I am wondering if any one has a listening from a book regarding the early pioneer families of Missouri and Stoddard County? I am searching for the name Bright as one of the families, maybe? Phillip Bright of NC married in Stoddard CO. in 1828 to Eliza.

I read of a gentleman, I believe French name, that was enlisted to help bring pioneer families from North Carolina, mostly farmers, in the early 1800's to Missouri to settle the land there. The NC families, mostly of German ancestry, were given free land or paid a very inexpensive price for the land. Does anyone know his name?

It is a long shot, but I am thinking that maybe some "Bright's" migrated westward with him. And maybe there is a listening of the people who came with him? Thank you for any help. Dorothea

Stoddard Co. wasn't formed until 1835. It was briefly attached to New Madrid Co. and before that it was Cape Girardeau Co. A marriage record from 1828 would likely be in Cape Co.
Are you thinking of Major George Frederich Bollinger, a Swiss who worked for the Spanish government in bringing German families from the Lincoln Co. NC area to southeast MO? The French had moved south of St. Louis to establish Cape Girardeau, and the Spanish worried they were going to encroach on their territory of the lower Mississippi from New Madrid south, so they commissioned Bollinger in the late 1700's to bring Germans to Cape Girardeau Territory to settle under the Spanish flag.
Bollinger and families from his first wagon train settled on Whitewater River at present day Burfordville, Bollinger Co. MO. There is an historical plaque near Bollinger Mill which lists the names of the first 20 families. There is controversy about the accuracy of that list. Houck's history lists these names as coming with Bollinger - perhaps on that first train or one of his later ones: Cryts (Crites/Kritz), Miller, Nyswanger, Slinker, Grount, Aiding, Asherbranner, Limbach/Limbaugh, Lorr, Hoss, Welker, Baker/Becker, Clingingsmith, Stotler, Barks, Probst, Bollinger, Hardell and others.
I have a copy of the 1803 Cape Girardeau Territorial Census, and I don't see the Bright name on it, nor do I find the name Bright in Lorena Eaker's history of the German-speaking people living the near the Catawba River in western North Carolina. She checked all county records written in German, and compiled information on the families named in them in a large volume of over 600 German names.
If you know your family was in this area of MO in the territorial era (pre-1821), you might check New Madrid Co. The early settlers there were all displaced by the great earthquakes of 1811-1812.
If you know your family was German or Swiss, you might check into whether or not their name was changed to the English equivalent. For example, Schneider/Snider was changed to Taylor in NC records, Zimmerman became Carpenter, Volprecht became Fulbright, Swartz became Black, etc.
A name like Bright could also have been shortened from something such as Hambright or Fulbright.
You can also check the Houck and Douglas histories of southeast MO for early Stoddard Co. MO families. They are located in many of the local libraries in this area.
Good luck!

Dear LeAnn,

Thank you so much for the history and names of the books for me to check in when I come out west next year. I live in Maine, but next April I am traveling across the country for a couple of weeks. I am hoping to do some research at different places. Thank you again. Please let me know if I can do any research for you. Dorothea

Hi, I was browsing when I came across your request. The Bright family has roots in Stoddard County. I descend from Uriah White who had a daughter Elizabeth who married John Wesley Bright. There were nine children from this marriage. Jimmy

Hello Jimmy,

I just saw your posting about Uriah White and the Bright's of Stoddard County. I too have done quite a bit of research going through censuses and ancestry.com. But have not been able to find out who Phillip Bright's parents were or his wife's last name. Have you? Phillip was John Wesley Bright's father who married Elizabeth White. Dorothea

Read with great interest your reply re Bright. Are these Stoddard Co. Brights related to O.H. Bright who married Rosetta Haun (Rossie Hon)? If so, would you elucidate on the family connections. Rosetta is my grandmother's sister and I no history of either family's ancestors or family origin.

Thank you. Mona McGinness

Hi Dorothea, Would you mind contacting me at myreality123@hotmail.com . I have updated my computer recently and this is the second time I have used it. I am sure that we have communicated in the past and hope we will continue in the future. At the present time I have not gone back further than John Wesley Bright. I am related through his wife Elizabeth White. I haven't been active for awhile and am beginning my research again. Just in case that I lost your e-mail address in the upgrade, will you send it to me please. I find that it speeds up the communication significantly. Jimmy

Hi Jimmy, I recently went to Nashville TN where Elizabeth White's father, Uriah White was from and I have a map of where his farm was in Lincoln County TN about an hour or so south of Nashville, unfortunatly, I didn't get a chance to go there but will be glad to share the map and info I found. I am still trying to find where John's parents are buried in Duck's Creek MO. Philip and Elisa Bright. Do you know where Elizabeth, John Bright's wife is buried in Texas? My email is dreamtraveler2001@yahoo.com