Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Mark Wright Sr.

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Descendants of Mark Wright Sr.

Generation No. 1

1. MARK WRIGHT² SR. (JOHN?¹ WRIGHT)¹ was born 1803 in Yorkshire, England, and died 1874 in Denmark Township, Minnesota. He married MARY APPLETON¹ 1826. She was born 1800 in Yorkshire, England, and died 1890 in Denmark Township, Minnesota.

Notes for MARK WRIGHT SR.:
It is said that Mark Wright Sr. left England because he married a commoner and was disowned by his father, Lord Wright.

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The following is an excerpt from "A Talk before the Washington County Historical Society" by John G. Wright:

"My Grandfather Mark Wright was born in Yorkshire, England, 1803. My Grandmother Mary Appleton was born in Yorkshire, England 1800. Married in 1826. Left England with their family coming to America in 1841.

They located in Quebec, upper Canada, where he was employed on government dam and locks on the St. Lawrence River. His education in England included surveying and engineering. Made him very capable for this type of work.

They left Canada coming to Point Douglas Territory of Minnesota in 1852. Their family consisted of eight boys and three girls...The younger two boys and one girls being born in Canada. Grandfather got the inclination to come to Minnesota through his oldest son, Thomas, who having heard about the possibilites of this great Northwest came to Point Douglas in 1849. Being so inspired by the opportunities offered pioneers here he wrote his father persuading him and his mother to leave Canada and bring his brothers and sisters here to join in settling down on land for future homes.

Leaving Canada they came by boat down the St. Lawrence River and through the Great Lakes to Chicago, then by wagon route to Galena, Illinois, Packet Steam boat up the Mississippi River to Point Douglas. At a later date he bought the Preemption rights on a 160-acres farm in Denmark Township from Caleb Truax, taking possession about May 1st. The building on the farm consisted of a log house and stable, the house about 16 by 24 feet, with a ladder thru a trap door in the ceiling to what we would call a loft, where the boys had their things and slept. I have heard my father remark they could always tell early in the morning whether it was starlight or cloudy by looking through holes in the roof. He also said when they got up in the morning they pulled the covers up over the bed. Otherwise if the wind raised they might have snow in their bed at night. One end of the room downstairs was curtained off in two small rooms for Grandfather and Grandmother; the other for the girls.

Let us briefly analyze the hardships and condition these pioneers endured to settle this great country of ours. Can we visualize this famly of father, mother and eleven children, some of them adults, living in the small log house that I previously described, their supply fo food, cooking utensils and dishes, stove for heat and cooking, washing facilities, table seats --- when I say seats I presume home-made benches, for moving from England, and again from Canada, under the primitive methods they had in those days, they must have left their more bulky belongings behind. Consider too that Grandmother and the girls spun yarn and knit their stockings and mittens. Also made all the underclothes for the entire family from yard goods of all wool red flannel, with no sewing machine.

Those days men wore cowhide boots, rubbers and overshoes were unknown. Those were the days when chill blains were very prevalent. My father said in later years they bought Indian moccasins and had deer hides Indian tanned and made their own; buffalo hides tanned by the Indians could be bought very reasonable. They used them for covers on beds, rugs and for overcoats, from which they derived a great deal of warmth and comfort. Those overcoats cost 6 to 8 dollars in those days.

I understand in those pioneer days when nearly everything was done by hand, Grandfather made a yoke, which was a board cut to fit around your neck and extend out over the shoulders with a cord on each and a hook attached for carrying pails or baskets. Those days they had no wells; all the water used for drinking and cooking had to be carried from a spring nearly a quarter of a mile from their home. They also used the yoke to carry home supplies. Grandfather made about two trips a week in those early days to a store a Point Douglas, carrying the necessary flour and food they lived on. Later years when they had chickens and cows he carried the butter and eggs to Point Douglas, exchanging them for provisions that he carried back home. His route of travel was via deer and Indian trails that led up and down the hills along the St. Croix River. Their mode of living made these pioneers very hardy men, but Grandfather Wright died at his home in Denmark Township in 1814 at the age of 71 years. Grandmother continued to live with her son George and his wife, they caring for her until her death in 1890 at the age of 90 years. They are buried at Basswood Grove Cemetery where a marble stone marks their graves.

Early records show that Mark Wright, Sr. was very instrumental with other pioneers in organizing St. Pauls Parish, an Episcopal Church at Point Douglas in 1856 and in later years St. Marys Episcopal Church at Basswood Grove, in Denmark Township in 1863. His name also appears in the founding of Denmark Township and the early schools in those days, District No. 35 being organized at his home, February, 1854. They were people highly respected among friends and neighbors by their just and upright living.

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More About MARK WRIGHT SR.:
Emigration: 1841, Quebec

More About MARY APPLETON:
Burial: Unknown, Basswood Grove Cemetary
Emigration: 1841, Canada

Children of MARK SR. and MARY APPLETON are:

THOMAS³ WRIGHT, b. 1826; d. May 04, 1917, Detroit Lakes; m. MARY ALIBONE; d. 1867, Denmark Township, Minnesota.

Notes for THOMAS WRIGHT:
This land record was found in the year 2000 on the Family Tree Maker CD for land records in MN.

Patentee Name: Wright, Thomas
Accession Number: MN2110__.142
State: Minnesota
Volume: 2110
Page: 142
Document Number: 1398
Land Office: Stillwater
Aliquot Part Reference: SENW
Section Number: 22
Township: 27 North
Range: 20 West
Meridian/Survey Area: Fourth Principal Meridian
Act/Treaty Authorizing Sale: Sale-Cash Entries
Date Signed: Sep 15, 1854
Acreage: 40.00

Signed: Yes, the document on file at the BLM contains a signature.

Patentee Name: Wright, Thomas
Accession Number: MN2130__.445
State: Minnesota
Volume: 2130
Page: 445
Document Number: 2699
Land Office: Stillwater
Aliquot Part Reference: NENE
Section Number: 20
Township: 27 North
Range: 20 West
Meridian/Survey Area: Fourth Principal Meridian
Act/Treaty Authorizing Sale: Sale-Cash Entries
Date Signed: Apr 15, 1856
Acreage: 40.00

Signed: Yes, the document on file at the BLM contains a signature.

ii.

WILLIAM WRIGHT, d. Unknown.

Notes for WILLIAM WRIGHT:
William was killed rolling logs. He was single.

2.	iii.	JOHN WRIGHT, b. 1836; d. 1918, MN.
3.	iv.	EDWARD WRIGHT, b. Minnesota; d. Unknown.
4.	v.	JAMES WRIGHT, d. 1875.
5.	vi.	GEORGE WRIGHT, d. Unknown.
	vii.	ROBERT WRIGHT, b. 1848; d. Unknown; m. ELECTRA FETTERLY; d. Unknown.
	viii.	ISABEL WRIGHT, d. Unknown.
	ix.	MARY WRIGHT, d. Unknown.
	x.	ELIZABETH WRIGHT, d. Unknown.
6.	xi.	MARK WRIGHT, JR., b. 1830, Linton Woods, England; d. 1912, MN.

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