Information supplied by William Lee Webster
Obitz: Jan 15,1876 (Burlington Paper)
It becomes our melancholy duty to chronicle the death of an old and highly respected fellow citizen. After a protracted and painful indisposition of several weeks, surrounded by his grief stricken wife, children and friends, John Wright Esq. departed this life on Saturday.
Born in Union County,Pa, the 6th of September 1811, the deceased grew to manhood at "Olean" in New York and thence migrated to Iowa. Journeying for more than two months by land and water,compelled several times to stop and labor for means with which to pay his way,the deceased arrived at Burlington the 11th day of September, 1834.
Here upon the beautiful site now embellished with the fine residence of Mr. E.Chamberlin, the following winter the deceased with his own hands and a little help at "the raising," erected his  log cabin.But preferring the life of a farmer he subsequently settled near Dodgeville, where in the year 1837 he married Miss Mary Jane Bridges, a daughter of the venerable James Bridges of that vicinity who still lives in the 93rd year of his age.
In 1851, desirous of increasing his landed possessions for the benefit of a young and growing family, Mr. Wright changed his residence to Washington Township in Des Moines county, where he brought under a high state of cultivation a fine farm.
In 1860, from considerations looking to the welfare and enjoyment of his family, he purchased and moved to his handsome residence near the end of West Avenue, just within the city limits of our city.
The deceased was a fine type of a hardy, self reliant and brave man who bore the star of empire westward, carrying, as it were, in their hands the Bible and the plow, the two great civilizers of mankind.
Energy,perseverance and a sound judgment supplied in him the want of early tuition. Without adventitious aid of any sort, Mr. Wright was the artinicer of his own fortune.  The friend of education of temperance and religion, his example was good and should  cheer the heart of any young man  ( faded- can't read!)