died after 5 Aug 1760.
11. Lydia WRIGHT was born on 31 Aug 1730 in Monocacy Valley, Prince George, MD; died on 27 Jun 1778 in Bear Garden, Hampshire, VA.

Notes:

He arrived from England about 1630 probably in Watertown, Massachusetts. He removed to Westhersfield, CT in 1639 and was a respected citizen there.

Personally I suspect that he is the Thomas Wright who was transported to Virginia by Captain Moore Fauntleroy before May 22, 1650 along with 5 children, a wife and maid. It was the same ship that Thomas Underwood came over on, though the ship is not named in the deed records where their names are included. It appears that at that point in time, the ship's master who transported persons to Virginia received large amounts of land for their efforts and the persons they transported are therefore listed in the deed records of Old Rappahannock Co., VA. If so, he died in 1700 on the Isle of Wight. (C-2394)

There is a William Wright who came to America in 1682 aboard the "Bristol Factor" from Bristol, England. He died in Dorchester Co., MD before June 6, 1686. He had a son named Roger Wright. (C-917) There is a Captain Nathaniel Wright who emigrated to Maryland, and settled in Queen Anne's County, about 1673. He left a recorded Will in which he mentions his brothers, Surgeon and Justice Solomon Wright, 1655-1717 of Kent County, and Charles Wright. All three brothers were born in England. It is not known if any of these are Thomas' relatives or not. (C-708)

Thomas married Elizabeth CHITTENDEN?, * on 16 Jun 1657. Elizabeth (daughter of William CHITTENDEN, * Lieutenant or Major and Joanna SHEAFFE, *) was born in 1638 in Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells Borough, Kent, England; died on 17 Feb 1676 in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States of America; was buried in Wethersfield, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

"Thomas Wright, Esq., was born 19 November 1610 in England. His first wife's name is unknown. He came first probably to Watertown, Massachusetts. He was of the Massachusetts Court of Assistants before the Colonial Government was established in Boston, and removed to Wethersfield, Connecticut, probably about 1639. He was recognized as a man of influence and high standing. He was deputy to the General Court of Connecticut in 1643; Selectman, 1658; Commissioner on Town Lines, etc. He was made a freeman on 11 May 1654, and his name is on the 1669 list of freeman. He and Enoch Buck were Constables in 1668 to 1669, and he was on court jury at Hartford the same year. He also seems to have been prominent in the church fight which led many to remove to Hadley, Massachusetts.

Thomas had one homestead of three and one-half acres on the west side of High Street, on which his house was built, probably before 1639. His property was bounded by Robert Abbott, north, and Samuel Clark, south. A house lot of three acres was recorded to him in Wethersfield on 11 December 1640. He received another homestead in 1654 consisting of a house, barn and five acres of land, bought of Samuel Hale, on the west side of Back Street, between Luke Hitchcock, north, and land belonging to Matthew Griswold, south. He bought the Richard Belden lot of twenty and one-half acres in west field in 1654. He became, by purchase, the owner of a large part of the Great Island, thereafter known as Wright's Island, and which he mostly gave to his sons Thomas and James, who bought other parcels of the island. Wright's Island, about six or seven miles below Hartford, lay a little north of an east and west line drawn through Wethersfield.

Thomas Wright was given a grant of land which took in a part of the island, and he increased his part of it by purchase. He gave this to his sons Thomas and James. The latter increased his part of it by purchase, and left most of it to his son James, who acquired nearly all of it and built a house there in 1711. He had a ferry of his own, and a dock was built near the north end of the island. There was a noted fishing place there for salmon and shad. As time went on, the stream east of the island filled up, and a division of its bed was made by arbitration between James Wright and adjacent owners. About 1780/1790, what was known as the island was set off from Wethersfield to Glastonbury, which had been made a town in 1696. The river began to wear away the upper part of the island and continued to do so until the dock finally appeared on the other side of the river, and the Wright living there at that time went and claimed the land about it as his own, and received it too. At the present time, the river flows over what was the island -- "A ten thousand dollar farm gone into the river." The house was removed to Glastonbury, and is now occupied.

The island was called by the Indians 'Mannahannock' (Great Laughing Place). The Indians used to meet there and have games and wrestling.

Thomas married second on 2 May 1647, Margaret Elson, widow of John Elson, who had been killed by the Indians in the Wethersfield massacre of 1637. There were no children from the second marriage.

In his will, Thomas also gave to his wife Margaret, "All the linen that I have in my possession that was of her own spinning." Margaret is said to have been before her marriage to Elson, the wife of, possibly, Hugh Hilliard, or Hillier, by whom she had three children, Ben, Job, and John. She died 1670-1.

Her will dated 19 January 1670/1671, mentions her grandson William, son of Job Hillier, deceased, Margaret Woustan and Sarah Holamouth, daughters of her son Benjamin Hillier, and the wife of her step-son Thomas Wright, (she gives her towe [tow] and if that was not enough, for her labor of love, her executors were to give more.) Inventory of her estate amounted to 82-19/8." Wright Lineage at http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~legends/wright.html

Thomas married Mary CRANBROKE, * on 10 Aug 1629 in South Weald, Essex, England. Mary was born on 21 Sep 1609 in Cranbroke, , Kent, England; died in 1641 in Watertown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Joanna SHEAFFE, * about 1634 in England. Joanna (daughter of Edmund SHEAFE and Joanna) was born in 1614 in Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells Borough, Kent, England; died on 16 Aug 1668 in Guilford, New Haven, Connecticut, United States; was buried in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Sometimes a Nathaniel Wright is listed as the father of Thomas and husband to Grace Glascock but the following mention in a will dispels that, proving that Grace Glascock's husband was John. Edward Glascock's will dated 1624, mentions "the daughters of Grace, wife of John Wright, of Weald, Essex, Gent." Edward might be a brother of Grace. She is also named in her father's will as well as others:"Glascock Will Extracts from the Visitation of Essex.By I. L. Glascock Beginning with John Glascock whose son Henry Glascock died 1606, showing the position of his daughter Grace, who married John Wright.Henry Glascock will dated 1606, leaves his daughter Grace L133-13-14, and mentions "John Wright, my god-son, my daughter's son."Ignatius Glascock, in his will dated 1652, mentions his "sister Grace Wright, widow."Weston Glascock, in his will dated 1626, mentions "brother Wright's three daughters."Thomas Glascock of Solchester, in his will dated 1631, mentions "brother John Wright and his wife."In 1581, "John Glascock of Roxwell, Gent. John Wright of Kelvedon, Gent. and Thomas Laike of Watham, Holy Cross yoeman," were the supervisors appointed under the will of William Glascock of Fifield yoeman. Dated 6 April 1579." Brook Hall where John and Grace resided was also called "The Moat House".

Lord married Lady Grace Swindles GLASCOCK on 5 Nov 1600 in Brook Hall in South Weald, Essex, Eng. Lady (daughter of Henry GLASCOCK, daughter of Henry GLASCOCK and Lady Grace DE MAYE (MAY, MAYO, EUMIO)) was born on 14 May 1579 in Kelvedon, Essex, England; died on 25 Jul 1653 in Dagenham, Essex, England; was buried in South Weald, Brentwood Borough, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Rev. married Elizabeth HATCH on 13 Nov 1593 in Hawkhurst, Kent, England. Elizabeth was born in 1559 in Tenterden, Kent, England; died on 29 Apr 1633 in 1667687, Kent, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Edmund married Joanna. Joanna was born in 1575 in Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells Borough, Kent, England; died on 1 Aug 1659 in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States of America; was buried in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut, United States of America. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]