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, [...]]]> I had a fine time following Mr. Alexander Wren (and his wife, Amarilla S. Wood) from state to state.

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.

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 [...]]]> Ruth Wren sent me a binder containing all the family group sheets submitted by Wren Family Association members in the early 1990s.

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.