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Hon.
George W. Wright
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biography
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HON. GEORGE W.
WRIGHT, superintendent of the Soldiers’ Orphan School, was
born in Worth Township, Mercer County, July 19, 1841. His parents,
Thomas and Sarah (Fowler) Wright, were natives of England, and
immigrated to America while single. The father died, a farmer, in Worth
Township, in 1851, and his widow died in 1883. They were the parents of
the following children: Mary, married William Trivett; Alexander, a
resident of Venango County; G. W., Richard H., John S., a merchant at
Hendersonville, and Thomas J., resides on the old homestead. The parents
were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. George W. Wright was
educated in the common schools, Mercer Academy and Thickson Academy, of
Meadville, Penn. He began teaching at the age of sixteen years, by which
he obtained the means to defray his expenses in the academies. He taught
in Tennessee and Kentucky in 1859 and 1860, thus being in the South when
John Brown made his famous raid at Harper’s Ferry. Re-enlisted in
Company I, Tenth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and remained in service for
two years. On his return from the war he engaged in the oil business at
Petroleum Center, Venango County. He then helped to establish the Sandy
Lake Car Manufacturing Company. While there he was appointed clerk to
the county commissioners, and held that position until 1873, when he was
elected county recorder. While in that office he was appointed
superintendent of the Mercer Soldiers’ Orphan School. He was elected
to the State Senate in 1876, and served one term. In 1877 he was
appointed superintendent of the Mount Joy, Penn., Soldiers’ Orphan
School, and in 1883 was chosen superintendent of the Soldiers’ Orphan
School at both McAllisterville and Chester Springs. He was married in
1864 to Rozetta M. Carroll, and are rearing Mamie McKnight, a niece of
Mrs. Wright. They are Methodists, and he is a Republican.
History of Mercer County, 1888, page 701
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