James Wright’s (b. 1799) Children

Wright Children Maple Tree Buckets w_memorandum.jpg
Memorial to honor James and Harriet’s small children who deceased.   William:  April 1823 – August 12, 1833, Chillicothe, Ohio and Joseph:  April 1841 – January 27, 1842, Chillicothe, Ohio. No markers are at their graves. Informants:  Glenda Wright, and Mark Smith.

In the picture above affixed to the buckets hanging from sugar maple trees are the names of James’ and Harriet Elizabeth’s children. The significance is that after the death of James all of the children except Mary Elizabeth Bennett moved as a whole to the N.W. and North Central region of Missouri where one of their income sources was harvesting maple sap  and rendering it to syrup and maple cakes. This is continued today by some of our remaining family members.  Because of health concerns, Sarah returned to Ohio shortly after settling in Missouri.

Portraits of the Wright Children

Contributor: Kathy Wright-Wainer
Sarah Ellen Wight-Hammond
Elizabeth Mary Wright married Peter Nathaniel Bennett-only child that did not move to Missouri.

More About the Wright Children

John Harvey Wright

b. 1829 in Ross County Ohio; resided in Jasper County Missouri.

Photos and information contributed by Stephen Wright Williams.

WRIGHT FAMIILY PICNIC PHOTO

My grandfather Clarence Melvin Wright 1886-1966 had four sisters and one brother. All are in this photograph taken some time between 1908 and 1914. His mother and father are here also, as well as his wife Cora (my grandmother) and his mother-in-law (Molly Mae Goodrich).

Standing in the back, left to right:

  • Aunt Bessie Mooney holding Chester, her son.  Aunt Bessie (1891-1984) was my great aunt.  I remember Aunt Bessie and her husband, Wes Mooney (1900-1972), They lived in Galena, Kansas.
  • Cora Wright, Uncle Marion’s wife.
  • Uncle Marion Wright.  Uncle Marion was grandpa’s only brother.  Standing in front of him is his and Cora’s son, Carl.  I never met Uncle Marion.
  • Aunt Cora (Wright) Cook holding her son, Billy.  Cora was grandpa’s sister.  I have no recollection of her.
  • Clarence Melvin Wright (1886-1966), my grandfather.
  • Cora Mae (Goodrich) Wright (1883-1963), my grandmother.  I spent many summers at my grandparent’s home in Joplin, Missouri when I was a boy.  She and grandpa were married on August 8, 1908.
  • Aunt Lula Bittle (1877-1938), grandpa’s sister,  Married to Allen Bittle of Carthage.  Both died before I was born.
  • Aunt Emma (Wright) Templeton holding her son, Clarence.  Aunt Emma (1876-1952) was grandpa’s sister.  I vaguely remember visiting Aunt Emma in the hospital.  She died of cancer when I was eight years old.
  • Uncle George Templeton (1879-1958), Emma’s husband, with his hands on their son, Lowell.  I vividly remember Uncle George, who occasionally visited my grandparents in Joplin.

Seated on chairs, left to right:

  • George W. Wright (1851-1914), my grandpa’s father
  • Sarah M. Wright (1852-1931), my grandpa’s mother
  • Molly Mae Goodrich (1849-1915), my grandma’s mother.  My grandma told an interesting story about her: When she was a young girl, her father was away fighting for the South in the Civil War.  He was coming home to see his family when, not far from his house, he was ambushed and shot by “bushwhackers.”  Molly, who would have been around 15 at the time, heard the shot and came running out to him.  He asked her to take off his boot and bring him some water from the stream, which she did.  He died a short time later, in her arms.

Kids Seated on Ground, left to right:

Lester Cook, Loren Cook and Hazel Cook (Cora (Wright) Cook’s children); and Leroy Templeton and Floyd Templeton (George and Emma’s sons).  I remember Floyd very well because he often visited my grandparent’s in Joplin.  He had a dairy farm in Missouri which I also remember visiting.

All the Templeton’s are Wright family members through their mother Emma (Wright) Templeton, George Wright’s daughter.  Today there are Templeton’s spread all over Jasper County Missouri.

Click on an image to open to full screen. Captions will not cover photos in full screen mode.

Headstone for John Harvey Wright 1829-1908, my great-great grandfather. There is a touching
inscription at the bottom of the stone, written undoubtedly by a family member: “Sleep Soldier Sleep.”
On his stone, as well as his bio on the Center Cemetery website, it states he was a private in a 1st Ohio
artillery unit during the Civil War
This is the Center Cemetery bio for John Harvey Wright. His wife, Barbara Ann (Bowman) Wright
1830-1910 is also buried in Center Cemetery
As I read the Center Cemetery bio earlier this week, it was his father, James Wright 1799-1868
that piqued my interest and led me to the Wright Family History website
John Harvey Wright 1880 census
This page of the Cemetery website shows memorials posted in 2013 and 2017. One is from the
“Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil war” (2017) and one is from the Schmidt and Clark families (2013). I
never lived in Carthage nor have I lived in Missouri since I was a baby; therefore, I have no idea who
these people are.
This is the headstone for my great-grandfather, George Washington Wright 1851-1914. It is next
to the gravesite of his father, John Harvey Wright. I visited Center Cemetery a few years ago and took
these pictures. Though I stood three feet away, I was unable to make out the inscription at the bottom.
Center Cemetery website page for George W. Wright.
This web page lists only two of George’s children, Bessie and Emma, both of whom I vaguely
remember. My grandfather Clarence Melvin Wright 1886-1966 isn’t shown, nor is George’s other son
Marion or daughters Lula and Cora.
Photo of George Wright on his buckboard. My grandfather told me his dad’s business was
cutting and hauling firewood to local homes. I doubt it made him wealthy, but he raised six kids so it
apparently fed the family.
This is a photo of Center Cemetery in Fidelity, Missouri (though some say it’s in Sarcoxie). The
gravestone in the foreground is George Wright; the center is John Harvey Wright; and the third one at
the rear is unrecognizable except for the name Wright. Center is a small, rural church cemetery but
based on my two visits over the years, I’d say it’s well maintained. There are other Wrights listed in the
Cemetery registry (including John Harvey’s wife Barbara) but none of the other names are familiar to me.
This is a photo of the George Wright family. My grandfather, Clarence Melvin Wright is the boy
in the center and, based on his approximate age, I estimate the picture was taken around 1895. Back
row (l to r) are Marion, Lula, Emma, Sarah the mother, and George the father. The three children in the
front row are Melvin (my grandfather) and two girls I can’t identify conclusively. One is Cora, one is
Bessie but I can’t tell which.
The background in this photo interests me as much as the people. Even for 1895, the house is clearly a
low-income abode. Nothing wrong with that, and one can imagine frequent visits by George’s father and
mother (John Harvey and Barbara Ann) to enjoy their six grandchildren. I can especially visualize John
Harvey “washing up” in the wash basin perched on top of the wooden stump. This photo brings my
Wright family ancestors to life and makes me grateful for their time on earth.
This is a picture of my grandfather Clarence Melvin Wright 1886-1966 who went by his middle
name Melvin. He told me this picture was taken when he was 15. He also told me, and his death
certificate confirms, that he was born in Princeton, Missouri, which further confirms the Ohio
connection. According to the Wright Family History website, some Wrights moved from Ohio to Mercer
County, Missouri which includes Princeton, in 1871.
Mercer County is located on the northern Missouri border with Iowa which is far from grandpa’s lifetime
home in Jasper County Missouri. Apparently, a splinter group of Wrights left Mercer County sometime
after my grandfather’s birth in 1886 and migrated to Jasper County, deep in southern Missouri. That
group presumably included my great-great grandfather John Harvey Wright 1829-1908, his wife Barbara
Ann (Bowman) Wright 1830-1910 and his son George Washington Wright 1851-1914. All three are
buried in Center Cemetery in Fidelity, Missouri just outside Carthage.
This is my grandfather’s sister, Lula (Wright) Bittle 1877-1938. Grandpa said Aunt Lu was the
ditzy one in the family.
This is grandpa’s sister Bessie and her husband Wes Mooney. Although they lived in Kansas,
grandpa told me Uncle Wes was the original hillbilly. But he must have been pretty good with
mechanical things because he once built his own car. Unfortunately, it came apart (literally) one day
while he was driving it down the road. He and Aunt Bessie came to visit several times when I was a little
boy so I remember them vaguely.
This picture is my grandfather Clarence Melvin Wright 1886-1966 and his wife (my grandmother)
Cora Mae (Goodrich) Wright 1883-1963. They were married on August 8, 1908.
The Wright Family Picnic from Above. I’m fairly certain it was taken after 1908 because my
grandparents are both in it, presumably married; and before 1914 because my great grandfather George
Wright is prominently seated in the center, and he died in 1914.
This a picture of my mother Mildred Mae (Wright) Williams 1916-2001 shortly after she was born.
A picture of my mother as a toddler. She named me Wright (middle name) and I named my daughter
Ashley Wright Williams
This is my mother as a pre-teen with her dad and mom.
Mildred Wright (my mother) as a senior at Carthage High School, with a boyfriend (not my dad).
This is a picture of three generations of Wrights: Me on the left, my mother Mildred (Wright)
Williams in the middle and my grandfather Clarence Melvin Wright on the right. It was taken in
December 1964 when I was home on leave before going overseas.

William Allen and Mary Wright

William married Mary Elizabeth POWER, daughter of Lawrence Clarence POWER and Elizabeth YOUNKER, on 4 Mar 1858 in Vinton, Gallia Co, Ohio. William A. Wright along with his sons, made the “Run” in 1892 to claim homesteads in Blaine Co, Oklahoma.  He and his wife moved to Kansas City, Missouri to retire where they died in 1926 and 1934. In addition to the ten children pictured, sadly, they lost 3 others as infants.  See the Find A Grave links below for more information. Photo and biographical information provided by Glenda Wright; William Allen’s  great granddaughter and granddaughter of William Henry Wright.

Click to open Descendants of William  Allen Wright First Generation

Slideshow photos below courtesy of Glenda Wright

Same home later purchased by nephew John H. Wright

Silas and Phoebe (Deckard) Wright

The Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013 database denotes James & Harriet’s son Silas was married on November 19, 1856, in Gallia, Ohio to Phoebe Deckard. Later, they went westward with his siblings.  The United States Census, 1880 tags Silas a farmer residing in Ravanna Township, Mercer County, Missouri along with  the following household members: spouse:  Pheobe Wright; children: Nancy J Wright, Mahala Wright, Clara S Wright, Missouri A Wright, Elcy Elva Wright, Effie A Wright;  other: Malinda Deckard, Ellen Nora Jee, Mahala Deckard.

According to Silas and Phoebe’s great, great granddaughter, Diane Ward, Silas died in Independence, Kansas in 1908 with Phoebe passing in 1885 in Missouri. Together, they reared four daughters: Clara Lidora, Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003 b. 25 Jun 1870 in Franklin Township, Ross County, Ohio; Missouri Anne (her great grandmother) b. 1873; Elcy Elva b. 1876; and Effie, born 1879.

Missouri Ann Wright (1873-1937) married Simpson Mac Thomas (1871-1937) in 1896. They had 3 children: Lydia, John Calvin and William Silas. All are buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Independence, Kansas.

William Silas Thomas married Thelma Bessie Hoke (1907-1974) and they had 3 daughters:  Joycelyn Louise (1926-2009), Clarice Wilamena (1927-2009) and Thelma Janet (1929-2003). All but Janet are buried in Independence, Kansas.  Joycelyn married Ralph Wendell Elliott (1924-1999) and they are my parents. Both are buried in Independence, Kansas.

Click to open Descendants  of Silas Wright – First Generation

The following slideshow is of Missouri Anne Wright-Thomas and her descendants. Courtesy of Diane Elliott-Ward.

Deckard Information:

Click to open Henry Deckard Gallia Co, OH Land Purchase from the U. S. Government  Contributor:  Glenda Wright

Richard Deckard Newspaper Acticles.jpg
Contributor:  Glenda Wright

Peter and Elizabeth (Wright) Bennet

Click to open  the Death Certificate of James I Bennet

Robert Gay, Jr. – Stepson

Robert Gay, Jr. enlisted in the Union Army and was (because of health concerns) “promised” a post in a hospital. Instead, promises were broken; he was assigned regular infantry duties. Due to deteriorating health and being unfit for field infantry, he conferred with the Confederate Army who made promises to him as well. Subsequently, in 1864 as he attempted to make his way back home, the Union Army arrested him on charges of desertion. Within five days he was tried and executed in Indiana.

The Indiana Magazine of History The Execution of Private Robert Gay gives a compelling accounting of his back story, arrest, testimony of faith and execution with some overlapping information from Dianne’s posting in Robert’s FindAGrave memorial below. It also states that when enlisted, he informed the Army that his biological father was deceased.  The Death of Private Robert Gay Part 1 and The Death of Robert Gay Part 2 touch on his relationship with James Wright (1799) as his step father. In a web based search, several more articles can be found for further reading.

During visits to my grandparents, Eldon and Esta Wright, I remember conversations where this topic arose along with the desertion charge. Details were not discussed but they did confirm the contentious relationship between Robert and James. The word “traitor” did arise with remarks comparing Robert as ungrateful while James’ son John Harvey was a heavy artillery soldier for the Union Army. Take the time to read any one of the aforementioned articles to see a complete accounting of this event which include Robert’s last words that were spoken just prior to his hands being tied, blindfolded and shot as he sat on his own casket. I challenge you to not shed a tear and be a changed person after reading these accounts.  –K. Wright-Wainer (great, great granddaughter of James Jefferson Wright)

I have no malice against any living being. I forgive those who are to fire at me. There are those  thirst for my blood, but I forgive them, too. To you who will fire at me, I would say, take your aim well. Fire at the breast (laying his hand with cap in it on his heart), that is the place. Hold on the spot firmly. I want to die quickly. Don’t let me suffer. Hold steady on the spot, and shoot at my breast. Again I forgive everybody, and ask those whom I have injured to forgive me.” Throughout this speech…the prisoner’s voice was steady, uniform, and devoid of every symptom of perturbation. —Robert Gay, Jr.

Robert Gay
Robert Gay, Jr. Union Army Portrait

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