[p. 921] who is engaged in the hardware line at New Wilmington, in partnership with his son, John Wright, Jr., is one of the conservative business men of the place and is also an honored veteran of the Civil War. Mr. Wright was born in England December 30, 1842, and is a son of George and Anna (Smith) Wright.
John Wright remained in his native land until he was twelve years of age, when he came to America and joined his older brother, E. S. Wright, of Pittsburg, Pa., who was then filling the office of warden of the Western Penitentiary. With this brother he made his home until 1863, when he enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company F, Seventeenth Regiment, United States Infantry. After serving one year he was discharged on account of sickness. As soon as he recovered, Mr. Wright re-enlisted, entering Battery H, Pennsylvania Light Artillery, in which he served faithfully until the close of the war, his whole service covering a period of two years and four months. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
When his military life ended he came to Pittsburg, but shortly afterward went into business at Sharon, Pa., with Frank Davis, in a general mercantile business. The firm name was Davis & Wright, and business was continued for about five years before any change was made, Mr. Wright subsequently continuing in the same line for twenty-three years more. From Sharon, in February, 1894, Mr. Wright came to New Wilmington and bought the property lying across the street from his present store and continued in business there until 1907, when he went into partnership with his son, who had started the hardware business in 1903. Mr. Wright sold his former property for $10,000, and his stock for $3,000, his investment having been judiciously made.
Mr. Wright was married (first) at Sharon, to Alfretta Watson, who died in that place. He was married, secondly, to Eliza Maikle, of Trumbull County, Ohio. There were six children born to his first union and seven to his second, as follows: Samuel Watson, deceased; Fannie, widow of John Mealy; George, deceased; Alfretta, wife of William Porter, of Pullman, Wash.; John, his father's partner; Frank, principal of the Uniontown High School; Florence, a teacher at Zelienople, Pa.; Alfred E., a student at Westminster College; Leland and Mary, at home; Thomas, a student at the State College, Pullman, Wash.; Jennie and Edward. Mr. Wright takes a moderate interest in politics and is serving as a member of the New Wilmington school board. He belongs to the organization known as the Protected Home Circle.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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