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WHO WAS - John Wright
in Plum Township
Venango County, Pennsylvania
By H. W. Strawbridge - June 6, 1956

John Wright was born in England on May 24, 1819, according to an entry in a large Bible. However, his tombstone gives the year of his birth as 1821.

He came to America about 1842. He married, and the couple had two children before he took part in the California gold rush. When he came back, bringing some gold with him, he sorrowfully learned that his wife and two children had died.

He again married, this time to Mary Wildey of Mount Vernon, Ind. She was born at Oldham, England, and came to America with her parents as a child.

Mr. and Mrs. Wright lived in Vinton, Iowa, for 13 years when they came to Pennsylvania, finally locating in Diamond in 1866 on the site of the present H. D. Shriver residence.

They had eleven children, four daughters and seven sons, who were: Mrs. M. Jennie Proper, Mrs. Margaret Miles, Mrs. Mary Nodine, Mrs. Alice Proper, John, Will, Elmer, Charles, Ed, Galen and Albert Wright. Some children were born prior to the family's removal to Diamond, and others after they came here.

After coming to Diamond Mr. Wright took over the operation of the sawmill which stood at the junction of the Diamond creek and the Meadville - Titusville road. He bought out James P. Smith's half-interest of the mill. William Doe owned the other half-interest. This was to be the status of the mill's ownership for several years with Wright as the actual operator. Wright installed a steamboiler, thus doing away with the old water power. A gristmill was run in conjunction with the sawmill for a while during the 1860s. During the 1870s, Mr. Wright transformed the mill into a stave factory, and operated it as such for several years. Finally he retired, and his son Elmer took over the mill's operation. Elmer ran it as a combination cider mill and shingle mill.

John Wright was a Wesleyan Methodist preacher. However, he became active in the work of the United Brethren Church of Diamond after moving here. He occasionally filled the pulpit in the absence of the minister, and preached for occasional weddings and funerals. He was also a charter member of the Free Methodist Church of Diamond which was organized in February, 1893. He gave the land on which this new church edifice was built.

On May 13, 1879, the day of his son Albert's third birthday, Mr. Wright received a gold pocketwatch which he had ordered made with the gold he brought back from the gold rush. This watch is now possessed by the descendants of the late Albert Wright.

In 1888 or '89 the family's home burned down. They bought the house which formerly stood on the present Dale Neely property where Mr. Wright lived the rest of his life.

Mrs. Wright died on Aug. 21, 1890, of a very short illness described as either choleramorbus or a burst tumor, or possible a combination of both. Mr. Wright later married Mrs. Mary Mallory, a widow.

John Wright retained a strong English accent all through his life. When he would climb atop a load of stave bolts and pound them down with a sledge, he would say " ' oles don't make staves." He had a high-pitched voice.

Mr. Wright died on the afternoon of Nov. 10, 1904, from a complication of diseases that finally culminated in Bright's disease. The funeral of the old gentleman was held in the U. B. Church with a very large attendance on hand.

His widow died as Mrs. Mary Bresee on Aug. 2, 1926.

Transcribed by Penny Kulbacki Minnick
minnick862@verizon.net

Disclaimer:there may be errors due to transcription ofinformation from both early and late (current contributors) work.