WRIGHT-L Archives

From: pat <>
Subject: Wright info and query
Date: Wed, 29 May 1996 17:59:29 +0000

This is my first family mail-list. Hope this one gets off to a good
start.

My ancestor is William Wright, an all-too-common name when it comes to
this research! I am looking for his parents.

William was born on March 1 sometime betwen 1830 and 1832. The
various census records and the dates and ages he gave himself on his
pension papers (124 Illinois, Company H) make the year a bit foggy!

He married Margaret E. Dodd at Blackberry or Batavia, Illinois, on
Dec. 26 or 27 in 1850 (he was a little confused about that, too). His
residence at the time of enlistment was Aurora, Illinois. (Kane
County) After the war, he moved to Iowa (Franklin County) where he
lived until he moved to the Iowa Soliders Home at Marshalltown, Iowa,
where he died December 10, 1918. His wife, who was born in about
1833, died April 22, 1911, and is also buried at the Soldiers Home in
Marshalltown. They had five children: Lydia Elessive who married
Nels Larsen; Bessie who married first _____ Harmon and second _____
Boutenhoff; Ida Bell who married Albert Norman; Irma (Suzie
Josephine) who married W.H. Minor; and William, Jr. The children were
all born from 1855-60 in Illinois except Bessie who was born in 1872
probably in Iowa.

On the pension records and the 1925 Iowa census, William gives his
place of birth as Ondago Co., New York and his parents' place of birth
as England. John Wright, probably his brother, was living with him in
1925 and also gave his place of birth as New York and his age as 71,
so he was born in about 1824.

The 1850 Illinois census for Kane Co., Illinois, identifies John
Wright, age 55, farmer, born in England, and his wife Mary, 45, and
children William (19), David, Polly (13), Jane (7), Henry (4) and John
(23). Maybe John knew his birth year about as well as William. But
all of this family gives place of birth as England.

Same census: Blackberry, Illinois. Margaret Dodd, age 17, was living
with her mother Susanna, age 46, and siblings ranging from 19 to 1
year.

Same census: town of Elgin in Kane Co: (What seems likely to be the
right family)
William Wright, age 44, born England and his wife Ann, age 42, also
born in England.
children; William, age 18, born New York as were all of the children
including Mary age 14, Joseph, age 13, Sarah, age 12, Charles, age 10,
Henrietta age 5 and Robert age 2.

Two hopes here: 1 - that someone else is looking for this info and 2
- that someone else HAS this William and can verify his parents.

Thanks for taking the time to read the posting. I'm afraid it got a
little long.

Pat Schultz
Nora Springs, Iowa

This thread:

• Wright info and query by pat <>