Please pass this on to other Kin that you may know email or addresses to. Thanks so much…lets try and get this to be a GREAT Reunion this year….We are BACK AT THE PARK!! That is something to CELEBRATE!!!!!

Have A Blessed Day
Marilyn

Alvin’s great-grandfather William Wren was brother to Nicholas Wren, the Texan war hero mentioned several times in the memoirs of Noah Smithwick, “The Evolution of a State.”

There was no braver or better man in the service than Lieutenant Nicholas Wren. I know not whence he came, nor whither he went, but had I been sent on a perilous mission, I know of no man I would have chosen before him to bear me company.

Noah Smithwick, “The Evolution of a State, or Recollections of Old Texas Days”

Nicholas and his brother William are solid brick walls in many a Wren researcher genealogy. The loss of Mr. Alvin Wren is a sad break in our tenuous link to the past.

His grandson kindly sent me a link to this obituary:

Alvin Lee Wren, 78, died peacefully Thursday, September 20, 2007, at his home.

He was born in El Dorado to Ollie Izora (Duggar) and James Milam Wren. He graduated from El Dorado High School in 1946, and belonged to the Delta Sigma fraternity. He was a businessman and entrepreneur. Among his businesses he either owned or co-owned at one time are Wren Realty, El Do Plastics, Plastic Sign Suppliers, and Signs and License Plates. Alvin loved the outdoors, especially his gardening and fishing on his beloved North Two and his nephew’s Forever Farm (which he named). He made an annual trip each year for over 50 years to Bear Creek Lake with friends and family. He was El Dorado’s Outstanding Jaycee of the Year in 1954.

While he was able, he loved traveling and taking his family and friends on vacations. Some of his favorite places to visit were relatives in South Louisiana, relatives at the Red River Ranch in Idaho, Bill Lindsey’s in Heber Springs, and casinos.

Alvin will be remembered for his excellent cooking, hosting, and distinctive laugh. He was the best cook and if you did not believe it, he would be glad to tell you. He loved telling funny stories from his life adventures.

Survivors include two daughters, Lynda Wren Cheek and April Wren; one son, David Lee Wren; one sister, Altha Dean Nash; two granddaughters, Carrie Oswalt and Mary Wade all of El Dorado; two grandsons, Odie Blackmon of Nashville, Tennessee, and Sean Wren of Knoxville, Tennessee; and eight great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, J. Milam Wren, and one sister, Edith Wren Reed.

He was especially fond of his trusted Hospice nurse, Andy Guinn, who he only knew a short time but looked forward to his visits each day.

The funeral will be at10:00am Monday in Young’s Chapel. Burial will follow at Arlington Memorial Park under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.

Visitation is Sunday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Memorials may be made to Life Touch Hospice, 2301 Champagnolle Rd., El Dorado, AR 71730, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Burn Unit, P. O. Drawer 2222, Little Rock, AR 72203-9984 or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Obituary: “Alvin Wren,” Youngs Funeral Home, El Dorado, Arkansas, downloaded 2 January 2008.

Born in Virginia in May 1831 according to the 1900 U.S. Census, I tracked him from Warren County, Illinois in 1850 and 1860, to Appanoose County, Iowa in 1870, to Mitchell County, Kansas in 1880, to Umatilla County, Oregon in 1900, to Nez Perce County, Idaho in 1910.

His wanderlust probably came naturally. In the 1850 census his parents (John and Esther Wren) reported that Alexander’s younger siblings were born in Ohio.

Amarilla passed away between 1900 and 1910, as Alexander reported himself as a widower in the 1910 Census. I couldn’t find him in any other records between 1910 and 1920 but I did find some World Connect databases that say Alexander’s middle name was Andrew and that he died in December 1910 in Canada. Unfortunately they provide no sources I can check so I’ll leave him in Idaho in 1910, unless someone would like to provide more details about this family.

Speaking of sources, I want to thank a recent registrant who found some unsourced data in our Wren Kin database. As a rule I’ve tried to add only sourced information, but since that heads-up I’ve found more unsourced entries, most of them omissions I made while inputting data (a good reminder for me to SLOW DOWN).

In the meantime, if you find unsourced data or other errors, please remember that I welcome all corrections, additions, suggestions, etc.

And in my online cemetery hopping I found William E. Wren and his wife Pearl N. and their family, all from Iowa and apparently moved to Minnesota. William E and his son William Edward Jr. also appear to have been veterans: William E. Sr. in World War I and William E. Jr. in World War II.

And in more good news, we just had an Irish Wrynn join the Wren Family Association. He says he recently learned that his Wrynn surname was originally “Wren,” and that some of his great-grandparents would’ve had a lot of relatives emigrating to the United States.

More possibilities for your searches!

I’d like to use this opportunity to remind everyone of our goal to add every W(R)en(n) we can find into our database. If you would like to add your W(R)en(n) lines to the database, please let me know!

The database does not allow downloadable GED files. It does not reveal the identity of living individuals (unless we have the written permission of those living individuals) and it is password protected, meaning it is not searchable by Google or any other search engines. Our data is not for sale, either, so please consider sharing.

If you have Wrens from the Red River and Natchitoches Parishes of Louisiana, you might be interested. Surnames on this chart include:

• Wren
• Bamburg
• Pickett
• Breedlove
• Hubbard

If you find any errors, have any suggestions, or just want to offer some feedback, please contact me and let me know.

I’ve been wondering about the best way to share it with everyone, and have decided to input each group sheet into the database, preferably after I’ve found some vital records to back each family connection up. After all, most of this data is over 10 years old, and the original submitters may have found new evidence since they submitted their group sheets to Wren Kin.

This week I started at the beginning of the binder, the first few pages of which contained information on a branch of Illinois Wrens: Washington J. Wren and his brother Edward D. Wren.

A little poking around at the World Connect database found pedigrees identifying these men as brothers, sons of Binns Jones Wren and Elizabeth “Betsey” Depew, and indeed, there is a note on the back of one of the family group sheets that says:

Benjamin Wren – Father of Dr. Edward D. Wren of IL. This Benjamin lived in KY, then IL from 1820 – 1860s. Wife of this Benjamin was Elizabeth.

Very few of any of the family group sheets in the binder cite sources for every fact, so I tracked the families of these two men as best I could through censuses and other vital records. You’ll find the results of my efforts in our database.

The original submitter was hoping to find information on descendants of Edward D. Wren, especially for one of Edward’s grandsons named Sammie Jones Wren (b. 2 November 1894 in Big Sandy, Texas, d. 17 March 1963 in Oregon). I’m presuming she’s had some luck since 1992, but in the meantime, if anyone would like to add family data to the families I’ve outlined—or if they find any errors—please feel free to contact me and let me know.

According to census records, William R. Wren was born in Virginia between 1770 and 1780. We can place him in South Carolina in 1810 and 1815 for his daughter, Amelia Ann, and his son Marshall were alleged to have been born in South Carolina. We know he was in Dallas County Alabama by 1820.

I believe the other male and female enumerated in this census as over 21 years of age is his son, William, and wife, Jane — but I have no proof. He is not referred to in the will of William R. Wren but a William Wren is mentioned in Dallas County court records. This William Wren married the widow, Jane (Wardlow) Ramsey, sister of James Wardlow, in 1817 in Abbeville District, South Carolina. They emigrated to Dallas County, Alabama in 1819. According to court records, this William Wren remained in Dallas County, Alabama until 1827. (No other information).

In his will, William R. Wren referred to his wife, Sarah, who was born between 1690 and 1800. I surmise Sarah to be a second wife because William’s daughter, Elizabeth, was also born between 1790 and 1800. I have been unsuccessful in my search for his first wife or any of his South Carolina census/land/court/records.

Our William R. Wren is enumerated in the 1820 printed census of Dallas County, Alabama; pg. 395:

2 males over 21
2 males under 21
2 females over 21
2 females under 21
William R. Wren is still found in Dallas County Alabama in 1830; pg 84;

Male – age 50-60 (William R.) born 1770-1780
Male – age 15-20 (Marshall) – born ca 1815
Male – age <-5 (Richard H.) - born ca 1828
Female age 30-40 (Sarah) - born 1790-1800

18 slaves are also enumerated: 10 male; 8 female

William R. Wren probably died in May of 1838. His will was admitted to probate and recorded on 4 September 1838.

Known Children: Not in order of birth.

1. Ferriby b <1815 m Allen Driskell 25 July 1823 Dallas Co. Ala. (For some unknown reason this daughter was given only $20.00 and omitted from other bequeaths in her father’s will).
2. Polly b? ______? m Benjamin Glover 13 Aug. 1818 Clark Co. Ala.
3. Elizabeth b. 1790-1800 m Wm. McMillian (1830 census – pg 70 ; close to sisters Leanna and Amelia Ann + purchase of 80 acres of land in Dallas Co. Ala. from WILLIAM WREN in February of 1820 – Ref Deed Book A, pg 272).
4. Tappanes b. 1800-1810 m Irwin Adams (1820 census – Dallas Co. Ala., pg 85; 1840 census – Dallas County, Alabama, pg 78. (She is enumerated as a widow with 8 children in 1840 census).
5. Leanna/Dianna b <1810 m Matthew McMillan 7 April 1825 Dallas County, Alabama. She is enumerated in the census of Dallas County, Alabama – pg 78 with husband and 3 male children.
6. Amelia Ann (Milly) b ca 1810 in SC m Aaron Hoot. Enumerated on pg 86, Dallas Co. Ala. census of 1830. Petition to sell land (pg 267 – June Term 1858 – Dallas County, Alabama Deed Records) names the following children: Susan (m Samuel Derrick and of full age), Charles W., Francis M. and Louisa D. Hoot (minors under the age of 21).
7. MARSHALL b ca 1815 S.C. m MARY A. COLEMAN ca 1833 DAL CO ALA DESCENDANTS AND OTHER INFORMATION WILL BE IN OUR JULY ISSUE.
8. Richard H.b. ca 1829 m Mary E. d 1911 Neal, TX; Civil War Veteran; Hood’s Texas Brigade – “Big Dick” Wren. He is enumerated on pg 276 (663/663) of the 1850 census of Dallas County, Alabama; emigrated to Texas – Fannin Co. 1860; Brazos Co. 1870. Children: William M., Sarah W. (m Wm Harmon ca 1868), Clarence Alfred, Richard M., Florence, Mary L. and Thomas S.

Information from will of William R. Wren; census of Dallas Co., Ala. 1820, 30, 40, 50; Fannin County, TX 1860; Brazos Co TX 1870; court, deed, and marriage records of Dallas Co. Ala.

Bobby Joe passed away in 2000, but I wanted to post the notice of his death here for all the people who came to know him through the pages of Wren Kin.

A WREN HAS FLOWN HOME
Bobby Joe Wren
1929-2000

Bobby Joe Wren, 70, of El Paso died Sunday (Jan 2, 2000). Services will be private. Survivors include his wife, Ruth; his sons, Robert Allen Wren, Melvin Russell Wren, and Lee Roy Wren; his daughter, Marilyn M. Taylor; his brother Worth S. Wren; his sister, Evelyn Ashey, nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was a retired operator delivery man for Southern Pacific Pipeline and a Navy veteran. He was also on the board of directors for Parks and Recreation and lived in El Paso for 41 years. memorial contributions may be made to Parkland High School Athletics. Arrangements are by Hillcrest Funeral Home.

“The remains of Seaman Second Class Bobby J. Wren, were committed to the sea At 0850 22 April, 2000 in a ceremony onboard USS David R. Ray.

Military Headstone placed in the Wren family plot at the Hico Cemetery in Hico, Texas.

Favorite Song: Suppertime by Gov. Jimmie Davis.

Favorite Bible Verses:
John 3:16 For God so loved
The world, that He gave his
Only begotten Son, that
Whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have
everlasting life.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I
say unto you, He that
heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation;
but is passed from death unto life.

Source: from a photocopied memorial sheet for Bobby Joe Wren. Original is in the possession of Ruth B. Wren.

I’ve been looking for ways to lower the cost of DNA testing for the Wren Family Association DNA Surname Project. The test we recommend costs $155, which might be too expensive for some.

The best price-reduction option so far seems to be through the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Project. In exchange for donating your DNA sample to this non-profit DNA database, Sorenson will provide you with a promo code that takes $60 off the cost of a $155 Y-chromosome DNA test at Relative Genetics (where our surname project is registered).

I’m all for saving money, so I sent away for the participation kit. Actually, I sent away for two: one for me and one for my Wren husband. Both kits arrived within two days.

Here’s what they looked like:

I ripped them open and found all this inside:

Top left is a booklet containing information about the SMGF. Top right is a piece of tape included for sealing up the box again for shipping. Bottom left is the paperwork containing instructions, the consent form and a pedigree chart. At bottom right is a plastic bag containing a plastic jar of mouthwash and a small, absorbent pad.

My husband wasn’t available to take the test, so I proceeded to experiment with me.

The instructions were straightforward: I had to wait until I hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for at least an hour before I took the test, which consists of swishing the green mouthwash in your mouth for about a minute. The instructions warn of a possible tingling sensation, but it felt just like gargling with minty fresh Scope.

When the timer went off, I spit the mouthwash back into the container, put the lid back on and tightened it. The instructions asked me to put the absorbent pad in the bag with the jar, apparently to absorb any mouthwash that might leak out of the jar.

As instructed, I pressed the bag as I zipped it shut to remove extra air. Then I turned to the provided pedigree chart.

According to Sorenson, I could fill their pedigree chart out by hand, print one out from my genealogy software, or send Sorenson a GEDCOM file. I decided to print out our pedigree chart from my genealogy software.

You can see how Sorenson uses this information here. At the time of this writing, there was just one W(R)en(n) participating in the project (soon to be two, when they get my husband’s sample).

As you can see, this Wren surname started in Virginia, migrated to Arkansas and then Texas. More detail may be seen by clicking on the pedigree button:

Hopefully this Wren will join our DNA surname project, too!

But back to my kit. After I signed the consent form I folded it and the pedigree chart into quarters and put it into the little pocket that was separate from the zipped area containing the mouthwash.

My completed kit looked like this:

Note that there’s a place on the bag to write your name and indicate your gender. You might want to do that BEFORE you put the jar in the bag.

At this point I realized I needed to a little work on the box to prepare it for its return trip. Here’s the “before” picture.

I needed to cut off the cardboard along the scoring marks. It was easy enough to do without scissors.

I said goodbye to my DNA sample, tucked it into the box and sealed it up. Please note that this is all free: you don’t even have to pay postage—just drop the package in the mail.

It wasn’t until a few days later when I packed up my husband’s DNA sample that I realized I was supposed to tuck the overhanging part INSIDE the box. (Yes. Well. I’m bad at wrapping birthday presents, too.)

My package arrived safely despite my poor wrapping job because I soon received an email from Sorenson thanking me for my participation and giving me my promo code, which I’ll use to reduce the cost of my husband’s DNA test to $95. (I’ll write about that experience in another post.)

If money is not an issue or you’d rather not deal with Sorenson and mouthwash and promo codes, visit our site at Relative Genetics and sign up for the “q-tip” Y-chromosome DNA test for $155. (Details on the procedure are here.)

Bennie WREN, Delia TUCKER (1914)

Carter WREN, Rilla SHAW (1882)

J.C. WREN, Mattie GODFREY (1878)

Sources used: Marriage Records Van Zandt County Texas 1909-1931, Compiled by Quana Barber, Ruth Johnson & Maefayr Hooton; and Van Zandt County Texas Marriage Records 1855-1884, transcribed, compiled & Edited by Exa Thomas.