Wright, Thomas

WRIGHT

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/13/2008 at 00:15:01

Biographical Record of Linn County
S.J.Clarke Publishing Co.
June, 1901

THOMAS WRIGHT
For many years the subject of this review was successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits in Spring Grove Township, but has now retired from active labor and is enjoying a comfortable confidence acquired in former years. His early home was on the other side of the Atlantic, for he was born in Cambridgeshire, England, November 4, 1830. His parents were John and Sarah (Fundry) Wright, both natives of that country, where they made their home throughout life, the father being engaged in farming. He died in 1834 at the age of thirty-five, when our subject was only two and a half years old, and the mother passed away in 1861. They had a family of three children, two of whom are still living. Their daughter, Francis, is still a resident of England.
Thomas Wright spent the first twenty-five years of his life in his native land and was there united in marriage with Miss Susana Clow, who also was born in that country. In 1853 he took passage at Liverpool on the Jacob Vestever, a sailing vessel, bound for America, but after five weeks at sea they were obliged to return to port, the ship having been wrecked in a severe storm and driven back by strong head winds. Two years later Mr. Wright again started for the new world on a sailing vessel, the Southampton, which also sailed from Liverpool, and after a voyage of four weeks and four days he landed in New York.
Proceeding at once to Iowa, he settled in Jackson County, where he engaged in farming upon rented land for about fifteen years, and then removed in Spring Grove Township, Linn County, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of raw prairie land in 1868. He placed under a state of high cultivation, and later bought an additional one hundred and sixty acre tract, which was also wild and unimproved. He made of this place a fine farm, and subsequently sold one-half of the amount, still retaining one hundred and sixty acres on which he now resides. This he has improved by the erection of a pleasant residence and a good set of farm buildings, and he continued to actively and successfully engage in general farming until 1893, since which time he has lived in ease and retirement. Mr. Wright’s first wife died in 1893, and was laid to rest in the Alice burying ground. By that union were born fifteen children, eight sons and seven daughters, namely: Sarah Ann, John A., William, Thomas, Jane(Mary), James, George, Margaret, Alice, Frederick, Susan, Albert, Charles, Ida Bell and Ida Cornelia. All are living with the exception of Ida Bell. On the 15th of July, 1894, Mr. Wright was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Statira Henry, who was born in Cayuga County, Ohio, and was one of a family of five children., two of whom are now living. Her parents were George and Amanda (Walton) Stocking, who were farming people and natives of Connecticut. The father died July 1, 1889, at the age of eighty years, and the mother departed this life February 11, 1888, at the age of seventy-seven.
By his ballot Mr. Wright supports the men and measures of the Republican party, and has capably filled the offices of road supervisor and school director. Religiously both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and are highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.