COOK/WRIGHT CONNECTION The following was contributed by Elinor Cook Stephens 7713 W. 16th St. Tulsa, Ok 74127. Please contact her at: Stephens61@aol.com My Dear Sallie & Family: Date : Jan 8, 1908 Written by : Dr. Joseph M. Wright,Lecturer; Thorntown, Indiana I began this letter the day after Christmas. We took dinner Xmas Day with Mattie and her family, and she told me that you wanted me to give you some account of our family history, as I remember it from talks with father befor his death. Great Grand Father Wright was born and died in Virginia.Grandfather William Wright was born in Virginia and died in Russell Co., at age of 75. Great Grandfather Bown was born in Scotland, moved to Va., and his daughter, Ann Bowen, born in Scotland, became the wife of William Wright, our Grandfather. She lived to the age of 85. But Great Grandmother Bowen lived to the age of 102. Grandfather William and Grandmother Ann Wright were the parents of 13 children, of whom James Wesley Wright was the youngest. Most of the children were born in 1700 and something, as father was born May 28, 1811 in Russell Co, Va. Elizabeth Wright, (Aunt Betty) was married to Thomas Gibson, Joseph Gibson (Cousin Joe) was their son. Aunt Ann Wright was married to Shadrach Monk, and Wesley Monk their son lives at Hedrick, Iowa. I saw Aunt Ann Monk and was with her in most of the summer of 1867 in Iowa. she lived to 92 yrs of age. Uncle Mark Wright married and moved to No. Carolina, and Father lost all track of the family. Uncle William Wright married moved to Bureau Co, Il and died 9 days later. His wife died later, leaving Tivis Wright, Wiley Benson Wright and Mary Ann Wright, small children, orphans. Cousin Joe Gibson and Father went in about 1838 or in 1840 to Illinois in a closed carriage in the dead of winter, got the three children and took them back to Va. They lived with cousin Joe until Mary Ann died. I do not remember to have seen her. Aunt Nancy and Aunt Matilda Wright lived to be maiden ladies. They kept house for cousin Joe Gibson, an old bachelor, who never married until he was past 70, then married Rebecca Ann Wampler of Va, who had been a sweet-heart of his from their childhood. Cousin Joe died in Iowa, age 85 yrs. Aunt Nancy died at 60 yrs of age. And Aunt Matilda at 56. James Wesley Wright was born May 29, 1811 died Dec 9, 1896 at Troy, Ohio. Father had lived with brother Thomas Melville Wright, M. D. for 16 yrs. Father was more than 85 and 1/2 yrs old. Father was married in 1841 or 1842 in Va to Nancy Hannah Bracken Fugate, dau of John Fugate. Mother was born April 22, 1822 in Va. Died April or May 1852 in Montgomery Co, In between Jamestown (Jimtown) and Crawfordsville. Uncle Tommy Brown, an aged Methodist minister preached her funeral. Our eldest brother, (Little Willie) William Wright was born in Va in Dec 1843. Died in Schuyler Co, Mo in 1850 or 1851. he was buried in the "Garden Cemetery" on Grand Father Fugates farm. Really in the garden. I saw the grave in 1884 when I visited the old place. Little Willie was always a cripple. He had something like "rickets" and walked with a waddling walk. He was very bright, and I remember to have heard Father speak of some of his sharp sayings. Joseph Monroe Wright was born Nov 11, 1844 in Russell Co, Va. Graduated from the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio in 1872. Graduated from the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Auburn, New York in May 1882.He was given the degree of D. D. (Doctor of Divinity) by his college in 1890. Mary Ann Wright was born in 1846 in Montgomery Co, Indiana and died in infancy at or near the place of birth. Thomas Melville Wright was born October 5, 1848 in Montgomery Co, Indiana. He graduated from the National Normal University in Lebanon, Ohio in 1871. And from the Louisville Medical College in 1874 or 1875, I think. Located at Troy, Ohio soon after in the practice of medicine and still resides there. In 1849 Father removed from Indiana to Schuyler Co, Mo and located near Grand Father Fugate in the South part of the Co.. East of the Chariton River. Mothers people had removed from Va in about 1842 to 1847. Father lived very near to Grandfather Fugate. The road ran from Grandfathers in a North easterly direction along the "divide", a low ridge between the Chariton River and another small stream to the East of it.First was Grandfathers house, then Uncle Morgan Pierce who had married Aunt Lucinda Fugate, then Uncle James Bledsoe who had married Aunt Elizabeth Fugate. But our house came just befor the last named, then on up onto the prairie to Lancasten, about 4 or 5 miles distant. This line of houses was not over a mile long. We were close to our neighbors.Sarah Ann Wright was born ________ 1850 in Schuyler Co, Mo. (Sallie, I am not quite positive about the year, and do not know the day of the month or the month. Please give me these at once.) In April, Father came back again to Indiana, Montgomery Co, and Mother died in April or May 1852 and was buried in the Jim Jessee "Grave Yard" between "Jimtown" and Crawfordsville. Mother was a woman about 5 feet 5 in tall, weighed about 160 or 165 pounds. was very much such a built woman as my wife. She had very long black heavy hair, the blackest eyes, so black they sparkled and was a very decided brunette in complexion. You will remember that Fathers hair was red and he was very fair. Their temperaments were the very complement of each other. I do not remember ever to have seen mother the least bit angry. I seem to see her yet as she looked down so benignantly at us children in our play, or as she held you in her arms when you were a infant. An incident I remember father had been to Lancaster and had brought home some groceries, among other things a package of sugar. Mell and I wanted some in a saucer, I thought it was too little and begged for more. She put on more, and gave us spoons to eat with. We ate, and after a few minutes began playing, But hadnt eaten half of the sugar. She encouraged us to eat more. We did, but soon gave it up, for a little sugar by itself goes a long way. That was Mothers good commonsense way of managing us boys. And I imagine that we boys were never as bad to "steal sugar" as some boys I've heard of, because Mother gave us "all the sugar we wanted, just once". From the death of our Mother, Father lived with cousin Joe Gibson and Aunts Nancy and Matilda Wright on the Porter place, two and one-miles west from Jamestown, Montgomery Co, In, until in Dec of 1885 when he married Miss.Susannah Blakemore, daughter of Thomas Blakemore, who lived near Jamestown. Befor father remarried we children lived with cousin Joe a part of the time. I think you did all of the time, but Mell and I lived a part of the time with " Uncle Jimmie Williams". He was no relation of ours, but a great big kindly good natured old gentleman. And his daughter "Aunt Dicey" as everybody called her, was very good to us boys. You had the hardest time of either of us children. Cousin Thomas J. Wright and his wife Mary lived with cousin Joe also. His wife was not patient with any of us children, and she scolded and spanked enough for the whole family. Indeed I do not remember to have gotten a slapping or whipping from any of them except her. I remember that you cried a great deal, but you were a motherless child, and should have had someone to care for you that was of a better temper than Mary Wright was. I think you were left in Aunt Nancys care, but she could not always be with you, and when Mary would appear you would cry. Then she would spank you or chuck you down some other place than the one you were in. I remember her stock phrase was, "There now you squalling little brat, shut your mouth". I remember many times during that period seeing father crying on Sabbath mornings. I asked him what he was crying for and he said "Your mother is dead, and there is no one to look after you children and dress you up". Then I cried too. I do not know how many other times father cried, but I remember to have seen him only at those times. Susannah Blakemore Wright was a real mother to us motherless children. She loved us and we loved her. I do not see now after all these years of observation, how she could have been any better to us than she was. A woman of blessed memory to each of us children ! Rebecca Catherine Wright was born _____, 1857 in Richland Co, Wisconsin on the north side of the river. In 1858 we moved across the river into Iowa Co, Wis opposite Lone Rock, and about two and one half miles from the river. Our Post Office was Wyoming. Rebecca died Oct 19, 1870 at Blue Grass in Vermilion Co, Illinois. She had very red hair, was very fair and a most sweet and loveable sister. Matilda Frances Wright was born May 17, 1858 in Iowa Co, Wis. She married Millard Fillmore Cook and lives near Williamsport, In. In the family of children she was always the one who could be imposed upon. She was of a very sweet quiet disposition, kindly in all her ways and had in her the elements of a noble woman, worthy of any man. Martha Jame Wright was born Oct 26, 1861 in Iowa Co, Wis. Married Cass A. Williams. Has two children, Weaver Wright Williams and Mary E. Williams. Lives at Clarks Hill, In. She has been a true mother to three families of children. Without discriminating for or against any of them, she treats all alike. They love her, and she loves them. In this she is following the noble example of her lamented mother. Elmer Ellsworth Wright was born in 1863 died in infancy. Four miles South of Crawfordsville, In. An unusually bright sweet and loveable child. Eliza Candace Wright was born Mar 30, 1865 near Walnut Grove in Boone Co, In. Married to John James Johns and lives in Lake Co, In. Post Office address is Shelby, In. She was the youngest and pet of the older children for a number of years, until the family became scattered. She has three children Marie married to Mr. Roberts and Thomas Melville Jones. And a younger sister. She has brought up her children to be industrious and dutiful and is a noble wife and mother. Sarah Amm Wright was married to Jacob Cook. To them has been born a large family of children. Sarah has been in the capacity of house keeper and "mother" to a family ever since she as 16 yrs of age. A very grave responsibility to one so young. But she did her part well. Her family of children are a great honor to her and their father. It was in the month of Oct 1862 that we moved from Wisconsin back again to Montgomery Co, In. and located 4 miles South of Crawfordsville, In on the Gott Farm It ws there that I volunteered into the the Army. Joseph M. Wright, Sergt Co. M, 11th Cav, 126 Regt, In. Vols. That is the name and description of my Regiment and myself as I make my claim for pension. I was discharged in Sept 1865, at Ft. Levenworth, Kans. Came to Indianapolis, and got home Oct 1, 1865. Robert Fugate was mothers oldest brother. He had a son who was in the Rebel Army, Monroe Fugate, our first cousin. He was badly wounded in the battle of Vicksburg, Miss. This was signed, Your brother J. M. Wright I have 2 more pages left, but they are of the Fugate lines