The Wright Families of Boone County, Missouri

WILLIAM EDMONSON WRIGHT.

William E. Wright, the official surveyor of Boone county, is the son of Peter and Jenny Wright. He was born near Nashville, Tennessee, December 18th, 1818. His father was born in Virginia, June 25, 1787, and moved with his father to Tennessee in the early settling of that State. He grew to manhood on the farm near Nashville, and was married September 20, 1810, to Jenny Edmonson. In July, 1818, came to Missouri and selected a home in Boone county, to which he moved with his family the following year. He settled near the head of the Two-mile prairie, about nine miles northeast of Colombia. He was appointed county surveyor in 1821, and was also one of the judges of the county court, and was elected to represent the county in the Legislature in 1822 and 1824. He died May 28, 1847. The subject of this sketch was but eight months old when his parents landed in Boone county. He was educated at the Columbia Academy and at Bonne Femme Academy, under the instructions of Summerfield, Roche and Cunningham. Learned surveying under Jiis father and his uncle, George. Cannot remember when he could not give courses from the compass. Accompanied his father and uncle on government surveys when but fourteen or fifteen years old and assisted them in their labors. He has followed farming and surveying since he reached manhood. Was elected county surveyor in 1880. Had previously acted as deputy. On assuming the duties of his office, he removed to Columbia, where he now resides. Had previously lived in Missouri township. Mr. Wright was married, January 13, 1848, to Augusta C. Siedikum, of Savannah, Red River county, Texas. Mrs. Wright is a native of Germany. They have had seven children, three of whom are living. Mr. Wright is a Democrat in politics, and has been all his life. He was a Union man during the war, but took no part in the struggle. He is a member of the Christian church and a Master Mason.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ANDREW D. WRIGHT.

Andrew D. Wright was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, November 24th, 1823. He is the son of Peter and Sallie (Persinger) Wright who emigrated to Boone county, Missouri, in the fall of 1825. They settled on the farm now owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch, five miles north of Columbia. Mr. Wright was brought up on the farm and educated at the public schools in the neighborhood of his home. He was married January 2d, 1853. He is the father of six children, one son and five daughters: Ella L. (deceased), Mary A. Alexander P., Varina D., Anna V. and Sallie L. (deceased). Mr. Wright has followed farming all his lite, and has lived on the farm he now occupies for fifty-seven years. When he came to Boone county it was almost a wilderness. There were but ten or fifteen acres of cleared land on the farm now owned and cultivated by Mr. Wright. They were two mouths on the road in moving from Virginia. The first mill ever established in his neighborhood was erected by John Shock and was run by horsepower. The first water-mill on the Hinkson was erected by a man named Hannah. Old Bear Creek church was the first house of worship he ever attended in Boone county. The elder Wright died about the year 1835 and is buried on the old Gray farm. His mother died during the war and was buried by the side of her husband. Mr. Wrifht was twice married. He had seven children by his first wife and nine by his second. All the children by his first marriage are dead. The sons of the second marriage are all dead, except the subject of this sketch — the daughters are still living. Mr. Wright and his family are all members of the Christian church.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

L. E. WRIGHT.

This orentlemaif was born in Boone county, Missouri, in 1838. He is the son of James K. and Myra Wright. His father was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, May 6 1809. He came to Boone county in the fall of 1826, and settled upon the Two-mile prairie. He was married in Columbia in 1836, to Miss Mira J., daughter of Peter and Jeannette E. Wright. Mrs. Wright was born March 17, 1815. They had six children, four boys and two girls, only two of whom are now living, L. E., and Paul M., both in Boone county. The Wrights were among the earliest settlers of the county, when the Indians were yet lurking in the forests, and were ready to tomahawk their unwary foes. L. E. Wright was married, November 30, 1865 to Miss Kate E. Turner, daughter of Barney and Mary Turner of Boone county. She was born in Kentucky, but came with her parents to Missouri some years before. They are blessed with three children. Peter, Myra and Mary. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are members of the Christian church at Oakland, and he is a worthy member of the Odd Fellows lodge. His residence is five and one-half miles northeast of bia. Mr. Wright has quite a curiosity in an old atlas published 9 by Matthew Carey. It was bought by his grandfather, William t, the price paid being ten dollars. He has also quite a coUecf very old letters. One was written by his grandfather from ladles, he being a member of the legislature there at that time, to his wife and was directed to " Mt%. Jane Wright Two-Mile fe, Boone County Missouri to be left at May. JEstilVs house n Fayette and Boonville,* This will give the readers of this an idea of the mail facilities in Boone in those early days. In hter was a profile of the writer himself, cut out of a piece of paper, and a piece of black satin placed behind it. Mr. Wright rmer and an extensive dealer in stock. His father James K. t was engaged in the mercantile business all his life.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE M. WRIGHT.

subject of this sketch was born in Boone county, Missouri, 3d, 1839. He was the son of Wesley and Polly (Potts) Wright as born upon the farm where he is now living. His father, y Wright was born within five miles of Nashville, Tennessee, me with his parents to Boone county, Missouri, in 1819, where )d until 1850, when he went to California. He died on his way md was buried at Cape Girardeau, Mo., in 1852. Mrs. Wright, other of George M., was born in West Tennessee, in 1808, and to Boone county, Missouri, when she was eight years of age. ed in 1879, and is buried at Hickory Grove church. George M. t was thrown upon his own resources when quite a child, and manfully did he fight the battle of life. He went to school durle winter months, and in summer he worked to earn money for xt winter's schooling. He afterwards went two terms of nine IS each, to Professors Hurt and M. G. Duncan, of Mexico, in county. Mo., taking a very liberal course, but declining prevented his graduating as he had intended. He lived with )ok care of his mother, more especially after the negroes were When the war broke out he espoused the cause of the Coney and joined Capt. Nimrod Norton's company, Clark's brigade. 18 in the battles of Boonville, Fulton Races," Lone Jack, Pea, Drywood, Cane Hill, Helena, Independence and many skir- 5. Under Gen. Joe Shelby, he was in several days continued fighter Little Rock, Arkansas, fighting Gen. Steele's division U. S- J. Mr. Wright was commissioned an officer to rank as Colonel, to raise a regiment in Missouri during Shelby's last raid, but the surrender of Lee in the following spring put an end to the war, and Col. Wright was mustered out and surrendered to Capt. Cook. He returned home without a dollar and went to work upon the old place. He was married September 16th, 1868, to Miss Minerva, daughter of Garland Sims, Esq. By this union they have six children, Garland Sims, Lena, Elizabeth, Wesley, George Walter and Ancil. The year he was married he moved to Audrain county, and lived there until the spring of 1879, when he moved back upon the old place. His house is on the north-east quarter of section 16, township 49, range 11, and his farm contains two hundred and seventy acres. Mr. Wright is an energetic, active business man, enjoying the confidence of all who know him.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JUDGE HAIL T. WRIGHT.

Hail Tall)ot Wright is the son of Fletcher Wright, a native of Tenessee, but a resident of Boone county from 1818 up to the time of is death, which occurred in 1851. His mother, Sophia Talbot, was native of Kentucky. Hail was born in the northeast part of Boone Dunty, September 19th, 18H1, and came with his parents to this place, here he now lives, in 1836. He is the oldest of a family of two sons nd two daughters, of whom the Judge alone survives. He was educated at the common schools of the county, and commenced business )r himself as a farmer in 1851, his father having died when he was ut thirteen years old, and hi.s mother about four years later. Mr. bright was married June 13th, 1855, to Miss Mary Elizabeth, daughter of L L. Lindsey, of Boone county. They have one son and three daughters, all of whom are alive at this writing.

Judge Wright was elected to the office of county justice, and served he people in that capacity for four years. He is now actively engaged in agricultural pursuits and in stock raising. He is a member of the Ashland Lodge of A. F. and A. M.; also a member of the Ashland Lodge of A. O. U. W.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.