Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
MARION D. WRIGHT. The record of the successful self-made man is always interesting and instructive. It encourages those who have been held back by an unfavorable early environment. There are a great many people abroad in the land who would make a great deal more of their opportunities and make themselves useful citizens if they had the proper encouragement at the right time. The life record of Marion D. Wright is one that should be read with interest and profit by many who have become discouraged on life's rugged highway, for we find that Mr. Wright has forged his way to the front in the face of adversity and with no outside assistance. He was for some time one of the successful merchants of Walnut Grove and is now classed among the most progressive general farmers and stock men of the northwestern part of Greene county.
Mr. Wright was born in Polk county, Missouri, November 28, 1861. He is a son of John and Mary (Wood) Wright, both natives of that county also, the father's birth occurring in 1835, and the mother's in 1842. They grew to maturity in their native community, were educated in the old-time subscription schools and were married there and established their home on a farm. John Wright spent most of his life in Polk county, but lived in the West several years. He owned a good-sized farm in Polk county where he carried on general farming until the breaking out of the Civil war when he enlisted in the Union army and died while in the service, at Arlington Hospital, Pilot Knob, Missouri, in October, 1862. Politically, he was a strong Republican and pronounced in his views on public affairs. He was a member of the Turkey Creek Baptist church, and was a highly respected citizen and well known among the early settlers. He had but the one child, Marion D. Wright, of this sketch. The mother of our subject was a daughter of Isaac and Susanna (Vaughn) Wood, both natives of cast Tennessee, from which country they emigrated to Polk county, Missouri, in an early day and established the family home on a farm. Mrs. Mary Wright remarried and is now living in Walnut Grove.
John Wright enlisted in Company L, Sixth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, for three years, but died from exposure soon afterwards.
Marion D. Wright spent his boyhood days on the home farm in Polk county, and he worked hard when growing to manhood during crop seasons, attending the district schools during the winter months. When eighteen years of age he entered the Southwest Baptist College at Bolivar, Missouri, and took a four-years' course, making an excellent record. After leaving college he returned home and resumed work on the farm, but soon thereafter he went to Walnut Grove and began in the general merchandise business and flour milling, which lines of endeavor he conducted with ever increasing success and satisfaction until 1902, in which year he sold out and bought the farm of one hundred and eighty-three acres where he now resides. He has made many improvements, such as erecting a silo and out-buildings, fences, etc., until he now has one of the valuable, productive and desirable farms, of the county, which is well located near the thriving town of Walnut Grove. In connection with general farming he raises a good grade of live stock of which he is an excellent judge, and he is regarded as one of the most progressive general farmers in this section of Greene county as well as one of the most substantial and successful citizens, a man who has done much for the general good of the community.
Mr. Wright was married on December 23, 1886, to Maggie McLemore, a daughter of Andrew Jackson McLemore, and Dialtha (Alexander) McLemore, long one of the prominent families of this section of the Ozarks. Mrs. Wright was born in Christian county, Missouri, and she received her education in the common schools.
Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wright, namely: Dean lives in Walnut Grove; Reu, Thomas, Dialtha, Marian and Laura Mae, all at home with their parents, but the eldest.
Politically, Mr. Wright is a Republican, and while he has never been an office holder he has been influential in public affairs of his locality, and his support may always be depended upon in furthering any movements in the community calculated to be of general good, in material, civic or moral matters. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic order at Walnut Grove. He and. his wife are members of the Baptist church at Walnut Grove, he having been clerk of the local congregation since its organization in 1903, and is a pillar in his church. He is a broad-minded, well-informed gentleman of positive ideas and correct principles and is highly esteemed by all who know him.
[1603-1605]
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y
Table of Contents | Keyword Search | Greene County History Home | Local History Home