Some sources indicate the Wren family originated on the large peninsula of northwestern France called Brittany. Other sources indicate the family originated in Germany. We believe our line was from Germany.
William Thomas Wren was born about 1822. The 1850 census says he was born in Kentucky, the 1860 census says Indiana, and the 1870 and 1880 census show Tennessee. A death certificate for William's son gives William's place of birth as North Carolina. The 1880 census indicates William's father was born in Germany and his mother in North Carolina.
William married Mary McGumry (or Montgomery) about 1844. Mary McGumry (Montgomery) was born about 1824, in North Carolina. We believe the name was Montgomery, but the death certificate of their son shows her name to be Mary McGumry. We believe the name was recorded that way because that was the way the information giver pronounced the name or that was the way the information gatherer understood the pronunciation of the name. We found a Mitchell L. Montgomery living next door to William in 1850. We believe he may have been Mary's father.
William and Mary settled in Kentucky where their son was born in 1845.
Mary died about 1848, probably in Kentucky or Indiana.
William married Mrs. Allena Overall Hamilton on August 9, 1849 in Spencer County, Indiana. Allena Overall was born about 1822, probably in Indiana. She first married Joseph Hamilton on October 19, 1840 in Spencer County. Joseph Hamilton apparently died about 1846-1849. Joseph and Allena had a daughter, Amanda Hamilton, born about 1846, in Spencer County.
The 1850 Spencer County census, dated September 14th, shows William, 28, a farmer, born in Kentucky; Elena, 30, born in Iowa; Amanda Hamilton, 4, born in Iowa; and Alfa Wren, 5, born in Iowa. The family was living in Luce Township. Living next door was Alfred Davis, 25, a mill tender, born in Kentucky; wife Jane, 24, born in Kentucky; and son M. T., age 4 months, born in Indiana. Living with the Davis family was Barbara A. Wren, 25, born in Kentucky; Lander, 2, born in Kentucky; and David W., age 4, born in Kentucky. We found a mortality listing for 2 year old Sanders Wren who died in July 1850 in Luce Township of Spencer County of cholera. He may have been a twin to Lander.
Also living next door to William in 1850 was Mitchell L. Montgomery, 55, a laborer, born in Pennsylvania; James Y., 19, born in Ohio, and Sarah, 17, born in Iowa. If indeed William's first wife was a Montgomery, as we believe, this may have been her father and siblings.
The 1860 Spencer County, Indiana census shows the family still in Luce Township. The census shows William, 48, born in Indiana; Allena, 47, born in Indiana; James A., 18, born in Indiana; Frances A., 13, born in Indiana; Mary E., 6, born in Indiana; William T., 4, born in Indiana; Luther M., 1, born in Indiana; and Amanda Hamilton, 14, born in Indiana.
William's son James married in Spencer County in 1867.
The family moved to Warrick County, Indiana prior to the 1870 census. Warrick County adjoins Spencer County on the west. The 1870 Warrick County census shows William Wren, 52, a farm worker, born in Tennessee; Allana, 50; Frances, 18; Mary, 16; William, 13; Amanda Hamilton, 25; and Kizise Hamilton, 6 years old. Kizise was probably Amanda's daughter.
William and Allena's daughter Mary married in 1871, in Spencer County. Their daughter Frances married in 1873 in Warrick County.
The 1880 Spencer County census, Luce Township, shows William, 59, a farmer, born in Tennessee, father born in Germany, mother born in North Carolina; Alanie, 60, born in Indiana, father and mother both born in Kentucky. Living very near is their son William Thomas, Jr. and his wife.
Child of William Wren and Mary McGunrey
1. James Alfred Wren, b. 1845, KY (our line)
Children of William Wren and Allena Overall Hamilton
2. Frances A. Wren, b. abt 1850, Spencer Co, IN; m. Harvey Pruett on November 20, 1873 in Warrick Co, IN
3. Mary E. Wren, b. abt 1854, Spencer Co, IN
4. William Thomas Wren, Jr., b. abt 1856, Spencer Co, IN
5. Luther M. Wren, b. abt 1859, Spencer Co, IN
I am not a professional genealogist and although I have researched much of the information found at this site, some of it was given to me by other researchers and may not have been documented. Each bit of information found here should be carefully researched and proved or disproved by you, the researcher. Researchers may copy information found at this site for their own personal use and to share with other researchers or genealogical organizations. Any commercial use or distribution without the written consent of this author is prohibited.
If you would like to be listed as a Wren researcher, or if you find errors or have additional information to contribute, please contact roykat@cyberback.com
Others researching the Wren line:
Albert
Wren
Eileene
Kronenberg