Nat Gould

John Wright 1829-1885

John Wright

John Wright was born on 15 September 1829, the son of William Wright 1796-1882 of Bradbourne and his wife née Elizabeth Gould 1802-1843. He was baptised at Bradbourne on 4 October 1829.

He emigrated to the United States of America. After landing in New York, he travelled west to Shelby County in Indiana, where he worked for William Wright, who was born in 1797 and had himself emigrated from England. From there John Wright worked from place to place, until he bought 140 acres of his own (1).

On 10 August 1852 he married Ann Ridlen at Decatur in Indiana, USA. She was born in 1833, the daughter of Stephen Ridlen 1811-1881 and his wife née Mary Stephens 1812-1898.

They had the following children, all born in Shelby County, Indiana:

William W. Wright. He was born on 23 March 1854. He married Ella C. Wright, and died on 6 February 1934.

Mary Elizabeth Wright. She was born in 1856. She was married to Elmer Manlief (born in 1857 in Pennsylvania, USA).

Thomas G. Wright. He was born in 1858 and died in 1934. In 1911, when he had been a party to the Hanson Mount Agreement, he was living in Los Angeles County, California, USA.

Sarah E. Wright. She was born in September 1860 and died in 29 January 1861.

Charles S. Wright. He was born in 1861 and died in 1918.

Orpha B. Wright. She was born in 1864 and died in 15 August 1921. She married John Thomas Cuskaden 1858-1937, and they had the following children: Charity Ann Cuskaden 1882-1959 and Ora Wright Cuskaden 1887-1955.

Ann Wright

Flora Wright. She was born in January 1866 and died in 21 September 1877.

George C. Wright. He was born in 1870 and died in 1950.

"Mrs. Wright is a member of the United Brethren Church. She has a happy faculty of making her home pleasant, and is well-fitted to the duties of a wife and mother. Mr. Wright and his brother George are at present the only members of their family living in this country, all the rest being in England. They have both prospered in this, the land of their adoption, and are ranked as among the best and wealthiest farmers in Shelby Co. Politically the subject of this sketch is a Democrat (2)."

In May 1911, all the surviving children of John Wright were a party to the Hanson Mount Agreement. With the exception of Thomas G. Wright, they were then all living in St Paul, Indiana.

John Wright died on 2 May 1885, and was buried at Van Pelt Cemetery, Waldron, Shelby County, Indiana. His widow Ann Wright née Ridlen died in 1919.

(1) The plan of John Wright's farm in Shelby County is reproduced by kind permission of historicmapworks.com It shows from left to right Ann Wright née Ridlen 1833-1919, William W. Wright 1834-1954, and John Wright 1829-1885.
(2) Atlas of Shelby County (1880) page 104. Cited on http://www.shelbycountyindiana.org/