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. A 1915 special Iowa census says he was born in Kentucky. The 1880 census indicates William's father was born in Germany and his mother in North Carolina.
William married Mary Montgomery about 1844, possibly in Kentucky.
Mary Montgomery was born about 1824, in either Guernsey or Morgan County, Ohio. (A 1915 special Iowa census also says Mary was born in Ohio.) Mary was the daughter of Mitchell L. Montgomery and Sarah Young. (Note: There has been some confusion in the family regarding Mary's maiden name. Her maiden name was spelled McGunry or McGumry on the death certificate of her son.)
William and Mary settled in Kentucky after their marriage. Various records indicate their son was born in Kentucky about 1845.
Mary died about 1848, possibly in Indiana. Mary's mother Sarah Montgomery also died prior to the 1850 census and may have died about the same time that Mary died.
Mary left a young child for William to raise. We believe Mary's family was living in the same area at that time and probably helped William with the child until he remarried a few months later.
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, Indiana census, Luce Township, 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 census was dated September 14, 1850.)
Living next door to William's family in 1850 was the Davis family. The census shows Alfred Davis, 25, a mill tender, born in Kentucky; wife Jane Davis, 24, born in Kentucky; and son M. T. Davis, age 4 months, born in Indiana. Living with the Davis family was Barbara A. Wren, 25, born in Kentucky; Lander Wren, 2, born in Kentucky; and David W. Wren, 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. We believe he was a twin to Lander. We also believe that Barbara may have been William's sister-in-law.
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. Mitchell was the father of William's first wife, Mary.
The 1860 Spencer County, Indiana census shows William's 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. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, William's son Luther died.
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 was their son William Thomas, Jr. and his wife.
Child of William Wren and Mary Montgomery
1. James Alfred Wren, b. 1845, KY (our line)
Children of William Wren and Allena Overall Hamilton
2. Frances Allena Wren, b. abt 1851, Spencer Co, IN; m. Harvey Pruett on November 20, 1873 in Warrick Co, IN
3. Mary Ellen Wren, b. abt 1854, Spencer Co, IN
4. William Thomas Wren, Jr., b. Apr 1857, Spencer Co, IN
5. Luther M. Wren, b. abt 1859, Spencer Co, IN; d. 1860-1870, 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.
Others researching the Wren line:
Albert
Wren
Eileene
Kronenberg
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