The Wright Families of Fayette County, Ohio

ANTHONY WAYNE WRIGHT.

Anthony Wayne Wright, farmer and stock raiser, was born in March, 1812. He is the son of John Wright, whose biography, or family history appears in the sketch of Concord Township. Our subject married Sarah Wright (no relationship existing) in 1833, by whom he had three children, one son and two daughters: Margaret, Samantha Jane, and Jasper W. Mrs. Wright died October 19,1840.

In 1843, Mr. Wright married Margaret Caylor, by whom he had one son, John A., who lives on a farm near Jeffersonville, in. this county. Jasper W. owns and lives on the portion of his father's home farm lying on the east side of Sugay- Creek, in Union Township. The two daughters are living at home with their parents. Samantha Jane has been married twice; both husbands are dead. She has an interesting son, ten years of age, James L. Cannon, living with her and his grandparents.

Mr. Wright is the owner of a most excellent farm on Sugar Creek, where he resides, and is quite active and enterprising for a man of his years. His wife is his senior by several years, and shows signs of advancing age.

As will be seen by reference to the chapter in which are mentioned the original boundaries of the various townships, Green formerly embraced all of Concord, and a part of Jasper and Perry townships.

In compiling a historical sketch of this township, the writer has confined himself strictly to its present limits. It is bounded on the north and east by Concord and Perry townships, on the south by Highland, and on the west by Chnton County, thus forming the southeast corner of Fayette. Rattlesnake Creek enters survey 5348, flows southeastwardly to survey 3986, thence south to the county line, constituting a part of the eastern border. Lee's Creek has its source in Concord Township, thence flows southeast, entering Green in survey 5349; thence south, crossing the entire township, and entering Highland County. These are the only important streams flowing through the limits of Green.

The soil in general is a black loam, which has been drained quite extensively, and is highly productive of corn and wheat.

The unrelenting hand of death has been laid on many of the pioneers of Green Township. Indeed, of the first settlers none remain; and with them has passed away much valuable information, without which the compilation of this work is certainly a difficult task. The following has been gleaned from the most authentic sources now accessible.

Aside from the stragglers, hunters, and trappers, who visited this locality in.the early days of this century, Jesse Rowe, it is generally conceded, was the first white inhabitant within the present limits of Green Township.

He immigrated from Virginia to Ross County, Ohio, in 1803, with his family of nine children: John, Jesse, jr., William, James, Elizabeth, Mary, Jane, Susan, and Sarah.

In 1807, the family removed to Fayette County, and located on Little Wabash, the old homestead. Shortly after the county organization (1810) he was elected justice of the peace, and served four terms; also served as trustee, and in other township offices.

He was a class-leader and exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church to the close of his life, the first class-meeting in the locality having been held in his cabin. In his will he left a liberal legacy to the church, the interest to be paid annually, and was truly called the father of Methodism in Fayette County.

He died in 1845, at a ripe old-age, respected and regretted by all AVho knew him. During the Revolutionary War he served as a private.

John Rowe, the oldest son, settled on land given him by his father, near the old home, and was the father of eleven children, several of whom are still living. He was an active participant in the war of 1812, and held several important offices. His death took place in 1863.

Jesse Rowe, jr., settled in Green, but removed to Concord Township at the expiration of five years. He was trustee; and after the surrender of Hull, volunteered to defend his country, under General Batteal Harrison.

William Rowe removed to Ross County.

James Rowe removed to the South at an early day. By profession he was a preacher. He located at Huntsville, Alabama, mar=- ried, and attended a select school till the death of his wife. At the division of the church on the slavery question, he side with the South, preaching up to the outbreaking of the rebellion, when he came North, where he remained till the close of the war, then went to Georgia, where he died.

The other children of Jesse Rowe, sr., filled honorable stations in life, and their descendants are living in the neighborhood.

Anotherpioneer deserving prominent mention was Thomas Moon, sr., who came to Ohio from Virginia, in 1810, with his family,- consisting of John, Jacob, Christine, Jane, David, William, James, Margaret, and Thomas, jr., and settled on Rattlesnake Creek. He was a Quaker in religion, conscientiously opposed to the war, which accounts for his not being a soldier in the Revolutionary and Indian wars. He purchased a tract of land in this township, called the dividing ridge, on which he erected the first flour and saw-mill and distillery in the township, and, so far as is known, the first in the county. The place soon became a favorite resort for customers. His flour gave good satisfaction, and therefore was patronized extensively. The mill still stands, and until recently was run by Thomas Moon, jr.

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

WALTER S. WRIGHT.

"Walter S. Wright, farmer, Jeffersonville, son of M. B. Wright, (whose history appears in this work,) was born in this township), March 28, 1832. On the 15th of April, 1860, he was married to Miss Nancy Allen* Four children are the result of this union: Olive M., Aimer A., Lucy P., and one Avho died in infancy.

In August, 1862, Mr. Wright enlisted in Company K, 44th O. V. I., at Washington. In 1864 the entire company enlisted in Company K, O. V. C., and served until the close of the war, when they were honorably discharged. He received an injury while in the service that will be a detriment to him through life. Has a farm of sixty-eight acres, well improved, situated one and three-fourth miles north of Jeffersonville.

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

A prominent farmer of Fayette county, who passed away more than half a century ago, was Jacob Wright, whose daughter is still living in this county at the advanced age of seventy-six. Jacob Wright was a typical pioneer and a man who exerted much influence in the community where he lived for so many years.

Jacob Wright was born on October 2, 1808, and died in Fayette county. Ohio, April 12, 1862. His father, Jacob Wright, was a native of Frederick county, Virginia, and first settled in Ohio on Sugar creek in this county. Later Jacob Wright, Sr., moved to the old Herr farm in Jefferson township, and bought this farm of one hundred acres on which he lived until his death.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mary J. Wright was born March 28, 1838, and was first married to Joseph Maxwell, and by this union has one son, Joseph B. ' Joseph B. was married to Louisa Berry, and had family of five children, John; George, Clarence, Chester and Forest. Joseph B. Maxwell was educated in the schools of Fayette county, and is now a prominent farmer in Arkansas.

The first husband of Mary J. Wright died in 1862, and some time later she was married to Jacob Everett, who died March t2, 1881. There were no children by her second marriage. Since the death of her husband in 1881, Mrs. Everett has been managing her farm and has shown marked ability in operating it. She and her father were consistent members of the Baptist church, and she has always taken an active interest in the affairs of her denomination. Her father was a member of the first county survey of Fayette county. She has seventy-five acres of land, which is well improved and which she rents.

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