Rhode Island Revolutionary War Officers

Rhode Island in the Revolutionary War

Sons of the American Revolution

Biographies

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS.

The Wright brothers, sons of Benjamin and Lucy (Wells) Wright of Foster, R. I., and great-grandsons of Lieutenant James Wells of Foster, R. I.

The five brothers here mentioned, members of the Sons of the American Revolution, and two others, Allen and Wheaton, and a sister, Lydia, were the children of Benjamin and Lucy (Wells) Wright of Foster, R. I. They are lineal descendants of Henry Wright, who settled in Dorchester, Mass., in 1634, and who removed to Providence, R. I., about 1643, where he resided until his death during King Philip's War in 1676. They are also descendants of Peter Wells, who was born in England in 1630, emigrated to America, and was residing at Jamestown, R. I., before 1667, from which place he removed to Kingstown, R. I., where he died in 1715. Lieutenant James Wells, the great-grandfather of the Wright brothers, served continuously in the Sixth Company of Scituate, R. I., Militia from the beginning to the close of the American Revolution.

The oldest brother, Hon. James Manchester Wright of Foster, R. I., was born in that town, January 28, 1834. He married, in 1850, Clarinda E. Hill, daughter of Hon. Jonathan Hill. She died in 1892. He married, in 1895, Mrs. Tamer E. Howard, daughter of Henry A. Wells. Mr. Wright is one of the most prominent Republican leaders in Rhode Island. He has been Chairman of the Republican Town Committee of Foster since 1860; member of the State Central Committee since 1875; Shell Fish Commissioner since 1879; member of House of Representatives four years, and of Senate nine years, between 1862 and 1902; was alternate to the National Republican Convention in 1880, and was messenger to carry the Electoral vote to Washington in 1880.

Rev. Elisha Harris Wright was born in Foster, R. I., October 22, 1835, and received an academic education at Lapham Institute, Scituate, R. I. He studied for the ministry and was ordained in 1860. He has been pastor of several churches of the Christian denomination. He began as pastor at Liberty Hill, Conn., then went to Bristol, R. I.; then to North Windham, Conn. In 1870 he moved to Hill, N. H. He resigned there in 1872. After the death of his wife, Amy J. (Weaver) Wright, in 1872, he became pastor of the Christian Church at Manchester, N. H., where he remained until 1876. Then he settled in the town of Sanbornton. N. H., where he still resides, and again became pastor of the Christian church in the adjoining town of Hill, serving continuously for twenty-three years. He married, in 1873, Ambrosia Rosilla Morrill, daughter of Folsom and Rosilla (Morrison) Morrill.

Albert Henry Wright was born in Scituate, R. I., November 13, 1840. He married, in 1863, Mary C. Mathewson, daughter of Nathan and Laura A. Mathewson of Foster. In 1889 his wife died. He married, in 1891, Mrs. Mary J. Barnett, daughter of Hiram and Frances (Taylor) Wood. He devoted his early years to farming and the lumber business. In 1871 he removed to Johnston, R. I., and since 1898, as a result of annexation, has been a resident of Providence. For several years past he has been a successful manager of estates and trust property.

Rev. Otis Olney Wright was born in Scituate, R. I., May 6. 1844. Attended normal school and high school; taught in the public schools of Foster and Scituate, R. I., and graduated from the Christian Biblical Institute, Stanfordville, N. Y., in 1873; was ordained to the ministry of the "Christian Connection." at Amesbury, Mass., 1874; was pastor of the First Christian Church at Salisbury Point, 1873-75; in charge of the church of that denomination. North Fall River, 1875-76; pastor of First Christian Church at West Mansfield, Mass., 1876-79. In 1879 became candidate for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Rhode Island; and as a lay reader was in charge of the Church of the Epiphany of Providence, R. I.; was ordained. Deacon and Priest by Bishop Clark in Grace Church, Providence; was Rector of Christ Church, Swansea, Mass., 1881-1888; of St. Mark's Church, Riverside, R. I., 1888-1891; Rector of St. John's Church, Sandy Hook, Conn., 1891 to present time. He married, in 1874, Miss Annie Kingsbury, adopted daughter of Captain Henry and Nancy P. Kingsbury of Salisbury Point, now Amesbury, Mass.

Asahel Johnson Wright was born in Foster, R. I., September 29, 1854. He spent his early years on the farm and obtained an education such as the public schools of the town afforded. Later he attended Proctor Academy, Andover, N. H., and then followed teaching for several years. In 1882 he was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the town of Killingly and served as a member of the Committee on Education. In 1883 he was appointed clerk of the Connecticut State Board of Education, in which position he has served for more than twenty years. In 1885 he married Emma P. Cooke, daughter of James G. Cooke of Foster, R. I. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Pilgrim Society of Plymouth, Mass., and the Connecticut Society of Sons of the American Revolution.

(A National Register of the Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Vol. 2, 1902)

Submitted by Cathy Danielson

Sons of the American Revolution Biographies THE WRIGHT BROTHERS. The Wright brothers, sons of Benjamin and Lucy (Wells) Wright of Foster, R. I., and great-grandsons of Lieutenant James Wells of Foster, R. I. The five brothers here mentioned, members of the Sons of the American Revolution, and two others, Allen and Wheaton, and a sister, Lydia, were the children of Benjamin and Lucy (Wells) Wright of Foster, R. I. They are lineal descendants of Henry Wright, who settled in Dorchester, Mass., in 1634, and who removed to Providence, R. I., about 1643, where he resided until his death during King Philip's War in 1676. They are also descendants of Peter Wells, who was born in England in 1630, emigrated to America, and was residing at Jamestown, R. I., before 1667, from which place he removed to Kingstown, R. I., where he died in 1715. Lieutenant James Wells, the great-grandfather of the Wright brothers, served continuously in the Sixth Company of Scituate, R. I., Militia from the beginning to the close of the American Revolution. The oldest brother, Hon. James Manchester Wright of Foster, R. I., was born in that town, January 28, 1834. He married, in 1850, Clarinda E. Hill, daughter of Hon. Jonathan Hill. She died in 1892. He married, in 1895, Mrs. Tamer E. Howard, daughter of Henry A. Wells. Mr. Wright is one of the most prominent Republican leaders in Rhode Island. He has been Chairman of the Republican Town Committee of Foster since 1860; member of the State Central Committee since 1875; Shell Fish Commissioner since 1879; member of House of Representatives four years, and of Senate nine years, between 1862 and 1902; was alternate to the National Republican Convention in 1880, and was messenger to carry the Electoral vote to Washington in 1880. Rev. Elisha Harris Wright was born in Foster, R. I., October 22, 1835, and received an academic education at Lapham Institute, Scituate, R. I. He studied for the ministry and was ordained in 1860. He has been pastor of several churches of the Christian denomination. He began as pastor at Liberty Hill, Conn., then went to Bristol, R. I.; then to North Windham, Conn. In 1870 he moved to Hill, N. H. He resigned there in 1872. After the death of his wife, Amy J. (Weaver) Wright, in 1872, he became pastor of the Christian Church at Manchester, N. H., where he remained until 1876. Then he settled in the town of Sanbornton. N. H., where he still resides, and again became pastor of the Christian church in the adjoining town of Hill, serving continuously for twenty-three years. He married, in 1873, Ambrosia Rosilla Morrill, daughter of Folsom and Rosilla (Morrison) Morrill. Albert Henry Wright was born in Scituate, R. I., November 13, 1840. He married, in 1863, Mary C. Mathewson, daughter of Nathan and Laura A. Mathewson of Foster. In 1889 his wife died. He married, in 1891, Mrs. Mary J. Barnett, daughter of Hiram and Frances (Taylor) Wood. He devoted his early years to farming and the lumber business. In 1871 he removed to Johnston, R. I., and since 1898, as a result of annexation, has been a resident of Providence. For several years past he has been a successful manager of estates and trust property. Rev. Otis Olney Wright was born in Scituate, R. I., May 6. 1844. Attended normal school and high school; taught in the public schools of Foster and Scituate, R. I., and graduated from the Christian Biblical Institute, Stanfordville, N. Y., in 1873; was ordained to the ministry of the "Christian Connection." at Amesbury, Mass., 1874; was pastor of the First Christian Church at Salisbury Point, 1873-75; in charge of the church of that denomination. North Fall River, 1875-76; pastor of First Christian Church at West Mansfield, Mass., 1876-79. In 1879 became candidate for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Rhode Island; and as a lay reader was in charge of the Church of the Epiphany of Providence, R. I.; was ordained. Deacon and Priest by Bishop Clark in Grace Church, Providence; was Rector of Christ Church, Swansea, Mass., 1881-1888; of St. Mark's Church, Riverside, R. I., 1888-1891; Rector of St. John's Church, Sandy Hook, Conn., 1891 to present time. He married, in 1874, Miss Annie Kingsbury, adopted daughter of Captain Henry and Nancy P. Kingsbury of Salisbury Point, now Amesbury, Mass. Asahel Johnson Wright was born in Foster, R. I., September 29, 1854. He spent his early years on the farm and obtained an education such as the public schools of the town afforded. Later he attended Proctor Academy, Andover, N. H., and then followed teaching for several years. In 1882 he was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the town of Killingly and served as a member of the Committee on Education. In 1883 he was appointed clerk of the Connecticut State Board of Education, in which position he has served for more than twenty years. In 1885 he married Emma P. Cooke, daughter of James G. Cooke of Foster, R. I. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Pilgrim Society of Plymouth, Mass., and the Connecticut Society of Sons of the American Revolution.
(A National Register of the Society, Sons of the American Revolution, Vol. 2, 1902) Submitted by Cathy Danielson