William R. Wren of Virginia

Ruth Wren — Mon, 28 May 2007 05:20:26 +0000

This article was published in the Wren Kin Newsletter April 1990, Vol. 1, Issue No. 2. and is reprinted here with the permission of author Ruth Wren.

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.

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).
Polly b? ______? m Benjamin Glover 13 Aug. 1818 Clark Co. Ala.
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).
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).
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.
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).
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.
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.

How to save $60 on our Surname Project DNA test

Bonnie Wren — Wed, 02 May 2007 18:40:10 +0000

PLEASE NOTE: Since I wrote this post, this offer has been withdrawn due to the changes announced here.

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.)

Wren Kin » Virginia

William R. Wren of Virginia

How to save $60 on our Surname Project DNA test