Master Surname Index



John McCain

Ancestry of
John McCain

U.S. Senator from Arizona

    John Wright

    View famous kin of John Wright

    • 5th Great-grandfather of John McCain — 8th Generation
    • Ahnentafel No:
    • 192 
    • Father:
    • Mother:
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    • Birth Date:
    • 2 Oct 1700 
    • Birth Location:
    • Westmoreland County, Virginia 
    • Christening Date:
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    • Christening Location:
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    • Death Date:
    • BY 27 Feb 1792 
    • Death Location:
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    • Burial Date:
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    • Burial Location:
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    • Marriage Date:
    • BEF 1737 
    • Marriage Location:
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    • Notes: 

    • The father of John Wright has for a long time been thought to be John Wright, son of Francis Wright and Ann Washington. Unfortunately Y-DNA testing of descendants for this John Wright and descendants of his reported grandfather Francis Wright, has proved that this connection is not valid. Robert Grant published the results in a book titled The Identification of 1792 John Wright of Fauquier County, Virginia, as Not the Son of 1792/30 John Wright of Stafford County, Virginia. Since the initial publication of the results, two additional descendants of John Wright have been found whose Y-DNA also failed to match that of the Francis Wright descendants.

      Despite the strong case made by Robert Grant and the fact that new research seems to bolster his case, many descendants of John Wright refuse to accept the DNA results as it severes their ties to the family of President George Washington. Interestingly, as of this writing The National Society of the Washington Family Descendants has not fully accepted the results presented by Robert Grant for John Wright. However they do accept his results regarding other descendants where he proves a connection is valid. Perhaps the NSWFD society doesn't want to close membership to such a large group as the John Wright descendants make up.

      However I have examined Robert Grant's Y-DNA case and I now believe the burden of proof now lies with someone proving the DNA results are flawed. As more descendants are found and added to the project, this becomes a less likely scenario and therefore I have to conclude that this John Wright is not the grandson of Francis Wright and Ann Washington.

Scroll down to see sources.

  • Sources for John Wright

    • 1 Glenn, Justin, The Washingtons: A Family History, Unknown: Savas Publishing (2014), Vol. 1.
    • 2 Hoppin, Charles Arthur, The Washington Ancestry: and Records of the McClain, Johnson, and Forty Other Colonial American Families, Greenfield, Ohio: Privately Printed (1932), Vol. 1, p. 391, 394-425, 455.
    • 4 Ritchie, Anne Reed, Supplement - Corrections and Additions to Major Francis Wright and Ann Washington, with Allied Families, Milwaukie, Oregon: A.R. Ritchie (c1979), 80.