James Robert Wright
WRIGHT, GLASS, RICHARDSON, BANTA, FENTZ
Posted By: Leslie Bagwell (email)
Date: 3/19/2014 at 11:05:37
Centerville Daily Citizen
Centerville, Iowa
20 January 1908
page 1Two Pioneers are called away.
J.R. Wright and Peter McCoy died Sunday Morning within six hours
They Came Here in 1847 and 1849
Former a Veteran Soldier and Charter Member of the Baptist Church - Latter An Influential Citizen, and Both Wellknown
"Uncle Rob" Wright, beloved neighbor and friend, veteran soldier, useful citizen is dead after a long illness. He passed away at his home in Vermillion township west of this city Sunday morning at 1:00 where sorrowing relatives and friends had gathered and watched anxiously as the angel husband and father and friend sank slowly away.
Uncle Rob, as he was affectionately called by pretty nearly everybody, had been ailing for a long time and his recent illness, due to infirmities of old age, asthma and dropsy, had extended over a period of a year and a half. He had been in a very low condition for the last few weeks and his death was not unexpected.
Mr. Wright was widely known in the county, having been a pioneer settler, and he had the respect of all who knew him, because of his life which seemingly beyond reproach and for his kindly Christian spirit. He was a good soldier and his death is mourned by his comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic of which he was a member. He was also closely identified with the Baptist church of which he had been a faithful and valued member since his young manhood, having been a charter member of the Centerville Baptist church which was organized in 1851. Only one other charter member is now living. He served in various official capacities in both the organizations mentioned.
Funeral services were conducted this afternoon at 2:00 o'clock at the Wright school house by his pastor, Rev. J.D. Vannoy and the remains were laid to rest in the Thomasson Cemetery. Many friends were present to pay the last sad respects to the memory of the deceased. John L. Bashore Post, G.A.R. was present as a body and conducted the military services, and official members of the local church were also present to honor the memory of a founder of the body.
J. Robert Wright, son of Crispin Wright was born in Macon county, Tennessee, July 29, 1828, being one of four children. After spending a year in Kentucky he came to Iowa and located in this county in 1847. In 1849 he was united in marriage to Malissa Glass and they settled on a farm west of this city where he has since resided. Mrs. Wright died May 26, 1890 and afterwards Mr. Wright was married to Mrs. Elizabeth Glass who survives him. As a result of the first union thirteen children were born of whom seven are now living as follows: Mrs. E. J. Richardson, E. C. Wright, W.E. Wright, D.R. Wright, Mrs. Ollie Fentz and Carl Wright. {Mrs F.M. Banta} All of these reside in this vicinity except W.E. Wright whose home is in Manton, California and Carl Wright who is instructor in college at Franklin, Kansas {Nebraska}. The latter came home on receipt of word of his father's critical condition, having also visited him during the holidays.
WAR RECORD
Mr. Wright enlisted August 12, 1861 from this place in the Fifth Kansas Cavalry, serving eight months in Company D of that regime nt when he was transferred to Company B. of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry. As a member of the Fifth Kansas he participated in the battles of Drywood, Morristown, and Osceola, and the regiment also repelled Price's raid, driving the raiders back toward Lexington, Mo., and afterward took part in the Springfield campaign. As a member of Company B, he saw strenuous service in fighting Quantrell's guerrillas, the company losing many men in repelling the raids of this daring marauder. The battle of Mazzard Prairie was fought after the time of enlistment had expired. Many of the members of the regiment were taken prisoners and the regiment was mustered out by detachments in the year 1864.
A Deserving Eulogy
Jont Harris, who soldiered with the deceased comrade, J. R. Wright, today handed the following eulogy of his deceased friend and comrade to the Citizen, which is vouched for by all the old friends of Mr. Wright, who knew him well in life.
"Over fifty-eight years ago the writer first became acquainted with James R. Wright, and through these many years I have intimately known and known of him. Many people have said in my hearing that Rob Wright was peculiar. He was and many of us, if not all, could copy these peculiar traits to our own advantage and the benefit of the community. He was truthful. Through the long years that I have known him, I have never heard him accused of any falsehood. What Rob Wright said or told was never disputed. That he was stern no one will dispute but this trait was used by him for protection of himself and friends in that it enabled him to say no at the right time and in a manner that the overture was not repeated. He was brave. It is not my opinion alone, but of many others, that Rob Wright never saw anything on this earth that he was afraid of. He was religious without trying to demonstrate or impose his religious views on others, one would not know what he thought of religion by what he said but by what he did. I was but a boy when I first knew of Comrade Wright, a bound boy and not of the best. Either because he liked me, or because of my situation, I never went to him in trouble without receiving help. When this country needed his assistance, in the same unobtrusive way, born of his peculiar traits, he set about rendering such assistance and, comrades, when we come to combine his characteristics in one person, we see at once, what a model soldier he becomes, and how we suffer, we who remain, that we no longer have him among us. He is dead, but we know that he met the Grim Monster with the same truthfulness, sternness, bravery, and religious assurance that he met the issues of his life. May God Bless his family and friends. He does not need it." - JONT HARRIS
http://centerville.advantage-preservation.com/content/centerville-daily-citizen-1908-01-20-page-1
Appanoose Obituaries maintained by Renee L. Rimmert.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen