15. | Rachel WELLS, Minister (11.Joseph3, 3.Thomas2, 1.Elizabeth1) was born on 3 May 1720 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel, MD, USA; was christened on 12 Jul 1721 in Davidsonville, Anne Arundel, MD, US; died on 23 Dec 1771 in Bush River, Newberry County, South Carolina, USA; was buried in Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina, United States of America. Notes:
CD-100 says that Rachel's mother is named Rachel. This apparently comes from a Quaker baptismal record dated 12 July 1721 at All Hallow's, listing her father as Joseph Wells and his wife Rachel. In the Southern Friend, V. XVI, 1994, Richard Kelly states that the entry in the All Hallow's book was in error and they simply repeated daughter Rachel's name by accident. He also finds error with the date of birth listed for her in Quaker records as occurring on 3(May)/27/1720. This would have been before Joseph and Margaret were married. (C-575)
The Cane Creek Quaker record states she was the d. of Margaret Swanson and Joseph Wells, but this could be explained by the fact that she had only known Margaret as her mother, and gave her name without being concerned for the genealogy of it. This record was made sometime after 1758 which was 38 years after Rachel's birth. (C-1553, D.J. Rowe)
In any case, Rachel was born while her father, Joseph Wells, was farming land in Anne Arundel Co. belonging to his brother's stepson. The Cane Creek Monthly Meeting record was also in error in stating that she was born in Prince George, Maryland.
Rachel was a fairly well noted frontier Quaker minister before the American Revolution. She became a Quaker when she married. This is significant. Her parents moved into the faith several years after her marriage. She would not have been baptized Quaker and this where the controversy lies in Quaker Records. The Quaker Baptismal record would have been created after she was an adult and is therefore not first hand information. It is entirely possible that her mother was Margaret Swanson instead. She came from radical Puritan and Catholic stock who sought religious freedom in the tolerant Maryland under Lord Baltimore. Several of her ancestors were of armorial families in England. (C-575, p. 35)
Rachel and her husband moved to Orange County, North Carolina from the Monacy Meeting, Prince George Co., Maryland about 1749. They helped found the Cane Creek Meeting in Orange Co., North Carolina. She with Abigail Overton Pike and several others rode on horseback to the Little River Quarterly Meeting in Peruimans in 1751 to seek permission for Cane Creek's Monthly Meeting status. This was granted by them on the sixth month, 31st day of 1751. Cane Creek held their first monthly meeting on the tenth month of 1751 wherein fifteen certificates of removal were submitted. (C-1663)
She was the center of a major controversy in this region during the movement known as the Regulators. She committed the offense of defending her daughter, Charity, against false charges of "carnal knowledge" with Jehu Stuart". She later apologized and this was accepted by her Quaker Meeting until she applied to remove to Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1763. Some of the members doubted the sincerity of her apology and thought her certificate should not be granted. She was then disowned by the church. A principle, outspoken well known liberal Quaker of the time, Hermon Husband, was caught up in the feud defending her. Due to his violent reaction, he was disowned in 1763 and moved north back to Pennsylvania with his family after the decision was appealed to the Quarterly and Yearly Meetings where only his disownment was not reversed in Feb. of 1764. Rachel was granted her removal at the 1764 yearly meeting. (C-575)
The Cane Creek meeting back in North Carolina mentions her kindly at her death 23 12m 1771, aged about 52 years as "a friend of the Ministry, wife of John, one of the first beginners of a meeting at Bush River." (C-646, 966)
Rachel married John C. WRIGHT, * about 1737 in Hopewell M.M., Frederick, VA, USA. John (son of James WRIGHT, * and Mary BOWATER or DAVIS, *) 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. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
Children:
- 28. William WRIGHT was born on 2 Jan 1738 in Monocacy Valley, Prince George, MD; died in 1793 in Orange County, North Carolina, United States of America; was buried in Snow Camp, Alamance County, North Carolina, United States of America.
- 29. Mary WRIGHT was born on 24 Jul 1739 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died before 1789 in Cedar Grove, Orange County, North Carolina, United States of America; was buried in Cedar Grove, Orange County, North Carolina, United States of America.
- 30. Joseph WRIGHT was born on 12 Dec 1740 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died on 8 Jan 1794 in Newberry County, South Carolina, United States of America; was buried in Newberry, Newberry County, South Carolina, United States of America.
- 31. Margaret WRIGHT was born on 12 Nov 1742 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died on 13 Nov 1822 in , , SC, USA.
- 32. Charity WRIGHT, Minister was born on 13 Nov 1742 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died on 13 Nov 1822 in , Warren, OH, USA; was buried about 16 Nov 1822 in Warren, Trumball, OH, USA.
- 33. Rachel WRIGHT was born on 10 Nov 1747 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died on 2 Sep 1790 in , , SC, USA.
- 34. John WRIGHT was born on 12 Dec 1748 in , Prince George, MD, USA; died on 18 Nov 1797 in , , Tennessee, USA; was buried in Martinsville, Clinton County, Ohio, United States of America.
- 35. Sarah WRIGHT was born on 23 Dec 1749 in Cavor Creek, Orange, NC; died on 18 Nov 1789 in Bush River, Newberry, SC.
- 36. Hannah WRIGHT was born on 27 Sep 1751 in Cavor Creek, Orange, NC; died after 1822 in Orange, Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States.
- 37. James WRIGHT was born on 28 May 1753 in Cane Creek, Orange, NC, USA; died on 19 Oct 1812 in , Clinton, OH, USA.
- 38. Susanna WRIGHT was born on 16 Apr 1755 in , Orange, NC; died on 31 Jul 1830 in West Milton, Miami, OH, USA; was buried in West Branch Quaker Burial Grounds, Union Twp., Miami, OH, USA.
- 39. Elizabeth WRIGHT was born on 15 Dec 1756 in , Orange, NC; died about 1826 in , Frederick, Virginia, USA.
- 40. Nathan WRIGHT was born on 7 Oct 1758 in , Orange, NC; died after 1805 in , Newberry, SC, USA.
- 41. Thomas WRIGHT was born on 8 Aug 1761 in Newberry, Newberry, South Carolina, United States; died on 30 Apr 1835 in , Randolph, IN, USA; was buried about 1 May 1835 in White River, Randolph, IN, USA.
- 42. Keziah (Kerial) WRIGHT was born in 1763 in , Newberry District, SC; died before 1789 in Miami, Ohio, United States.
- 43. Isaac (Joel) WRIGHT was born on 13 Jun 1764 in Bush River M.M., Newberry, SC, USA; died on 20 Feb 1844 in New London, Howard, IN; was buried in 1844 in Honey Creek Bg, Howard, Indiana, USA.
- 44. Barbara WRIGHT was born in Apr 1766 in , Newberry, SC; died in 1789 in Miami, Ohio, United States.
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