John Wright (2)

John Wright (2) was born on December 20, 1816, in Northampton, England, the son of William.

John was married to English-born Mary (b. 1824), on September 4, 1839, probably in New York, and they had at least eight children: Mary E. (b. 1840), William H. (b. 1841), Philo W. (b. 1844), Loduna (b. 1846), Silas W. (b. 1850), Henrietta (b. 1853), Osmer (b. 1855) Martha (b. 1859) and Scott (b. 1864).

John and his wife had settled in New York by 1839. They were still living in New York in 1841 but by 1844 had settled in Michigan. By 1850 John and his family were living on a farm in Aurelius, Ingham County and they were still living in Aurelius in 1860.

John stood 5’6’ with blue eyes, gray hair and a light complexion and was 45 years old and probably still living in Ingham County when he enlisted in Company E on May 13, 1861 (and was possibly related to Matthew Wright and/or William Wright). He was left sick at Yorktown, Virginia on May 4, 1862, and he remained absent sick in the hospital in July and August. He was a Corporal and allegedly deserted on September 21, 1862, when in fact, he was discharged for hemorrhoids on September 2, 1862, at Detroit.

After he left the army John probably returned to Michigan, listing Grand Rapids as his mailing address on his discharge paper. In fact he probably returned to his home in Aurelius where he was living in 1863. By 1870 John was working as a farmer (he owned $2600 worth of real estate) and living with his wife and several children in Aurelius. John was still farming and living with his wife in Aurelius in 1880; also living with them was his son Scott and a grandson, Frank Bullen (b. 1869).

In 1863 John applied for and received a pension (no. 162500).

John was probably living in Aurelius when he died of consumption on April 8, 1882, in Aurelius, and was presumably buried there.

His widow applied for and recieved a pension (no. 201613).