George C. Wright (1869-1930)

WRIGHT

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 11/27/2022 at 13:48:01

George C. Wright
(May 14, 1869 – 1930)

George C. Wright, of Knierim, Iowa, is now doing a good business as a dealer in real estate, and is also successfully managing the lumber business of F. R. Anderson & Company. A young man of superior executive ability and sound judgment, he already occupies a good position in the commercial world and has attained a fair degree of prosperity. A native of Illinois. Mr. Wright was born in Shabbona, Dekalb County, May 14, 1869, and is a representative of an old and
honored family of that county. In the fall of 1851 his grandfather, Thomas Wright, in company with S. Story, William Cutts and Joseph Billam, emigrated from England to this country and founded what became known as the English settlement in the western part of Shabbona Township, Dekalb County, Illinois. He was born in Woodhull, Yorkshire, England, December 21, 1802, a son of William and Fannie Wright, and on reaching manhood was married in his native parish, April 3, 1831, to Miss Mary Mullins, who was born in the same county, February 6, 1809, her parents being George and Julianna Mullins. By this union were born five children, of whom George Wright, our subject's father, was the eldest. Ann, born July 13, 1835. is now the wife of William Cutts, of Lee County, Illinois; William, born May 9, 1840, entered the Union army during the Civil war as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Fifth Infantry, and being wounded in the battle of Resaca, May 15, 1864, died in a hospital on the 25th of the same month; Robert M., born November 1, 1844, is now an attorney of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and was once the owner of what is now the town site of Knierim, having sold to William Knierim, Sr., eighty acres of land for four hundred and eighty dollars; Julianna, born January 31, 1847, is the wife of James Spaulding, of Palo Alto County, Iowa. The father of these children continued to engage in farming in Dekalb County, Illinois, until about eight years prior to his death, when he removed
to Lee County, that state, where he passed away September 7, 1882. He was a Republican in politics and an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
George Wright, the father of our subject, was born near Sheffield, England, October in, 1832, and was reared in Darnell, three miles from that city. He came to this country with his parents at the age of eighteen years, and in November, 1851, became a resident of Shabbona, Dekalb County, Illinois. There he was married, February 26,
1857, to Miss Elizabeth Scott, who was born in Brooklyn, New York, September 3, 1835, a daughter of William and Jane Scott, who were of English descent. Seven children blessed this union: Thomas W., born December 29, 1857, married Jane Parris, and is now engaged in farming south of Knierim, Iowa; Mary J., born December 11, 1859, is the wife of Clark Richardson, a coal dealer of Knierim; John E., born March 25, 1861, married Sadie Willrett and lives in Dekalb County, Illinois; Cora E., born December 4, 1862, is the wife of William W. Hallett, principal of the schools of Roselle, Illinois; Stephen A., born December 8, 1865, is a real estate dealer of Pawpaw, Illinois; George C, our subject, is the next in order of birth; Robert S., born February 8, 1877, died of scarlet fever May 8, 1881. The mother of these children died in Illinois March 11, 1877, and on the 25th of February, 1879, the father was again married, his second union being with Miss Emily Johnson, who was born in Sweden, November 1, 1840, a daughter of John and Christina E. Johnson, also natives of that country. The father of our subject also died in the Prairie state, December 12, 1889. Both parents were faithful and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and the father was a Republican in politics, always supporting that party from the time he cast his first presidential vote for John
C. Fremont.
Mr. Wright, of this review, was educated in the public schools of Lee, Illinois, and on starting out in life for himself worked on a farm in his native county for about two years. He then came to Calhoun County, Iowa, February 8, 1889, and here he was similarly employed one year. In the fall of 1889 he purchased a quarter-section of land on section 8, Greenfield Township, which he greatly improved, building a house in the fall of the second year. Prior to his marriage he made his home with his brother while operating his land. On the 16th of September, 1891, Mr. Wright was united in marriage with Miss Julia R. Mace, of Malta, Illinois, who is the second in order of birth and only daughter in a family of five children. Her parents. Henry and Mary (Werden) Mace, were natives of England and Michigan, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have three children: Robert H., born February 17, 1893; Merle E., July 21, 1899; and Stephen December 23, 1901. After his marriage Mr. Wright continued to reside upon his farm until March, 1901, when he removed to Knierim, where he owns a comfortable modern residence in the west part of the town. He has since engaged in the real estate business at this place, and on the 1st of November, 1901, took charge of the lumber yard of F. R. Anderson & Company, carrying it on quite successfully ever since. Mr. Wright takes quite an active and influential part in local politics, and is now creditably serving as a member of the town council. He filled the office of assessor of Greenfield Township for four years, and in January, 1900, was elected justice of the peace, being the present incumbent in that office. Fraternally he is a member of the Brotherhood of American Yeoman and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and politically is identified with the Republican party. He is one of the leading and popular citizens of Knierim and is highly respected by all who know him. [Source – Biographical Record of Calhoun County, Iowa, by S.J. Clarke, 1902, p.478]