WRIGHT (4)

38

ARON

AND MARY WRIGHT

Another trip was made with the Evans to visit the Pawnee Indian
Reservation north of Omaha, under the auspices of the Friends. At

Council Bluffs they called on Barclay White who was Indian Commis
sioner in that district. They saw many Indians, but Grandmother seemed
more impressed with the dirt and squalor (filth she called it) than with
their noble attributes, and could not understand how her husband could
'<33

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converse with such creatures. When they reached the Pawnee Reserva
tion in charge of Edward Painter and Theodore Gillingham, she became
more interested. They watched the teaching of the children who appeared
unusually bright, and she helped cut out garments for the women to sew.
With the prosperity arising from high prices for farm products, the
successful mill operation, and Mary's inheritance, there arose a desire to
help others. After much thought and discussion a group of Friends met
in the spring of 1870 at the house of Josiah Wright, originally built by

Jonathan Wright, to carry out the plan for a school of higher learning.
Thirty-four acres of land were purchased on high ground east of Springboro, from Aaron Mullin. There a building was erected with double walls
of brick made on the site. The interior was finished with local hardwoods

and most of the labor consisted of local artisans. One wing contained
rooms for the girls and the other for the boys, with classrooms, dining
room, etc., in the center. The circular says that the bedrooms were 14x15
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with David Chandler as superintendent. In 1874 a College rating was

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feet and the classrooms 40 feet square. The building was finished in the
fall of 1870, and the Miami Valley Institute was opened January 4, 1871,

Xd

granted by the State authorities and thereafter it was known as Miami
Valley College.

Aron Wright, the President, states that the Founders were dissatisfied
with some of the existing colleges because no activities were provided for
the students outside of their studies. They felt that this often permitted
young men to lapse into idle and dissolute ways; so they had decided that
every student must work at some useful task for a minimum of two hours
each day. This labor was paid for at current rates and could be applied
toward the tuition, which was $190 for a school year of forty weeks, in
cluding board and lodging. Two courses were offered —Classical and
Scientific.

The buildings must have been well built and the fare must have been
wholesome, for Grandfather, who acted as School Physician as well as
President, said that they never had a serious illness among the students
during the ten years he was active. What few calls he had were for

iv

5

sprained ankles or binding cuts or bruises.
Grandfather spent a large part of his time at the college during the
school year. A miller operated the mill and several of the farms were
leased to tenants. The college seemed to operate with fair success. The
President states, in a bulletin issued March 1, 1875, that the founders

feel that their "theory of education has been satisfactorily vindicated by

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ARON

AND

MARY

WRIGHT

results," that they would proceed as they had planned and gradually widen
the field of usefulness. The college was entirely out of debt and would be

kept so. It was difficult to provide useful labor in the winter months when
there was no work on the farm; and they were considering the installation

of machinery in the shop which would enable them to turn out sash,
blinds and doors, for which there was a steady demand in nearby localities.

As to how the college was regarded by the students in afterdife we will
quote from an article written by a graduate a few years ago. "1 have
called the students of this institution fortunate. I spoke advisedly. Their
home was pleasant, comfortable and uniquely beautiful. The professors
and their assistants were well qualified: most of them were college gradu
ates. All taught thoroughly and well. Many of them had the art of giving
to their pupils a clear conception of the dignity and beauty of learning.
"There was plenty of outdoor life for the students of Miami Valley
College, not only in their work but in sports, walks, and in winter while
coasting or skating. Lectures on English and the Sciences were a regular
feature of the curriculum and dramatic recitals were frequent."
This Alumna said that the influence of the College will be felt even in
the fourth generation.
Some years there was a deficit which was met by Jason Evans and

Grandfather, but after the death of Jason Evans there was no one to help
in this way; and in 1883 the College closed its doors.
To show how Grandfather was regarded in the community, his youngest
son told this story. When the son was quite a young boy he accompanied
his father on a short trip up the state to interview a prospective pro
fessor. They took a train from Franklin, and Grandfather must have had
a pass, as most large shippers had, for he did not discover that he had

left his money at home until they had reached their destination and he
wished to buy a newspaper. He borrowed what change his son had, paid
for the paper, entered the hotel and registered. After supper, when they
retired, the son says he passed a restless night, waking often with visions
of being arrested, perhaps put in jail. He could hear his father sleeping
soundly in the adjoining room apparently unconcerned with the plight

they were in. In the morning at breakfast his father was still uncon
cerned, but after breakfast remarked: "Well, I expect we had better see

about getting some money and then see the professor." They went to the
I'ailway station and Grandfather walked right in to the ticket office in the
face of a "no admission" sign. He introduced himself to the station agent
and said he wished to telegraph his bank in Franklin as he had come away
without any money. All telegrams were sent from the railroad stations in

those days. After writing the telegram he said: "I have no money to pay
for it now," The agent, after reading the message said: "This will cost
fifty cents, but I think I can trust you for that much; come back in a
couple of hours for the answer," After an interview with the teacher

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they returned to the station. The station agent greeted Grandfather with.

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Otoe Agkscv, Neb. 9th mo. 2d, 1870.

Hoping that some actiou

Albei-.t L. Gkees,

U. S. Indian ji(ient for Otocs and Missourics.

FJRBT-D/.Y SCHOOLS.

Howard Gocrlev, Sec,

CIBCDLAB MEETINGS.

9lh mo. 21, 1870.

Third-day evening, Tenth month 4th, 1S70.

.our hoses of clothintr and one and

®oraska, dated Third mo. 4tb, 1870,
sent us. It acknowledges the

.' from Jacob M. Troth, Pawnee

eeting-house.

P. M., in the Committee-ronm of

th-day, the 7th of Tenth mouth,

requited to state that "The lutssociatioa of Philadelphia," will

dreadily be appropriated.

the DUDjb^r sent exceed the deoverplus can be easily forwarded
Aid Association, by whom hun-

"
"

"
"
SALEM QDARTERLY MEETING, N. J.

Betlipage, L. L, 11 A.M.
Jerusalem., 3^ P.M.

"
"
"
DIED.

13, Port Elizabeth, 10 A.M.
20, Cape May, 10 A.M.
" Hennisvillft, 3 P.M.

SPENCER.—In Cambrige city Ind., 6th mo. 2d,

"
"
"

" " 23, Woodstown, 10 A.M.
" " 30, Salem, 10 A.M.
" " " Allowjy's Creek, 3 P.M.
11th mo. 6, Greedwicb, 3 P.M.

lOlh mo. 2, Upper Greenwich, 10 A. M.
" "
9, Mollica Hill, 3 P.M.
" " 16, Penn's Neck, 3 P.M.

ent member nn/t cider ef tViot

W\fee4*

WRIGHT.—At his resideuce in Springboro, Warr
ren Co., Ohio, on the 29th of eighth mo., 1870, .Tosiah Wright, in the 62d year of his age. A consist

Philada , in the 18th year of his age.

ANDERSON.—On the 20th of 7tli mo., 1870, in
Warren Co., Ind., James Anderson, in the 67th year
of his age, formerly of Maryland.
WRIGHT.—Suddenly in Norway, on 1st of 7th
mo. 1870, George I., son of James A. Wright of

72d year of her age.

1870, Sarah Spencer, formerly of Maryland, in the

I

"
Oyster Bav, N. Y., 3i P.M.
"
Wheatlanrl, N. Y., 8*P.M.
" 16, Radnor, Pa., 3 P. M.

"
"
"

Birmingham, Pa., 3 P.M.
Penn's Manor, Pa., 10 A.M.

"
"
"

Washington, D. C,, 11 A.M.
Alexandria, Va., 4 P.M.
Jericho, L. I., 11 A.M.

"
"
"
"
"

"
"

Circular Meetings for the ensuing three months
•have been appointed within this quarter as follows :

directed to J. J. for the Newsbo}'®. ^

1 sent to No. 533 N. Fourth street,

at part of the work for them, if the

iently visit the "Newsboys' Home,"
selves distribute their offerings, we

realize how far more blessed it is to
to receive. And if the knitters can-

d lend, hoping for nothing again,"

on,evenas tiie Apostle Paul savs, " Do

^ or of love, now deeply buried
pressure of poverty and neglect,
young
Friends will respond to this
i

feed some.manifestation of interest, in
draw out or develop\he latent germ

Pa., 3 P.M.
Kceive an act of kindness, and who 10th" mo." 2, Fraukford.
Camden, N. J., 3 P.M.

Se of double value, but to such who

Sveo to those who would pex-haps re-

.fready for a New Year's jo'resent, not

socjal lycedm
mtle school-girl could easily have one Will convene friends'
in its Eighth Annual Session on

•^town wool would be verv suitable.)

Race Street First-day School will re-commence
allows, coarse but warm woolen scarfs to-morrow, 10th mo., 2d, at 9 o'clock; and Green
Street School in the afternoon, at 2.1 o'clock.

moineuts in knitting for these shivering

sources of our young Friends, but we iAEKDERfl, No. 34 North Fourth street, Philadelphia,
who will forward them to the Agent.
« they sl^uld employ some of their

*notour intention to draw heavily upon ^ Any of the above articles may be sent to Jobk

^ empty barrel may furnish.

{her than the doo.r-step-or pile of rub- may be taken in this matter, I am tby friend,

forwarded to my address.

'Rbiog or for foo d. Some are cared for of various kinds, Peach stones, Walnuts, Chestunts,
in the Newsboys' Home—an excel- Apple-seeds, Pear-seeds and Cuttings from Grape
Jarity. Others find neither shelter nor vines and Basket-Willows sliould be collected and

take Ibis opportunity of recommending that seeds

any to whom they can look for shelter, which our Indians can be supplied with trees, and

Esteemed fi'iend John Saunders i—The project of
boys are of very tender age, and establishing a Nursery of Fruit Trees and Plants, of
various kinds, on the Agency Farm, is claiming a
Sd this great metropolis, so far as re- share
of my attt-nlion. I can see no other way by

J guSering from its biting blasts. Many

fainter comes, will go on their daily

written, we think it not neeessarv now to pub
Sdy half-clad newsboy's in our city, who, lish
it.

_fce are many of our young friends who one-half barrels of crackers, a donation from
jeed in this direction a-reiAiuder. To members of Eaitimore Yearly ifeetiug. . So
te would say a few words on behalf of much time has elapsed since the letter was

'tp;.

40,

FEIENDS

503

INTELLIGENCER

COMING EVENTS

MARRIAGES

4.N—On Sixth month 22nd, at Agua

EIGHTH MONTH

d's Ford, Pa., under the care of Kew
eeting, Gheretein Yeatman, daughter of
.id Lilian Starr Yeatman, and Charles
: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Augustus Kline
C.

n Sixth month 10th, at St. Paul's Chapel,

lie Goetz, daughter of Louis and Blanche
Cleveland, Ohio, and John Sedgwick
3entley and Theodora Sedgvrick Lea of

4th—Purchase Quarterly Meeting at Purchase, N. Y.,
10:30 a. m. and 2:30 p. m., D. S. T. Lunch will be served.
Howard W. Hintz, Assistant Professor of English at BrookIjm College, -will speak at the afternoon session on "The
Unchanging Tenets of the Quaker Message."
4th—A gathering of the descendants of Maidencreek
Friends will be held at Maidencreek Meeting House, near

Leesport, Pa. Meeting for worship at 11 a. m., D. S. T.;
box lunch; session devoted to history and genealogy* at 2:30
p. m.

6th-10th—North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Five Y^ears')

IN—On Sixth month 15th, at Sandy
iet Chandlee Eobison, daughter of Mr.
Pole Robison of Sandy Spring, and

at Guilford College, N. C.

irks, son of Mrs. Lafayette Parks of

towTi, Pa.

and the late Mr. Parks.

"DERICK—On Sixth month 15tb, in the

-.eting House, Washington, D. C., under
Spring Monthly Meeting, Pauline Fredu, daughter of Walter H. Frederick of
omia, and the late Mrs. Frederick, and

10th—Abington Quarterly Meeting, 3 p. m., at Quaker10th-14th—Indiana Yearly Meeting at Waynesville, Ohio.
Those desiring overnight accommodations, please write to
Sara Braddock, R. D. No. 1, Waynesville, Ohio.

11th—Meeting for worship at 10:45 a. m. at 1174 East
57th Street, Chicago. At 11:30 a. m. Mansfield Beshears,
Jr., of the Consumers Cooperative Service, will speak on

, son of Rebecca T. Stabler of Kennett

"Consumer Cooperation."

le late Tarlton B. Stabler.

11th—Meeting for worship at Gunpowder Meeting House,
near Sparks, Md., at 2:30 p. m. (Standard Time). Visiting

DEATHS

Sixth month 30th, at her home in Brook•th Parrish Jackson, aged 84 yeare. She
iving child of Edward and Margaret

friends from Baltimore are expected. All invited.
13th-18th—Wilmington Yearly Meeting (Five Years') at
Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio.
15th-18th—Illinois Yearly Meeting at McNabb, 111.
17th—Burlington Quarterly Meeting, 10:30 a. m., at Rancocas, N. J.

•eventh month 20th, Mary Hazard, wife
T of Emlen Arms, Germantown, Pa. She
Jreen Street Monthly Meeting.
13th, at her home in
Dr. Emily Wright, in her Slst year,
r of the late Josiah and Emily Wright,
iber of the Society of Friends.
—We regret that a news note in the
Seventh month 13th confused the Squan
fanasquan. New Jersey, with the Shrewsluse

at

Shrewsbun'.

A

Friend

of

y, writes that "Manasquan Friends were
m read that they were using the Presby-

Manasquan because their little meeting
'd of-repairs, for that is not true; we
ang house in Manasquan." The meeting
•eed of repairs is the one on Sycamore
ry, not the one at Manasquan; and the

eh where Friends meetings are being held
on Sycamore Avenue, Shrewsbury.
•TE

Jn

the

"FrieDdB

jr Help "Wanted, Posl3 for Rent, and other

••ts without

diBplay,

A cents per word In-

il« and address.

An-

^ • box at the "Intel-

•dealred.

"tlsing the rate is 10
•
51.40 per column
On ten or more In-

17th-21st—North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conserva
tive) at Woodland, N. C.
fc«.-

•i - v - i u - f c C L u — C o a s t Association

Villa Ranch, Los Altos, Calif. For
further information write Mabel Pound Adams, 3839 Wash
ington Street, San Francisco.

NOTICE—A meeting of the Conscientious Objectors of
Camp Meade and their families will be held at Columbia
Mennonite Church, 275 South Fourth Street, Columbia,
Lancaster County, Pa., on Saturday and Sunday, August
10th and 11th. The reunion "will open with supper on
Saturday evening at 6 p. m., E. S. T. Meetings will be
held Saturday evening and Sunday morning, afternoon,
and evening. The conscientious objector's position under
the proposed selective draft -will be among the topics for
discussion. Those -wishing reservations should notify E. H.
Gochnauer, R. D. 1, Lancaster, Pa.
WHERE TO STAY

WANTED

POSITION WANTED—^Woman, 43, with

OAPE MAY. N. J.—Attractive rooms and

editor and head of Public Relations Division

^ breakfast in

private home.

location

ocean.

^ 17 years' successful experience as librarian,

of a

national organization, seeks position

where her belief that war is an outmoded

wav of solving international problems will
not be a handicap. Can give highest refer

ences. Listed In "Who's "Who in Library
Service" and "American Women, 1939-40.'
Address R 675, peibnds intelligencer.

."om date of order, ten

tatter may be changed
itboot extra charge.
'"r St,, Phlladvlpbla

jri

Years') at Oska-

txT'^NTED—Housekeeper for three adults on
farm 15 miles from Philadelphia. Mod
ern conveniences.
INTELLIGENCER.

Address T

680, fbiends

Friends.

facing
Edith

Excellent

Special

Hdtchinson

rates

Earned,

to
2

Atlantic Terrace, Cape May, N. J.
WANTED
tttaNTED—Dpstairs housekeeper for 100• •rGom family hotel.

Permanent. Give ex

perience. references, age. church, and salary
expected. Address 8 679. friends iktelli-

».

,

f

1

3

April 22» 1963

Mr. Baymond Perez
Superintendent of Schools
Springboro, Ohio
Dear Mr. Perez:

An economy wave on the part of the state means that I am
punching this out myself; I apologize for the mistakes which will
follow. I must confess that this is a labor of love you have given me;
my wife tells me that 1 am more interested in the Wrights that have
gone before than of those around me. I hope that this is not quite true,
but to be sure that I am not crossing fiction with my facts, that vhich
follows is from a history of the family written by one of its more res
pected members.

Jonathan Wright was the fourth child and second son of Joel
and Elizabeth Wright, born in 1782 at Pipe Creek, Maryland, not many
miles south of Gettysburg. He was a lifelong member of the Society of
Friends, an interested student in History, particularly military history,
not exactly common among Friends of his day. For his time, Jonathan
was well educated; he was a surveyor early and late in life. His living
was made as a miller, first near his wife's home at Menallen, Pennsyl

vania, and later in Springboro. For the first eight years of his married
life he prospered at Menallen, but when his father decided to make his
home in the Miami Valley on one of the tracts of land he purchased on
one of his numerous surveying trips to Ohio, Jonathan sold out and moved
to what is now Springboro.
In company with perhaps a dozen Friends families, Jonathan
and Mary Bateman Wright with their five children went overland to

Pittsburgh where they took passage on a boat for Cincinnati in 1814,
Going up the JLittle Miami Valley to Waynesville where Joel, his father,
was living, they both moved west some eight miles to the north slope
of Clear Creek.

Here Jonathan set aside from his rather extensive

holdings enough land for the new village, Springboro. Jonathan's old
brown brick home still stands just west of the village or town, rather,
of Springboro, a forlorn remnant of the prosperous farm Jonathan and
his son, Josiah, operated for many years. My three aunts lived there
and your local banker did their farming. His name escapes me but he
still lives on the road beyond the Springboro Cemetery.

MA.!;.v. ^

"V4JJY
OHIO 4^8
513/897-4826

Jonathan built two flour mills and one woolen factory which he,
later on his sons, operated successfully. The three mills were powred by a raceway running from the dam north of the Aron Wright home

now occupied by Mrs. Doyle* When the so-called patent white flour first
became known, Jonathan went to see the mills at Minneapolis.

Realizing

that the whole wheat product he had been making was doomed, he sold his two

mills. I can remember the woolen factory beyond the Friends burying
ground on what I think is Factory Road, at least it was Factory Road a few
years ago. This woolen factory closed about the turn of the century, or
shortly before, I think. As his sons grew to manhood, Jonathan built a
store on the main street which Mahlon and Josiah Wright managed for years.

Each year one of them would go east, usually to Philadelphia, to buy mer
chandise for their store. They moved the goods back on horses bought in
the east on each trip.

The deeds for the lots Jonathan sold in the village each con

tained a proviso that alcoholic beverages could not be sold on the premises
for twenty years; I have been told that for a longer prohibition the courts
might have set the proviso aside upon court action by one o>f the purchaeexe
in future years. Hie farm was reported (on good authority) to have been
a stop on the Underground Railroad.

About 1840 Jonathan gave up active managament of his farm,
store and mills. His eons apparently prospered. Jonathan took up reading
history, the Iliad and Odyssey, and Burns poems: occasionally he did sur
veying for some of the neighbors.
Jonathan and Mary Wright had five children live to maturity.
Mahlon born in 1807, lived in the village all of his life; he served in the
state legislature at least one term.

Aron was born in 1810; he took his

degree in medicine from Yale and practiced in Brooklyn. In his later
years he returned to Springboro to serve as president of Miami Valley
College for most of its approximately eighteen years of activity. He

built that fine home now occupied by Mrs. Doyle.

Hannah was born in

1812 and moved away when married. Jesse was born in 1814, took his
degree in medicine from Yale, but died the next year. I almost forgot

my grandfather, Josiah, who was born in 1808. He lived in the village
and with Mahlon operated the store; he died during his fifties when my
father was in his early teens. I sent Mrs. Doyle the names and dates of
the physicians in our family; I think there have been nine of thean, my son
being the most recent.
August 17, 1860.

Jonathan died February 12, 1855; Mary died

This is perhaps hastily written and wanders , but it may serve
your needs.

As I said, it is indeed a labor of love.

Sincerely,

Alfred J. Wright

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WAYNESVILLE,

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We4Ii4s(fi?iiveii|iig. ^;MiSf|: Wright[in an: ii< ni r an i0cyen';won. i; .p(I
wiH-take a e6urse:idfinstnictkni in |
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the rhiladeipliia BcfiWgiqr^tS^^

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BLKOG

.inrv

aucl lions,

5)rop8pni G?

0on. ''^r OV'
aI J<ibn A. family, arid associates;
best vviilicS follow iier ibii
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theirl

Will Ken-

of prof|)erity; i^d /j^pasg
' 5,
William T Bcrfy;<of Wilmiii^^^ hcaise^.

Hihic
Wilming-

against Dr. S. o. boytl ot the .nun.o

Jame^: B).

' i^irk. Qn^er Crty^

3t^eff.

^les Dudley,
ay, Luiuton,

satb, Jho^
ofth Merr

'•iddyorMsM

isfisiipp

liffli

ton, iKis^bronghf snit.'fW S:;0:000i ^

♦„•,

dlU^criniy Mult the Dr. Sculicea . t:i ^ v.^

the^Siecoii\i#u|5
I OP

tiadwki.auer's. IIall, lu. .,
tn^vw,

A

:

..

e

f.''

Journal sayst -l^r- iioytt is one Ob^cahdidam^ Br' SSiteiiSe^

the olde^ add rhost rented

:.A«i£o. .^4 : l>Kla /tAiratl;' SlTin tnO 1111 bilC-:

jrJtile, let pe pubnc,JwftlilVold[its .

.•.•«•.•

• . k-

- • -• •••-•<!.•.••.•

V.•!<

i»« ->•«

•>

[k.vjii^f

ewv.

st-'bonQ'^irw^* ^"'"•'
Anlm MttJnibftteA.—iicf<.T>.

1 «'<^vvn-'

and;;]^ re»Brvipg; then

'"' -|MMC9veKie«*

montba; of txansfe

t&e:

S?ii
V UJU' -•

^ V.^"

e not ceased ;i
' ' ""'

'•Si^

wfe^.

-£^1
.• ;&*• r^

,

aa or circuinsiiiii c

time to;time arise W

culate auu |
'"'

' ^

^nediciaa< -Vn-i

. .. • atm

ri^- •

)

, i,;-li'^iuett^-/ r^' : .ig

log any poE-

the aoenm^t to him beb. re-hc Bigu
i eible ration to the blo(^y deed. ed
i vusi/C 'vi iue •a orl
i. -*•Every
diys Wu liavje a visit i^icisej^in
the priuled copy apoye. ^:V;

from DetcKJth^WiU Hazen, who^ It wa^tatcd, and is hhderspbd to pIP
howeveri wisely. jkeepB jhis. owp
eonnseli, whetherH|he knows ariy- l^^mitted^ that this
tbing or not. The

sj^ed before •the Cpnsirnctioa con
iouse ^tiuef, that the date wa^ fitvrwsrd ^ "

. i^ again inhabited b} uK^n bein^S^ ins'^

a belt the maryel is
^•L or 6ic4^ with;

' vhey ^n

in

;? and coritssDpnr

.jb ihdt

icn tue nonsfr- ^^

v, i

wab lii^iualiy signed,

ic

i.;
walls. Dan K Anderson^tho appear that this contract Wre?
ah *inr)
lather of the boy suicide, is a^n indo seinentin pencil
o by M>-.

f Wf>rk7,f)g at hie trade, srtd^oying, ^ Hai^^e and since erased, as toh
'iOiu says^ topay-hisd, V- ;:•: . " 4 tows; 'The within for tb^johitl cn

%^S <5-

§O Ig

.

I1' •
S 3: o'

" At the printing offi^where Wil-. rat of David ;AUen, Samuel Irohs
lip worked for two
a half years,' |iui4^.S. Hainea," but it is admitted
and up to the tim^f the maseacre, |by
Haines and aa^rted by Mr. ^
he was in the hjobit of considering jlronsVnd Mr. AUeu t.hr'^ ^ *ev. |
o -e of the three roo- bis own for! ootL.n^ oi lhe.cs.„
i,l
depoaiting^Ms variot.. effects.
contractor
of
the
*i.
.se,.
.cut,
UntilWithin a day.
two this On the b^k of the contract appears |,^5'
room
remained in the chaotic in the ha^writing of SethH
Btatem which he left it, but on Sat Haines thetollowihg:
; 4 i^
urday it was set in j>rder, and an
wticle found wlucli startled and

; '^Fully irailzing the fact that t

shocked all present. This article :can not in good faith appropriate J.v
!to iny own ipe^onal and private
was a mask made of. dark blue

;heavy cloth, with boles forthe eyes iuserwy benefit or pri^t from Sdcli ^

and mouth. Strong twine; strings an arrangement as indicated^; by ^
were attached to the top and .bot the within instromentjof writing, 1
torn to laeten the mask to the top hereby assign and transfer all my c|
ofthe head and tfroaod the neck.

riglft, interest and profit in, or ac- ^

The tiling had evidently been.ased, quired by vii^o of said instniiQeiit
as around the moulb aperture, on of writing, to the Miami Valley
the inside, there is still the prespir- Narrow-Grgne Kailibad Opnipanyi ^
atlon dried upon ;the cloth. The And fortheri l accept; no rights or
article had hot long been made, benefits in or underlsaid instruas ®
from the appearance of the cutting ment of writing ex
to the ,
of the cloth. The knots w^re pecu they may^^1^
liar ^ if ibe work ot anexpert, and Mia^i YaUey Narrpw-Gange Bail- ^
fthe coat^—-an old one of , ^Willie's^ road Company.

W,BE:

WHIGHT, Joei, 1750-1829.

'

b. 1750, York (now Adams) Co., Pa., s. of John and

Elizabeth Wright, from Ireland, Youngest of lOlchildren,

Taught04^^ Kept a diary,
m. Elizabeth Parguhar, ca. 1773.
Came from Pipe Creek,

(d. 1805.)

to Upper Sandusl^y, Ohio.

On the return journey was taken ill.

City planner for Dayton, Ohio.
Lived at Waynesville, 0.
Lived, at Springboro, 0,

m. 2nd, Iblij., Arm Bateman, (d. I8i].2.}

As a surveyor laid out the city of Columbus, which
im

became the state capitol.
Wore knee-breeches and buckled shoes.

d. 31 Jan, 1829, Springboro, Ohio, age ca. 79

MAEY L. COOK PUBLIC UBRARY
381 OLD STACK RD.

WAYNESVILLE, OHIO 45068
513/897-4826
il' Information from Ellen Starr Brinton,

I, Quaker Lady, (Heiser), p. 41.

ill TAiie-Aj
I'll

oF
Couev^-QuAi<eJZ C6umg&

ai/)e OlcJntnoJAj of- QiLaJU'\) &l)a\rojpkx^
WBE;

WHiaHT, A^on, 1010-1685.
b. 30 Sept. 1810, Pipe Greek (?), Md., s. of Jonathan
and Mary Bateman Wright.

with family moved to Ohio and lived at Springboro. Learned milling and farming.
Studied Law,

1633, studied medicine at Yale i^ledical Schoo.l.
ra. Mary Wiliets, and settled in Hew York, Idi^o.

1857, They moved to Springboro, Ohio, and became mil
ler as well as doctor and farmer.
Gave land for a meeting house.

President of Miami Valley College.
1883, College closed.

Near 6 ft. in height, handsome features, with abundant
white ha-lr.

d. Dec, 1885, appendicitis.

WAYNESUM, OHIO 45068
513/897-4826

^ron and h^ry Wright. 29 (portraits, op. p. 37, ott?ar ports
11

This material may be protected by

|: copyrIghtlawfntIe17U.S.Cod9)
^

Quaker coLLEcifON §

]

'i "AVERFORD, PA 19041 ,4 /

WHICrliT, Aaroa, lGlO-i886

b. 30 Sept. I8IO, at Monallen, Adams Co., p£,

At a^e i[. moved with fanily to Sppinrboi-'Oj Wfirren Co.,
Ohio.

ed. M.D, Yale CoHere, I836.

-Practiced medicine a few years in ifichmond, [ind. aud
Spririf^field, Ohio.

!

1639 moved to ^^ev; ^orh City.
m., iSlp Mary hiHets.

I

Practiced in hew York I7 yrs.

1857 Returned to SppiQgfleld, Ohio.

1873, Oleri-, i'nd. Y., Mtf. (k.O.c.)

1880 Moved to Brooklyn, h,V.

'

d. 19 ^ec. 1886, Brooklyn, h. yA , are^ 75 yrs'

•Elliott, Errol 1,^ (.u. on the Am. kr-oDtier, 391
:;Pd3 InteLl.,i,.3(l886),9.
j;i:i

MAm L. COG
iSVILLE, omo 45068
513/897-4826

F^o/Yi

Of

Bioa/uFkv

K4^aeRD(eD Coum^^ Quaker coctecnoyu
WBE:a

Gp PQ par-od-^-by^B)

^ "4'

WRIGHT, Joel T,, I8ijl-I91ij.

b. 20 Nov. I8ia on a farm near Hardln^s Creek or Bridges,
Ohio, son of John Q. and Nancy Ajm Wright.

I At age 30, entered the ministry. Minister for over 1^0 yrs.
m., 25 May 1865, Anna M. Barrett (d.1907) Ij. children.

Ili'J
\':B

1890, moved to Leeaburg, Ohio.

1

1908 moved with dau. to WiiBy^^ton, Ohio i
Pastor of Beech Grove Mtg. near Wilmington as

I'M

I

rii;!:;

long as health permitted.

•;iid

Possessed a deep interest in Wilmington Mtg; regularly
attended Bible School and all Mtgs. for worship.
Loved children.

JEspecially gifted in phblic prayer.

'iii
feiijl

II

I'
ill
p

w

K
d. 8 Dec. 1914 at home of his dau., Mrs. Evan Good
•1!

near New Vienna, Ohio, aged ca. 73 yrs.

|,The Am. Pd., 2(1914), 647

^a3/»97.4826

VicmoAjA&i o r

CoIL^G^' 0U/ll'^ CQLce'cAcAj
WBE;a

WRIGHT, Joseph, I812-I907.

i ^

b, 2ij. Nov. 1812, New Vienna, Ohio, s, of jLhn and
Hannah Wright,

nis father died when he was 9.
i

He was given a home with a reliable Friend^ Samuel
Coffin,

ed. limited.

m. Ljjrdla Cowglll

(y children)

A teacher for 8 years.

Beeame a farmer In Highland Co., Ohio^^/°a member
also

of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting.

I Received a call to the ministry and was aclmowledged.
/ Attended Yearly Meeting at Richmond, Indiana.
I Abolitionist, Attempted to use only free-labor goods
Temperance Worker.

i

A founder of VJilmlngton College.
member of its Board of Control.

Eighteen iyears a
I

Was over-joyed at the establishment of Wilmington
Yearly Meeting.

i
MAEY L. COOK PUBLIC LEBRASY
WAYNESVnu:, OHIO 45068
513/897-4826

d. 2 Nov. 1907, V/ilmington, Ohio, in his 95(h year
I

Am. Prd., ll|(1907) 1815-815, (portrait.)

Ft^/k VicnoAJ/aiY OF Qo/^tcraR ^io6^PHy
MA\/tRFoi/9D) COLCe'C^- Qo^Ken. COU^cTiOaJ
WBEro.-

^RIGHT, Jonathan

-1916

b, in Highland ^o., Ohio'
ij.','

i|

A conscientious child,

ed. Wilmington College, I87I-3, 1878,

11 Teacher- In Whlttier Academy, Iowa.

|| m., 1875 Louisa Sabin of Harveysburg, Ohio.
!J Ioa. 1878 Pr-of. of Wii„,ington College for 20 yrs.,

| ,: Taught in Tennessee; Wilmington H.S., Harveysburg, Ohio

j|I' 1883 Acknowledged as aminister by Wilmington, Ohio Mo. Mtg.
I':i' \

l90ii.-07. Clerk, Wilmington Y, Mtg,
! Clerk, Center Quarterly Mtg. for I7 yrs.

5 yrs. presiding Clerk of Wilmington Y. Mtg.
Delivered addresses on Peace and Temperance, and
ommencement addresses.

Loved and rejected by many,
•

d, 1 Mar. I916

iVfARY L. C»OK PUBLIC LIBRARY
381 OLD STAGE RD.

WAYNESVILLE, OHIO 45068
513/897-4826

plott, Errol T., Qu. on the Am. Frontier, ipi
|mtes of Wilmington Y, Mtg. (I916), 1^.3-1^2^

tiTi

fcf :V

.

,

But being

Arthur L. Carey,

Memorial of Jonathan B. Wright

Clerk of Clear Creek Monthly Meeting.

liliii::; :

S)
fcl
il: ^•

513/897-4826

CI90K PUBIJC UDBRAR
S81 OLD STAGE ED.
WAYNESVILLE, OHIO 45068,

i' c position for twenty years. Then followed teaching in lennessee,
t:;^' Wilmington High School, HarN^ysburg,
placets loi^_^

' -Towa they returned to Ohio, and later he again entered college
• and finished his course with the class of 1878. He was immedi'' ately'made a member of the college faculty, and continued in the

U-then became a teacher in Whittier Academy, Iowa. In 18/5 he
iit married Louisa Sabin of Flarveysburg, Ohio. After a year in

j rolled among her first pupils. Here he continued for two years,

' education was obtained in the country school, where under ex
cellent teachers he became fond of learning and school life.
!When Wilmington College was opened in 1871, he was en-

chose the Christian religion as his practice for life. His early

On Third Month 1, 1916, our beloved Jonathan B. W^right
pakied to his home beyond. He was born and raised in Highland
^ County, Ohio. Fie was a conscientious child, and in early life

•,

and succeeded.

to reaffirm their testimony for Peace, as opposed to all war.
i He was ever on the alert to better conditions where he lived,

addressed to the Quarterly Meeting, he earnestly urged Friends

especially the subject of Peace. In his last message to the Church,

unsearchable riches of Christ.
c ,
,
. ;He took an active interest in all the problems of the Church,

The Church early recognized the fact of his call to the ministry,
and'recorded him, and for over half a century he proclaimed the

and from henceforth, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gam.

could say with Paul, "It pleased God to reveal his Son in me,^^

humbleness that characterized this man of God, we believe he

possessed with keen mental powers, and an inquiring mind, he
sought for the truth along intellectual lines, but there came a
dayiwhen, in the quietness of his own home, while reading and
meditating, God showed him that "Man by searching, unaided
by,the Holy Spirit, could not find God." And there, with the

"From, a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.

minor children with them; and we believe it could be said of him,

having come into the Friends Church by request, bringing their

i1Thomas Hiatt grew to manhood in the Church, his parents

over sixty years.

Third Month 20, 1856, with whom he walked life's pathway for

Secind Month 5, 1916. He was married to Caroline Holms,

Wilmington Yearly Meeting

HAVERFORD, PA 19041-139^

370UNCA£;TER avenue

haverfotdcoLlege

THE QUAKER COLLECTION

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SiPIK^

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tmnAms-.

mil®

'«sa

j^nmj

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'f-Wili-

SiiS'lH

lKn«l$viBK

liiw^l»p
m/klkiyaimMf?! a

^•'itSHt-'i

mww^pw

.1:.
oph^n of^^ig^and^^ 1

was rise^si^

ihs pifei^Siillli^

lured to incr^^.tb| ddsa k^au^
tlifi^ra to 8«enie|t^ia
-X. -SHlBBMjL-glgg;—^lL.jSi&IjaPC&rH-ii^,^dM'»<ikiarfe'iftt qlt

^

th^a«uU. v-G-o^4^.Jlg|f .V[

ot<jolil[^oi\ that
a drink ol a

1water while in an tinfit state of pe^
to
. beior, ibfoftSi^S

bn, j

^

.1 imm bueri

;

wl^re Foniaftnya^;, ^

iWft^Mina tobe tb»i&al ^ba

KflT-i"'

i'-;-.'•.I- . 1 . - ' : •
;i-/'
?wU lofe$r«8iingvto;t^

I.V ,:.Ji;

•

•.•:;'••

in whioU pas|||^flhrou^

S«< foll»«,di3Bi»Hi»«.
B,rfrii?.r
t£fitM«i:»
rt.
•♦V«» .V,,**

X

I of Ues of adr^. tbe ua^,^ ;j.hicli,
^

iKh 'Pii

of

persons geo^raUy .are i^orant.-..

".IWIKJ.''#»:-•* ki'liV

WufalS-

h t*

,

aesaiimioCMa'&rct^looaked^deiigii^

Ws Wayi^vUie; ^M|iiad tlieb«^8e, to; »b«Sfi^^ Jibd of. poetry end*
, too, pij ?f "f^'-^fe^pteiandrellle impered In tLe l^igbtpd lataat bslfflyntm^pberBi, tiJl «h« r«ad« i
E>r. styles of color nnd workmanship..
t,,^
«•«»',^
»g
of our
young folks
,,, to,Several
hear the
jcelebrated.
Jamesw^t
h.

,,

, , ..WiUtAWal
: >,.t
Mr spirH lice ., er«
' «?:

' ,r f»

.

€^i$^£a>k Itemsa ia a« EM

Dr. T.'-Adafl^ p

pdkaJiisassDLt^ ySkia&y'-Selw®! at op^ o<slocJ^| S. Adimas returned iigS;
•evexy Sun^y afi^mooB.
from liOgan cotinty

we fl^e happy to state. b®s a|:
covered from her laSe titee®

MeiisUm^

igo?

-lll^sile Teftdy Meeting be^n

Messiw. -j. PhiHipS an
ik'tfais bl^ on Friday of«tl»l8 Wpeli Evans left here last Sat^da

^etingr eaob day will bogin^ 10 ing with Mr. A. H.^ngh, 1m
>ek. ^^be meelfn^ wil)/<Sontiaae that gentleman's surveym|

novir at work on Uie Sho^t D
•over^^Mida^
^f^wftftftriV meeting took place at —Mr. Silas Halnes has oj
!be M. E. Ghnimlfpfl Saturday and cabinet and undertaker shop

Sunday. Dr. N^akley, the Prasi nptier part of North street.
Ezra Adams' old dtand. H
•dipg Elder, wg^Ho attendance.

—The B^. Sa\oel Si?»tt, of JHy-

4on, held/tt Bible noting in tbe\M
E. Cbjsrfxh on SondaV evening. Ad
dvea^M were made ^y Mr.. ScoU

nice hearse.

—Mr. W. M- Harford baa
ed from EHbnck, where he s
snmmer vacation. He will !

_'mnd8 Thomas and Hannah Arnet to resume his position '&9 i

^eadei^of our school, tiie-fi)

and Mr. McHugh.

—Last Sunday was thirst annu a!^o October.
•al anniversary of the Epis^pal Sab
-Dr. —.—^;HiUlan.d far
bath-School of 'WaynesvUl^
BeHln Heights, Oluo. arrive

Sector was present, and ajypointwl resinence of Mr. A. D. Cad
Mr A. E. .Merritt Superinlejjwent. in OoWin last WOTuesday, i
The other irtDSeers remain as/oMore.

their w^ to Geoimia, which

The ref^of ti^ Secret^(Mi\D pect ts^'mRke the^ future h<

B.
Ariderson)- w«s very^tisfafctoV,
We ark under ofaliga
and.showed the scwmlKiB a favorV
Uijoi Amanda^Baker frw
l}le condition. We/8^®e tbe seeohd number of the
Ssnii
l^r of this iscbopr; banning next bette, Kansas,:» nbw journ
Sunday, wilt by^we cfNwrteabted cialiy i^oted/tp the interes
usefulness uaprpros^My
of tSafe name.; So
—Ep^eogw service was &s^d in conuty
the SepUnel.
the Ball
Sunday laomin^and . -r-Our ftii^d Charles Ja
evenin^fllr. Helm
First PresbyterlancNl^iDebmu)!
Bass Bam.-—The

bed w^ Typhobd IN?

|e may

"Wb

iMt ^^rter-

dayt»»l«#
g®»«
wi» tXf di^ia ihn ^ampio^^lp be
tween tbem and.

^oiu Bansa^ has beem^'eoi

^

liij.:# m

FuBS «fm»e4S!^iB

are aprry to. say, siui^ hi

Silver SisRATrs,

— B . AiU^rs
^ree^tnonths old

er

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S 5 W*

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Tost oFFiee MorTee
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^••iii".ii'liJ i iH'i i* ClSj^

:

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IPeAiu. mx\c£ of TbAJi^AAi ljMcht
vok
-/S-rs'
2,l?5r
FRIENDS'

INTELLiaEN-CBR.

giving water to the thirsty is charity. A man's [ "This is a dreadful land on account of
true wealth hereafter is the good he does in this nca.

.deeds has he sent befo o him ?"

RETURNINO

The English at largo are ashadailhi

do not" know how to reconcile the tonn CbrilUU'

And now, if any ojf us who have together with both army-men and missionaries, aijd#lttiO

mused on this subject, redlize.that the time is actually told mc, if we were ChristiaoB ho WM
short, let us more strehuously fulfil deferred re- afraid to embrace that religion, as thOiaoldiNli
solutions and undischa -ged duties. Let us pay made the natives ashamed."
, J j: '
what we owe, and breik the slavery of money

getting, and study the science'of charity in the

fove of it, and learn tl 0 joy of being our own

iOverpoweret

•ihe found: him

_
,1
* ill
Died at her rysidence, Moore.town,
Moorostown, N.
.a?',!;".''-'
N.Lil

in8t.,ofinfiaraTnaiion
,
IT
11
1 .1
°
11 the
the lOih
in8t.,of infiaramation ofthalungaj
ofthalunB", Mii
MAin'
almoners,
hor .to allj
whether
young
or old,
AnnlOih
Walton,
daughter of the laloOeorgJvValwli
who arc still seeking (the good things of this of Philadelphia, in the 46ih year of her ag«. i.i

transitory state, the warning ofanancient writer minister in tne Society of Friemla.

^ "Build your nest upon no ftree 1,here, ffor God
p .1

i ji

Springboro'
, Warren WaioHT.iniha
cn., Ohio,'i|ti
second 'day the
I3iriinBt.,JoNATHii!

bath sold the whole forhst unto death; and every 7-llh year of hisage, after an iliiieM o( abnul thrM

tree whereupon wo woi Id rest is ready to be cut weeks. He was born at Pipe Crook, Mj., but
down.

Therefore, let i s flee, arid mount up, and removed to Ohio more than forty yeara nun, tfltM.

make our abode amongi the cliffs, and dwell in that was a comparatively new oounliy. lie.with

the sides of the great Everlasting
Everlasting Rock
Rock."—Pasf

1/
Meridian.

^

instrumental in eitiblMtliy

the particular and monthlymeeting ofBnrinabw,'

of which he was an eider. He waaa tntQ^I

••• '

FliI KNUS' IX..N1 li LLIG ENG EH.

sound Understanding and cullivalod mlnd.SB^I

h""
respected
""^fbtprhood
by all., ij*U(ihl»!
AlUioogb^

PHILADELPHIA, TipD MONTH 3, 18=5.
r

inroads were made In the order of ou/societyi'iallj

We publish, i,n thi^ number,.some extracts concerned that our fundamenial prinoiplw ahouldi

im a
« letter written irom
Irntvi 4L..
be supportcd and discipline
Tnainltinotl.
fr™
the Ori^oa, which F„u;^':„^p;rseXa7,he
c''o;n"r„rr:;f

HewMj

.will furnish a slight picture of the present con- n^ss thai its termination would bo fainl. and |piv|i •
dition of a portion of oir follow beings, who for indubitable evidence ihrouaJioul, that nil ptiM#

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was made. His last expressions wen, "WMil
the sakeof
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thogloryofP.ttheir• country,
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for me, weep not for me, ifI go, j thtok'

are enduring indescribable hardships themselves, shall go happy." Umight, in truth,bflitaid^

anddesclating
niany
a happy!> fireside. .1 Almost • Behold,
an Israelite indeed, in whom UnoWM^
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, suddenly on second day, 6tD ititlniliilli

•hotrrly the cry from the poor, for even theneces- Cooper, a valuable memberand ;eldet<rf'W(3t.
rearies of life, reaches oir.ears, and aid is freely bury Monthly Meeting. ••
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given to preserve them from the same suffering While the daily walk of ourdenarted friwd|*»#
L* i •inadistantiandiS'iontiDued
j- a 1 j.•
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evidence
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Mary should

-and liberal support. "Ryan's inhumanity to man"
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.dothindeedmake"courtless
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fromconcern
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'Nations calling, themselves Christian, are contri- few who mingled intimately with him,lbiiWM

,bating large sums to eiitond the gospel to the often expressed with the desirelhalFriendaiaoilid
•y .,
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withdraw from the noise and strife of IpnglwL
heathen, while
tlicy
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wi,ich'
are of the world, to that, quiet babiSoS
of its commandmenta, a id thereby distrusting its where the voice of the unerring epiiit mli^ M

power; andthe ^profess id1disciples
of the meek. furnished
ovaUinglv toheard,
ainl where strength
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take up the dailycroBsand foMowUii

and lowly Jesus, whom they look upon as their the divine IVfasier in the way of his leadingi» Aim
spiritual teachers, are, with the words of the what more forcible illustration of the im^fUBI^
T) .

r •»
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1- .•
p
thereof could be furnished, thsn Bucb a auddM
PrmcoofPeace
in theii| hands, supplicating
for
termination
oftliis lifeaain ihecase of pur belavirf :

;the successof that wliic i He has,said mustcease friend, and may we not add, '• He being

ere his kingdom come. Deep instruction and fpe«keih," fi.r verily it is aloud call unto

®
"also ready, for in such an hour a« ye think
food for serious reflection is contained m the fol- the
the Son
Son of
of Man
Man cometh."
Cometh."
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(ate April 9lh, 1817
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MARY L. COOK PUBIJC LIBRARY
381 OLD STAGE KD.
WAYNESVILLE, OHIO 45068
513/897-4826

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HAVERFORD COLLEGE
370 UNCASTER AVENUE

HAVERFORD, PA 19041-1392

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5H3W(9

Wright Geneal(^
The Wright genealogy ofrecord in Springboro begins with John Wright who was bom

in 1701 in Scotland. He married Eli^beth who was bom in 1706. Sometime between
1737 and 1740, John and his femily sailed from Londonderry to Philadelphia. In 1746,
he settled in Menallen, Adams County Pennsylvania. It was there that Joel was bom in
1750.

JoelWrightwasaverywell educatedmanandtraveledaroundthecountrymore

frequently that most men of his time. He was a teacher and a surveyor. His travels
are recorded in monthly meeting records in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In
1772, he married Elizabeth Farquhar in the Pipe Creek Meeting. During the next 25
years they lived in Pipe Creek while Joel traveled on surveyingtrips. One trip was to
Ohio in 1788 for surveying and in 1798 he was appointed to a committee by &e
Baltimore Yearly Meeting to visit the Wyandotte Indians. Joel and Elizabeth lived in
Baltimore and joined that meeting about 1804 for two years. Here they learned to know
the Heston &mily. Later Joel would join them in Springboro, Ohio. Joel and Elizabeth
had six children: Ann, born in 1776; AUen, bora in 1711; Rachel, born in 1780;
Jonathan, born in 1782; Israel, born in 1785; and Elizabeth born in 1789. Joel's
wife, Elizabeth died in 1805. He stayed in Menallen long enough to see two ofhis

children marry. In 1806, his son, Jonathan, married Mary Bateman, and his, daughter,

Rachel marri^ Joseph Hibberd. Joel arrived in Waynesville, Ohio in the summer of
1806 and soon became active in the Miami Meeting. During more surveying trips, he
laid out the city ofColumbus, Ohio; the city ofDayton, Ohio; and the city ofLouisville,
Kentucky. He and Obijah O'Neal purchased large tracts ofland in the Miami Valley
during this time. In 1814, Joel married Ann Bateman, an older sister ofMary Bateman,
Jonathan's wife. Joel spent the later years ofhis life in Springboro, Ohio, where he died
in 1829. His wife, Ann, died in 1842.

JonathanWright, sonofJoelWright, cameto Ohio in 1814with his wifeandfive

children: Mahlon, born 1807; Josiah, born 1808; Aron, bom 1810; Hannah,
bora 1812; and Jesse, bora 1814. In his early youth he had learned the operation

offlour mills by working at Endicott Mills (owned by the Farquhars) for seven years.
Later when Jonathan received an inheritance from his Grand&ther Farquhar, he
purchased land, a house, a flour mill, and a saw mill in Menallen. When he came to Ohio
he was influenced by his father, Joel. And so he settled in an area with fertile &rmland
and streams to support the operation ofmills. He built a brick house ofbricks made on
the land and set up a flour mill, a woolen mill, and a third mill called the old red mill—all
located on the same stream extending from what is now State Rotite 73 to Clearcreek. He
laid out a village in 1815 and called it Springboro for its many spring flowing throughout
the area. Shortly before his death in 1855, Jonathan built a new general store for his two
sons, Mahlon and Josiah. (They had begun operating a store in the building across the
street about 1835.) This building now houses The Brass Pig and Victoria's Gifts. During
his lifetime, Jonathan became known for several qualities. His was very well educated
like his &ther. He enjoyed reading the lUiad and the Odyssey and quoting Robert Bums.
He also enjoyed following military history. He was a very generous and honest man who

helped out many ofthe people who lived in Springboro. He would help settled disputes,

loan people money, and give them general support when needed. He l^ught a sm£^
house for his sister, Elizabeth Cowman ( small bhie house across the street from the
general store), and he befriended many others in similar ways as chronicled in The
Quaker Lady. Along this line, like most Quakers, Jonathan believed that slavery should
be abolished. His home has been well documented as a station on the Underground
Railroad which ran through Springboro. This beautifriUy restored home is now the

Wright House Bed and Break^.
Jonathan Wright oldest son, Mahlon, lived in Springboro. His home once stood where
the Garage 1919 now stands at the comer ofMain and Mill Streets. He operated the
general store with his brother, Josiah, was postmaster ofthe village for several terms, and
served in the State Legislature for one term. He was also active in forming the
Universalist Church and was a ardent member. His first wife was Phoebe Baily and there
were four children" Jonathan, Joel, Mary, and Clara. Later in life he married Eliza
AverilL

Mahlon's son, Jonathan, participated in the Civil War and was part ofSherman's
Army in the frmous March to the Sea. Later he studied medicine and had a
successful practice in Red Lion, Ohio He married Annabella Gregg and they had
eight children: William, Rollo, Grace, Elsie, Irene, Conner, Vaughn, and an
infant who died unnamed.

Hannah, Jonathan Wright's only daughter, married John T. Phimmer, who became a
doctor and lived in Richmond, Indiana.

Josiah Wright, son ofJonathan, operated the general store with his brother, Mahlon. He
operated the mills and the frirm wUch were tumed over to him by his &ther. He also

became involved with the operation ofMiami Valley College w^ his brother, Aron. He
lived in the house ofhis frther. Josiah married Emily Thomas whose &mily had come to
Ohio with the Batemans and Wrights earlier. Josiah and Emily had ten children; Jesse,
Hannah, Lydia, Charles, Edward, Mary, Alfred, Anna, Emily, and Ida. Ofthese ten

children, tl^ee ofthem died young. The rest remained inSpringboro.
Jesse Wright, son ofJosiah, married Jane Farr. He and his Uncle Ira Thomas

operated the woolen mill. Later he helped operate the general store. When his
Uncle Aron moved back to New York, he and Jane lived in the Aron's house and

took care of it until it was sold in 1906. Jesse was a prolific writer and speaker
and is responsible for the preservation ofmuch of Springboro early history as well
as the history ofhis own frmily.
Emify Wright, daughter ofJosiah, graduated from Miami Valley College, and
after a while attended medical school and became a doctor. She practiced in
Springboro later in her life.

Alfred J. Wright, grandson ofJosiah Wright and son ofAlfred Wright, became a
professor at Ohio State University and maintained his ties to Springboro until his
death in 1965. A letter from him to Anna Mary Doyle helped us discover who
wrote the book, Aron and Mary Wright. A second letter in 1965 regarding the
naming ofthe elementary school for his great grand&ther, Jonathan Wright, also
reveals more ofthe town's early history. Alfred was to speak at the dedication of
the building in 1965 but died a few days before the ceremony took place.

Aron Wright, son ofJonathan - See detailed history in other articles in the packet.
Jesse Wright, son ofJonathan died young. He attended Yale School ofMedicine like his
brother Aroa

Descendantsofboth Josiah and Mahlon Wright are connectedto Springboro today.
Susan Wright Snead (Mahlon) lives in Springboro; Peter Wright (Josiah) lives in
California and visits ofrea Hugh '^Max" Wright (Mahlon) lives in California and visits
Springboro at least once a year. Ralph J. Wright (Mahlon) lives in Middletown, Ohio;
Geoi^e Wright, who lives in Florida, has conq>iled detailed genealogy for the Wright
family. These works are in the Springboro Area Historical Society Museum.

Aron and Mary Wright
Aron Wright moved to Ohio with his father, Jonathan Wright, when he was four years
old. Although he had a early interest in law, his &ther discouraged that direction and
through the influence ofhis brother-in-law Dr. John Plummer studied medicine instead
earning his degree from Yale in 1833.

Just when Aron Wright met Mary Willets is not recorded but a letter from Aron to Mary
in June of 1839 is part of &mily records. After all ofthe proper Quaker arrangements,
the couple were married on April 2,1840 and soon after departed for Springboro
accon^anied by a female relative sent to help Mary deal with the dubiouswestern ways.
Mary soon learned to know her new Mier-in-law as an educated man who read the
Odyssey and quoted Robert Bums.

The first years ofAron and Mary's Wright's marriage were spent in New York on Henry

Street. \^en the cholera stmck New York, the Wrights sent their two children, Mary
Annaand Amos to Ohio to staywith their grandparents. AronWright loved Ohio and
took three or four trips there before the death ofhis father, Jonathan. On one trip in 1851,
he brought Mary's parentsalong as well as there three children (Frederic was a small
babyat the time). Witheachtrip, Aronbecame more interested in moving to Ohio with
his family.

Finallywhen JonathanWright died in 1855, leaving the flour mill, part ofthe home &rm
and someother property in the neighborhood, the movewas made in 1857. A roomy
house was erected and an^le bams built on a side hill in the Pennsylvaniamanner. The
house had an airy outdoorsummer kitchenfor the hot weather as well as the usual
kitchen. In the cellar there was a room at a lower level where the shallow pools were fed

by cool spring waterfor keeping the milk. Thetank supplied the firstbathroom in
Warren County, probably the first one northofCincinnatL Thetub had to be constmcted
locally andwas made of slabs of wood carefiiUy fitted and caulked. The picket fence in
the photograph was built in 1857and was still in good condition in 1933. Largetrees
were planted to encircle the house anda fountain inthe circle was fed bya pipe from the
mill pond across the road.

In the house to the right ofthe main hall were doubleparlors with slidingdoors between,
to the leftwasthe sitting roomwitha large dining roomin the rear. Eastofthe sitting
room was Aron Wright's office and a long kitchen behind that and then the summer
kitchen, woodshed, etc. In the ell behind the house was a high grape arbor which
spanned over to the second story windows.

Aron and Mary Wright werevery much interested in the Society ofFriendsand gave land
for the Meeting House in Springboro. Springboro wasattached to "Indiana Yearly
Meeting" which on certain years was held in Waynesville. BothDr. Wright andMary
Wright followed the Friendly customof inviting visiting Friends to staywiththem. As
the housewas largeand the food plentiful their invitations were generally accepted. At
timeso many were entertained that the men sleptin the bam and the women occupied the

house. A long table was set in the dining room and frequently the immediate &mily had
to eat elsewhere. Their youngest and third son, Jonathan, used to tell ofthe mental

torture of being patted on thehead or chucked under the chin bythesweet old ladies.
Withthe prosperity arising fromhigh prices for fenn products, the successful mill
operation and Mary's inheritance, there arose a desire to help others. After muchthought
and discussiona group ofFriends met in the spring of 1870at the home ofJosiah Wright,
originally built by Jonathan Wright,to carry out the plan for a schoolofhigher learning.
Thirty-four acreswere purchased east ofSpringboro fromAaronMullinand a building
was erected with double walls of brick made on the site. The interior was finished with

local hardwoods and most ofthe labor consisted of local artisans. The building was
finished in the Ml of 1870 and the Miami Valley Institute was opened in January 1871.
In 1874 the college was given state recognitionand became Miami Valley College. Aron

Wright acted as the president as well as the physician for the college. The college was
funded by the Quakers with much ofthe share coming from Aron Wright and Jason
Evans. The Heston frunily who becamefriends with the Wrightswhen they lived in
Maryland were also active in the operation ofthe college. Aronresigned Idspositions
and returned in New York in 1879. Upon the death ofJason Evans, there was no one to
help and in 1883, the college closed its doors.
When the mill commenced to be unprofitable due to the introduction ofthe pure white
roller mill flour which everyone wanted, Aron decided to close the mill and return to
New York. There he continued to practice medicine until his death in 1885. His son,
Frederic ownedthe operatedthe generalstore and lookedafterthe farms. Later Jesse and
Jane Fair Wright took care ofthe house and the store. Mary Wright outlived her husband
by twenty years. After Mary Wright died in 1904,the beautifiil home in Springboro was
sold to the William A. Null &mily in 1906. In February of 1907, he moved his family
from their country home to Aron Wright home.

Note: This history was copied from the hookAron and Mary Wrightwrittenby their
grandson, Aron Wright Chq)man and publishedfor the family in 1942. Additional
information was taken from a letter from Alfred Wright to Anna Mary Null Doyle on

June 22,1961. Copiesofboth the book and the letter are available at the Springboro
Area History Society Museum.

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Mary Wright

Wright Home early 1900s

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fi tfiifnmiKIIIHf

f.

Aron Wnght

Anna Mary Null Doyle

!!

"The Maples'' retains historic, country charm
Story by Jane Carroll
The Middletown Journal

Sunday, September 9,1979
Annotated by Becky Hall
September 9, 2005

Although this article is full of errors, it is being reproduced for the updated information
given that is correct and came from Mrs. Doyle, herself.
"I despise the change. It was so pretty before, the flowing countryside, race tracks, the
trees. It was all so peaceful before all ofthis came."
Mrs. Anna Mary Doyle sat in her living room on a flowered velvet chair amidst an
atmosphere ofthe late 1800s.

Her home newly declared "The Maples" dates back to 1857 and today nearly 125 years
later, much ofthe house has not changed. Several sources relate the significance of the
maple trees and other trees for both the Wright and Null families. "The Maples" was a
name which came from Mrs. Doyle.

It is hard not to feel a sort ofpresence when you sit in the living room or walk through
the hallways. One can imagine the banquets, soirees, or other social gatherings which
went on in the same rooms at one time. Mrs. Doyle has preserved that feeling, and a
large part ofthe history connected with the house.
The house was built in 1857 when Dr. Aron Wright moved to Springboro with his wife,
Mary Willetts Wright, whose parents built the house. This fact has not been documented
in any other source. The author has misspelled Aron Wright name throughout the article
and it has been corrected to "Aron" which is documented in the Aron andMary Wright
book.

Wright moved to Springboro when his father, Jonathan Wright, who plotted out
Springboro after surveying the land, died and his estate had to be kept up.
For the next 23 years, Wright and his family, which included three sons, Frederic, Amos,
and John, and one daughter, Mary Anna, lived in the house until 1879 when Dr. Wright
retired and moved his family to Brooklyn. Several other sources say that he returned to
Brooklyn when the mills were no longer profitable due to introduction of white flour, and
that he continued to practice medicine there.

Jesse and Jane Wright, Jonathan's Wright's cousins used the house as their residence
although Aron Wright's family returned every summer replacing winter furniture with
wicker and using the home as a summer retreat. In 1885 Aron Wright died and in 1906
Mrs. Wright died. Jesse was a great grandson of Jonathan Wright not a cousin, and Mrs.
Wright died in 1904 before the property was sold to the Nulls in 1906.

At thattime, William Nullpurchased the house. Null hadbeenplanning to buythe house
for some time and moved his family, which included his wife, Frances, daughters, Hettie,
Reba, and AnnaMary(Mrs. Doyle) and son Huber intothe house in February of 1907.
AnnaMary, the present resident of'The Maples" and her husband, I. B. Doyle, a heating
engineer, took over the house upon the death ofFrances Null in 1951.

The house itselfhas 15 rooms on two floorwhich includes eight bedrooms upstairs and
one bath. There are eight fireplaces, six of white marble, and a door bell which is wired
to ring in three places; in the tower roomto call the servants, upstairs to wakenDr. Aron
Wrightwhen he was needed, and on the back staircase to awaken Wright's hostierwho
would bring around the buggy. There are eight rooms on the second floor but not all are
or were bedrooms. The bells are at the front hall door, in a second floor room, and in the
tower room on the third level. All the bells appear to be in their original locations. The
bell at the front door still rings.

A few changes havebeen made since 1857. In 1908 the gravity flow water system was
converted with the installation ofa hotel-sized water tank in the spring room ofthe
basement. In 1918, a coal fiimace updated heating methods until the conversion to oil
and also in 1918, electric lighting was installed. In 2005, new central heat and air
conditioning has been added to the entire house, and the plumbing and electric has been
upgraded. Plans are under way to restorethe china cupboard with the sink in the dining
room and to put back any other historic features that can be found and documented as

original to the house. The water system is still very functional with its copper pipes
running throughout the house.

In 1952-53,the Doyle's had all new wallpaperput in. In 1969the changes, according to
Doyle started gettingworse. In 1969,19 trees, four large maplesand two rows oftulips
were taken out ofher front yard to make way for the widening ofOhio 73. Not long
after, the fence around the house was taken out to make more room for the road. To Mrs.

Doyle, this was "pure destruction."

"This was country, we were country people," Mrs. Doyle said as she looked out toward
travelers on Ohio 73 who can now eat at several frst-food restaurants or shop at many
small stores. "It makes me sick to see what all that has become," she added.

A lot remains in 'The Maples" which carries on the 1800s atmosphere. A seed dropped
in the water cellar and Mrs. Doyle found a small tree growing there. She took it, and
planted it and it stands among the other large maple trees today.
The vegetable bins remain, some lined with zinc for flour, the porcelain sink still
provides service, the bed which dates back to the late 1700sis still slept in, and most of
the fiimiture is the same that provided rest for the Aron Wright family. According to
Anna Mary Doyle, the Wright's furniture was sold when the Nulls moved to the house

and they brought their own furniture which dated back to the 1700s. Ironically, now all

of Anna Mary Doyle's fiirniture was sold before new owners purchased the property in
2005.

In some cases historical homes pass on from family to family. In Mrs. Doyle's case,
there are no children to receive it.

Thehouse will remain, however, dueto the fact thatthe National Register of Historic
Places, in conjunction withthe Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, have
declared "The Maples" a historic house and placed it on their register for preservation in
years to come. In 1998 the property was designated as a local landmark as well.

So as the fest food chains and convenience stores move out along Ohio 73, they will be
gracedwith the presence of'The Maples" And, at this time, no one can pull downthe
house to put up a parking lot.

It is September 9, 2005, and the property still stands as a monument to Springboro
history. The Halls and the Combs will carry on thetradition of protecting it for possibly
three more generations.

Springboro Home's 1857 Character Being Preserved
Written by Dennis Dalton
Published in The Western Star on Wednesday, June 28,1967

The degeneracyof stifling suburban living vanishes at Springboro behind the lace
curtains of history with the tug ofa classic doorbell etched With the words "Doctor A.
Wright."

OflSce hours were discontinued at Dr. Wright's stately 15 room Victorian home
nearlya centuryago but the house's original physiognomy has been carefully maintained
since the last patient rousted the doctor and his horseman from their beds.
The Wright home has continuously commanded respect and architectural
distinction from its beautifully landscaped 15-acre site since its construction in 1857.

Dr. Aron Wright's estate owes its unique preservationand infinite charm to the deeprooted affections ofMrs. Anna Mary Doyle.
Mrs. Doyle, a vivacious 70ish has maintained the antebellum authenticity of
Springboro storybook house with the lighthearted charm and historical interest ofher
gracious personality.
Her distinguishedresidence has had a &scinating background offamily
ownership. William A. Null, Mrs. Doyle's &ther, moved his family from their ancestral
home in the coimtryto the Wright house in February 1907. A few months prior he
purchased the residence from the Dr. Aron Wright heirs following Mrs. Wright's death.
Dr. Wright and his wife, Mary, had three sons and a daughter, Mary Anna. The
Nulls reversed the first femily ownership with three daughters and a son. Mrs. Doyle
(Anna Mary) completed the reversal.

The death in 1855 ofAron Wright's frther, Jonathan, Springboro founder, caused
the doctor to introduceresidentialprominenceto then rural Springboro. Dr. Wright
moved his family from Brooklyn, New York to their new home in 1857.
Management ofJonathan's mills and frrms necessitated Aron's move. The doctor
continued his medical practice in a room at the east front comer ofthe house. A
handsome brass doorknocker has remained on the door to the office, now Mrs. Doyle's
telephone room.

Aron Wright was elected president of Springboro's Miami Valley College in
1871. He resigned the position in 1879 when he returned to Brooklyn with his femily.
The Wrights afterward maintained their Springboro home as a summer residence. Dr.
Wright died in Brooklyn in 1885.

Utility renovations andadditions have been the only major changes in the 110year character of the Wright home. Mrs. Doyle father converted itsgravity flow water
system in 1908 with the installation of a "hotel" sized water tank in the spring room of
the basement. A gigantic reservoir intheattic tank room formerly supplied rainwater.
The still existentchaingravitywater release ofthe upstairs water closet has
provided an interesting linkbetween new indoor plumbing andthat of the deluxe 1857
facilities adjoining the woodshed.

Installation ofa coal furnace in 1918 updated heating methods untiloil
conversion. Eight marble-faced fireplaces assisted 1857 heating methods.

Two of thehouse's sixwhite marble fireplaces have retained thepre-Civil War
mood ofthe first floor's attractive twin parlors.
A "conglomeration" of"endearing"heirloomfurnishings have accented

atmospheric d6cor throughout spacious rooms which feature 11 foot ceilings andwalnut
woodwork.

Two of Mrs. Doyle's most intriguing household preservations have increased the

19^ century appeal ofdining room and kitchea
A floor to ceiling china storage cupboard built into the eastwall ofthedining room hasa
fascinating conq)act lavatory thatappears to be a small storage compartment at first
glance.

The lavatory's dainty white marble basic confuses the viewer at first since it has

water spigots but lack faucet handles. Water flows with a twist ofthe spigots.
Mrs. AronWright hadthe miniature washing fecility incorporated in the original
house plan sinceshe did not wishto haveher children exposed to kitchen servants when
washing their hands at mealtime.

A roomy old-fashioned kitchen adjacent to the dining roomemotes culinary
charm ofthe era ofwood range cookery.

One of the most interesting things to seethere is a wall sized storage cupboard with built
in slant top vegetable bins includingone that was zink lined for flour.

The kitchen's original white porcelain sink still possesses serviceability. As late
as 1951, hot and cold water flowed from the solid brass water feucets operated by a force
punq).

A period doorbell rings an 1857 greeting from a coilsuspension high above
doubledoors in a full-length central hallway. Duplicate bells have been left intact on the
second floor in the former bedrooms of Dr. Wright and his horseman. The bells once

signaled the horseman to hitch up the doctor's horse and buggy for emergency calls in the
country.

History is carried as the soft breezes ruffle cascading greenery ofthe giant maples
which shade scenic lawns. These handsomely landscaped grounds distinguish
themselves from others with the buggy width circular drive dotted with iron hitching
posts and stone upping blocks.

One hundred and ten years ofSpringboro history has priority here nourished by
theremarkable capabilities and youth vitality of a gracious hostess.

The Wright/Null/Doyle House Legacy
This beautiful storybook house, built in 1857 and surrounded with more than five
acres, is here for all ofus to enjoy because two special Springboro &niilies have
made it possible.

Dr. Aron Wright and Mary Wright built the house in 1857 for their family of
three sons and one daughter. Aron Wright was ason ofJonathan Wright, founder
ofSpringboro. He was also afounder and President ofMiami Valley College.

The property, which originally contained more than 15 acres, belonged to the
Wrights until 1906.

William A. Null purchased the property in 1906 and brought his &mily ofthree

daughters and one son from their country home to this new home. The Null family

carefully protected and maintained the property xmtil Anna Mary Null Doyle was
no longer able to take care ofit. Mrs. Doyle lived to be over 100 years old, and
she was honored with a special carriage ride through Springboro to celebrate her
birthday in June of 1995.

Both the Wright &mily and the Null family have provided us with a wonderful
glimpse into early Springboro history. Anna Mary Doyle's dedication to the

preservation ofthis property and this home is particularly noteworthy.
TOe tradition ofprotecting this special property was continued when local

historians and city officials worked together to give the property aNational
Register designation as well as a local landmark status. With this protection in
place, a special opportunity has been given to our femily to purchase and restore
the home which still has more than five acres surroimding it. Itis our dream to
restore this storybook house for all ofSpringboro to enjoy for a long time to come.

There is even a special connection between the Wright family and our femily
Jesse Wright (grandson of Jonathan Wright and caretaker of this house when Aron

and Mary moved back to New York) and Arthur Easton (Becky's great
grandfother) were boyhood fiiends and remained very close throughout their entire
lives in Springboro. Brewster Easton, brother of Arthur, owned the Frederic
Wright House for many years and also operated the general store for a while.

We are also compiling information for an accurate history ofthe home and the

femilies who lived here. Ifanyone has newspaper articles, letters, photographs, or
recollections to share, we would love to hear from you.
Ted, Becl^/, Ken, Robin, Taylor, Riley, andAvery

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December 17,1903. The Day Man First Flew

Thursday, December 17 dawned, and was to go down in history asad;^

.

was accomplished. It was a cold day with winds of22 to 27 miles an hr

^

. "Mt/

Puddles of water near the camp were covered with ice. The Wrights w;
would diminish. But they continued brisk, and at 10 in the morning the
flight, fully realizing the difficulties and dangers of flying a relatively un

In strong winds, hills were not needed to launch the machine, since the
the machine to take off on the short starting track fi*om level ground. Ir

gusty to launch the machine at all that day, but the brothers estimated t

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flight would be compensated in part by the slower speed in landing cau:
safety precaution, they decided to fly as close to the ground as possible
courageous, but never foolhardy.

A signal was again displayed to notifythe men at the Kill DevilHills Life Saving Station that further trials
were intended. They took the machine out of the hanger, and laid the 60-foot starting track in a
south-to-north direction on a smooth stretch of level ground less than 100 feet west of the hanger and
more than 1,000 feet north of Kill Devil Hill. They chose this location for the trials because the ground
had recently been covered with water, and because it was so level that little preparation was necessary to
lay the track. Both the starting track and the machine resting on the truck faced directly into the north
wind. The restraining wire was attached from the truck to the south end of the track.

Before the brothers were quite ready to fly the machine, John T. Daniels, Willie S. Dough, and Adam D.
Etheridge, personnelfrom the Kill DevilHills Life Saving Station, arrived to see the trials; with them
came William C. Brinkley of Manteo, and John T. Moore, a boy from Nags Head. The right to the first
trial belongedto Orville; Wilbur had used his turn in the unsuccessful attempt on December 14. Orville
put his camera on a tripod before climbing aboard the machine, and told Daniels to press the button when
the machine had risen directly in front of the camera.

After running the engine and propellers a few minutes, the take-off attempt was ready. At 10:35 a.m.,

Orville lay prone on the lower wing with hips in the cradle that operated the controlmechanisms. He
released the restraining wire and the machine started down the 60-foot track, traveling slowly into the
headwind at about 7 or 8 miles an hour-so slow that Wilbur was able to run alongside holding the right

wing to balance the machine on the track. After a run of 40 feet on the track, the machine took off. When

the airplane had risen about 2 feet above ground, Daniels snapped thefamous photograph of the conquest
of the air f257k). The plane then climbed 10 feet into the sky, while Orville struggled with the controlling
mechanisms to keep it from rising too high in such an irregular, gusty wind.
Orville sought to fly a levelflight course, though buffeted by the strong headwind. However, when
turning the rudder up or down, the plane turned too far either wayand flew an erraticup-and-down
course, first quickly rising about 10 feet, then suddenly darting close to the ground. The first successful
flight ended with a sudden dart to the ground after having flown 120 feet from the take-off point in 12
seconds time at a groundspeed of 6.8 miles an hour and an airspeed of 30 miles an hour. In the words of
Orville Wright:

This flight lasted only 12 seconds, but it was nevertheless the first in
the history of the world in which a machine carrying a man had raised
itself by its own power into the air in full flight, had sailed forward
without reduction of speed, and had finally landed at a point as high
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as that from which it started.

Orville found that the new, almost untried, controlling mechanisms operated more powerfully than the
previous controls he had used in gliders. He also learned that the front rudder was balanced too near the
center. Because ofits tendency to turn itself when started, the unfrmiliar powered machine's front rudder
turned more than was necessary.

The airplane had been slightlydamaged on landing. Quick repairs were made. With the help ofthe
onlookers, the machine was brought back to the track and prepared for a second flight. Wilburtook his
turn at 11:20 a.m, and flew about 175 feet in about 12 seconds. He also flew an up-and-down course,

similarto the first flight, while operating the unfamiliar controls. The speed over the ground during the
second flight was slightlyfester than that ofthe first flight because the winds were diminishing. The
airplane was carried back to the starting track and prepared for a third flight.

At 11:40 a.m-, Orville made the third flight, flying a steadier course than that ofthe two previous flights.
Allwas going nicely whena suddengust ofwindfromthe side lifl:ed the airplane higher by 12 to 15 feet,
turning it sidewise in an alarming manner. With the plane flying sidewise, Orville warped the wingtips to
recover lateral balance, and pointed the plane downto land as quickly as possible. The newlateral control
was more effective than he had expected. The plane not only leveled off, but the wing that had beenhigh

dropped more thanhe had intended, and it struck the ground shortly before the plane landed. The third
flight was about 200 feet in about 15 seconds.

Wilbur started on the fourth flight at nooa He flewthe first few hundredfeet on an up-and-down course
similar to the first two flights. But afterflying 300 feet fromthe take-offpoint, the airplane was brought
undercontrol. The plane flew a fairly evencoursefor an additional 500 feet, withlittle undulation to
disturb its level flight While in flight about 800 feet from the take-offpoint, the airplane commenced

pitching again, and, inoneofits darts dovmward, struck the ground. The fourth flight measured 852 feet
over the ground; the time in the air was 59 seconds.

The four successfiil flights made on December 17 were short because the Wrights, not desiring to fly a
newmachine at much height in strongwinds, sometimes foimd it impossible to correctthe up-and-down
motion ofthe airplane before it struck the ground. Wilbur remarked:
Those who understand the real significance ofthe conditions under
which we worked will be surprised rather at the length than the shortness

ofthe flights made with an unfamiliar machine after lessthan one minute's
practice. The machine possesses greatercapacity of being controlled
than any ofour former machines.

They carried the airplane back to camp and set it up a few feet west of thehangar. While the Wrights and
onlookers were discussing the flights, a sudden gust ofwind struckthe plane and turned it over a number
oftimes, damaging it badly. The airplane couldnot be repaired in time for anymore flights that year;
indeed, it wasnever flown again. Daniels gained the dubious honorof becoming the first airplane casualty
when he was slightly scratched andbruised while caught inside the machine between the wings in an
attempt to stop the plane as it rolled over. Subsequent events were vivid inDaniels' mind while
reminiscing ofhis "first—and God help me—my last flight." He relates:
I found myselfcaught in them wires and the machine blowing across
the beach heading for the ocean, landing first on one end and then
on the other, rolling over and over, and me getting more tangled up
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in itall the time. I tell you, I was plumb scared. \\^en the thing
did stop for half a second I nearly broke up every wire and upright
getting out of it.

Orville made this matter-of-fect entry in his diary: "After dinner we went to Kitty Hawk to send off
telegram to M. W. While there we called on Capt. and Mrs. Hobbs, Dr. Cogswell and the station men."
Toward evening that day Bishop Milton Wright in Dayton received the telegram from his sons:
Success four flights Thursday morning all against twenty-one mile wind
started from level with engine power alone average speed through air
thirty-one miles longest 57 seconds inform press home Christmas.
Orevelle Wright.

In the transmission ofthe telegram, 57 seconds was incorrectly given for the 59-second record flight, and
Orville's name was misspelled. The Norfolk telegraph operator leaked the news to a local paper, the
Virginian-Pilot. The resulting story produced a series offelse reports as to the length and duration ofthe
December 17 flights. Practically none ofthe information contained in the telegram was used, except that
the Wrights had flown.
The Bishop gave out a biographical note:
Wilbur is 36, Orville 32, and they are as inseparable as twins. For
several years they have read up on aeronautics as a physician would
read his books, and they have studied, discussed, and experimented
together. Natural workmen, they have invented, constructed, and
operated their gliders, and finally their 'Wright Flyer,'jointly, all at
their own personal expense. About equal credit is due each.

The world took little note ofthe Wrights' tremendous achievement and years passed before its full
significance was realized. After reading the Wrights' telegram, the Associated Press representative in
Dayton remarked, "Fifty-seven seconds, hey? If it had been fifty-seven minutes then it might have been a
news item." Three years after the first flight an editorial appeared in the December 15,1906, issue ofthe
Scientific American, which included the following:
In all the history of invention, there is probably no parallel to the
unostentatious manner in which the Wright brothers ofDayton, Ohio
ushered into the world their epoch-making invention ofthe first successful
aeroplane flying-machine.
After the First Flight

After 1903, the Wrights carved brilliantcareers in aeronautics and helped found the aviation industry. The
successfulflights made at Kill Devil Hills in December 1903 encouraged them to make improvementson
a new plane called Flyer No. 2. About 100 flights were flown near Dayton in 1904. These totaled only 45
minutes in the air, although they made two 5-minute flights. Experimenting chiefly with control and
maneuver, many complete circuits ofthe small flying field were made.

A new and improved plane. Flyer No. 3, was built in 1905. On October 5 they made a record flight of
241/s miles, while the plane was in the air 38 minutes and 3 seconds. The era ofthe airplane was well on
the wav. The lessons and successes at Kill Devil Hills in December 1903 were fast making the crowded

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skies ofthe Air Age possible.
Believing their invention was now perfected for practical use, the Wrights wanted the United States
Government to have a world monopoly on their patents, and more important, on all the aerodynamic,
design, and pilotage secrets they knew relating to the airplane. As early as 1905 they had received
overtures from representatives of foreign governments. The United States Army turned down their first
offers without maldng an effort to investigate whether the airplane had been brought to a stage of
practical operation. But disbelief was on the wane. In February 1908 the United States War Department
made a contract with the brothers for an airplane. Only 3 weeks later the Wrights closed a contract with a
Frenchman to form a syndicate for the rights to manufacture, sell, or license the use ofthe Wright
airplane in France.

During their Dayton experiments, the Wrights had continued to pilot their airplanes while lying prone
with hips in the cradle on the lower wing. Now they adopted a different arrangement ofthe control levers
to be used in a sitting position and added a seat for a passenger. The brothers brought their airplane to
Kill Devil Hills in April 1908 to practice handling the new arrangement ofthe control levers. They wanted

to be prepared for the public tri^ to be made for the United States Government, near Washington, and
for the company in France.

They erected a new buildiug at Kill Devil Hills to house the airplane and to live in, because storms the
year before had nearly demolished their 1903 camp buildings. Between May 6 and May 14,1908, the
Wrights made 22 flights at their old testing grounds. On May 14 the first flight with two men aboard a
plane was made near West Hill; Wilbur Wright being the pilot, and Charles Fumas, a mechanic, the
passenger. Orville and Fumas then made a flight together of over 2 miles, passing between Kill Devil Hill
and West Hill, and turning north near the sound to circle Little Hill before returning over the starting
point close to their camp to land near West Hill on the second lap.

Byron R. Newton, a newspaper reporter, was concealed in the woods with other newsmen near camp to
watch the Wrights fly. Newton predicted in his diaryjust after seeing his first flight: "Some day Congress
will erect a monument here to these Wrights." Nineteen years later the Congress established the area as a
National Memorial.

Wilburjoumeyed to France after completingthe tests at Kill Devil Hills, while Orvilleretumed home to
complete the constmction ofan airplane for the United States Government. As Wilbur set about
methodically to assemble his airplane at Le Mans, some 125 miles from Paris, skeptics greeted the delay
by accusing himofbluflBng. But Wilbur refusedto hurry. "Le bluff continue," cried a Paris newspaper.
However, when Wilbur took off on August 8, circling the field to come in for a perfect landing, the
crowd could scarcelybelieve its eyes. Skepticswere confounded, and enthusiasm was uproarious.

Wilbur's complete lack ofconceit, together with his decencyand intelligence, won from the French
people a hero-worship attitude, while the press was unsparing in its praise and lamented having called him
a bluffer. The Figaro commented, "It was not merelya success but a triumph; a conclusive trial and a
decisive victory for aviation, the news of which will revolutionize scientific circles throughout the world."
It was a statement to the press by a witness, Maj. B. F. S. Baden-Powell, president ofthe Aeronautical
SocietyofGreat Britain, that is most often quoted: "That Wilbur Wright is in possession of a power
which controls the fate ofnations is beyond dispute." One of Wilbur's sayings in France became femous:
"I know ofonly one bird, the parrot, that talks," he said, "and it can't fly very high."
Orville's first public flight was on September 3, 1908 at Fort Myer. He circledthe field one and one-half

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times on the first test. "When the plane first rose," Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., recorded "the crowd's gasp
ofastonishment was not alone at the wonder of it, but because it was so unexpected." Orville's final flight
at Fort Myer in 1908 ended in tragedy. The airplane crashed, killing Lt. Thomas Selfiridge, a passenger
flying with OrviUe. Orvillesuffered broken ribs, a fractured leg, and hip injuries.

In 1909, Orvillecompleted the Government test flights by flying 10 miles in 14 minutes, or just under 43
miles an hour. The United States Army formally accepted its first airplane fi*om the Wrights on August 2,
1909. During the same year both brothers made further flying triumphs in Europe where they became
famous flying in France and Italy. While Orville was making sensational flights in Germany (as required
for the formation ofa Wright company in that coxmtry), Wilbur, in America, made spectacular flights at
New York City where more than a million New Yorkers got their first glimpse of an airplane in the air.
Commercial companies were formed in France and Germany to manufacture Wright planes before the
Wright Company was organized in the United States with Wilbur as president and Orvillevice president.

Infinancial ^airs the Wrights were remarkably shrewd— a match for American and European
businessmen. They grew wealthy as well as famous, but they were not happy as businessmen and looked
forward to the time when they could retire to devote themselves again to scientific research.
Orville returned to Kill Devil Hills in October 1911 to experiment with an automatic control device and
to make soaring flights with a glider. The new device was not tested because ofthe presence of
newspapermen at the camp each day. Orville set a new world's soaringrecord of 9 minutesand 45
seconds on October 24. TTiis remained the world's record until it was exceeded 10 years later in Germany.
On May 30, 1912, Wilbur Wright, aged 45, died oftyphoid fever. Orvillesurvived him by 36 years.
The Original Airplane Exhibited

Orvillealways thought that the National Museum in Washington, administeredby the Smithsonian
Institution, was the logicalplace for the original Wright 1903 airplane to be preserved and exhibited.
However, for a long time he was unwilling to entrust the airplane there because ofa controversy between
him and the Smithsonian in regard to the history ofthe inventionofthe airplane. In 1928, Orvillelent the
planeto the Science Museumat South Kensington, near London, England, with the understanding that it
would stay there permanentlyunless he made a written request for its return. Finally, in 1942, the dispute
with the Smithsonian was settled to Orville's satisfaction, and the next year he wrote a request to the
Science Museum for the return ofthe airplane to this country when it could be safely shipped after World
War II ended.

After Orville Wright's death, on January 30,1948, his executors deposited the original 1903 airplane in
the National Air Museum. It was formally placed on exhibitionon December 17, 1948, in Washington,

D.C., the 45th anniversary ofthe first flints. The priceless original airplane now occupies the highest
place ofhonor among other interesting aeronautical exhibits.
The National Memorial

On March 2, 1927, the Congress authorized the establishment ofKillDevil HillsMonumentNational
Memorial to commemorate the Wrights' achievement ofthe first successfiilflight ofa man-carrying,
power-driven, heavier-than-air machine. The area was transferred fi"om the War Department to the
National Park Service, U.S. Department ofthe Interior, on August 10, 1933, and on December 1, 1953,
the name was changed to Wright Brothers National Memorial. The memorial contains about 425 acres. It
embraces the actual site ofthe first four flights and the sites of most ofthe glider experiments.

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Guide to the Area

VISITOR CENTER. The visitor center represents the focal point in the interpretation of the area. In
addition to an extensive series of modem museum exhibits telling the story of the memorial, the center
also houses an information desk, where literature is available, and the administrative ofBces ofthe

memorial. From the exhibitionrooms, there is a sweeping panoramic view of the reconstmcted Wright
brothers' 1903 camp, the first flight grounds where markers designate the take-off and landing points of
the first flights, and the Wright memorial shaft atop Kill Devil Hill.
RECONSTRUCTED WRIGHT BROTHERS' 1903 CAMP. About 100 yards southwest of the visitor
center stand two wooden structures built by the National Park Service in 1953 on the 50th anniversary of
the first flight. They are reconstmctions of the Wright brothers' 1903 living quarters and hangar based on
historical research and photographs of the originals. The furnishings within the living quarters are of the
1902-3 period, and are almost exact duplications of those used by the Wrights.
FIRST FLIGHT GROUNDS. Less than 100 feet west of the camp is a 10-ton granite memorial boulder
placed by the National Aeronautic Association in 1928 on the 25th anniversary of the first flight. The
boulder marks the take-off point of the first flight and of the three additional flights made December 17,
1903. A reconstruction of the original single-rail starting track is placed at the north and south sides of
the boulder. Four numbered markers north of the boulder designate landing points of the powered flights
made on December 17, 1903.

KILL DEVIL HILL. About a quarter of a mile south of the visitor center lies Kill Devil Hill, used by the
Wrights for gliding experiments during the period 1900-1903. The north slope of this hill was also used
for the unsuccessful attempt at flight on December 14, 1903. Before the Wright memorial shaft was
erected, conservation work was begun in 1929 on the massive 26-acre dune of shifting yellow sand to
anchor the 91-foot-high dune by seeding it with special grasses adapted to sandy soil.

WRIGHT MEMORIAL SHAFT. Atop Kill Devil Hill stands the striking Wright memorial shaft, a
triangular pylon60 feet high, made of gray granite from Mount Airy, N.C. Construction was begun
February4, 1931, and the shaft was dedicated November 19, 1932. Its sides ornamented with outspread
wings in bas-relief, the pylon gives to the eye the impression of a gigantic bird about to take off into
space. Stairslead to the top of the shaft and an observation platform which offers a good view of the
surrounding country—magnificent dunes, the Atlantic Ocean, Albemarle Sound, and even West Hill, a
quarter ofa mile west of the shaft, in the directionof the sound. West Hill, the sand dune which was the
scene of many of the Wrights' gliding experiments in 1901-3, was stabilized by the National Park Service
in 1934 to preserve the historic site.

U.S. Department of the Interior. National Parks Service. Wright Brothers
National Memorial by Omega G. East. Washington: Government
Printing Office, 1961. (National Parks Service Historical Handbook
Series No. 34). (129.58:34)

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NC Historic Sites Home Page. NC Encyclopedia Home Page. State Library ofNC Home Page

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miam families

NOEE: For more information on Wright see "A Genealogical Index of Pioneers In fhe

Miami Valley, Ohio" hy Lindsay Mo Brien; Pages: 188, 191,

WaCE: For more information on Wright see: 1882 Beer's History of Warren County Ohio,
Pages:

792, 937, 10^5«10^^o

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jDr. A. T. Wright
Is Called By Death
Widely Known Waynesville Physi.)
: «ian Dies Wednesday at
'
Residence
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? Dr. A. T. Wright, 81, vetefah'
physician who had practiced' in;
fWaynesville for the last 80 years
died Wednesday at 6 p. m. at his

home on Main street, following an'
illness which had extended over the
past two years.

The son of Josiah and Emily

Thomas Wright, Dr. Wright was a
native of Springboiro, Ohio and

came here in 1905. Favorably

jknown in this and surrounding
communities, Dr. Wright was an
.affable and keen-minded gentleman

jas well an an able physician.
) He is survived by two sons,

Alfred, professor in the Ohio State
University at Columbus and Elliott

.of Detroit. His wife, Emma, pre
ceded him in death Byears ago. He
also leaves four sisters, Mrs.
Dudley Keever of Centerville, Dr.
Emily Wright, Misses Lydia and
Mary Wright of Springboro.
f The funeral will be held at the
residence at 2 p. m. Saturday.
Burial will be made in the cemet
ery at Springboro.