THOMAS WRIGHT, who in his lifetime was one of the best-known and most highly respected prosperous agriculturists of Buffalo township, was a native of the same, born February 27, 1810. His paternal grandfather, William Wright, a native of Ireland, followed the trade of weaver in County Monaghan, in that country. He was there twice married, and had the following named children: William, Thomas, Robert, John and Samuel. In 1785 he came to America, and after a short sojourn in Chester county, Penn., settled in Buffalo township, this county, where he continued to follow his trade. Here he and his wife died. He was a member of the Associate Church, and in politics was a Whig. Samuel Wright, father of subject, was born in Ireland in 1782, and when a young lad came with the rest of the family to America. In Buffalo township, this county, he commenced farming on a place which was then entirely wild, but which he and his family, by dint of hard labor. in course of time reduced to a condition of fertility. In about the year 1804 he was married to Rachel, daughter of Thomas Hill, of Donegal township, but a native of Ireland, and their children were Mary (Mrs. Thomas Carson), William, Thomas, Robert, Samuel and John, all now deceased except Robert. After the death of the mother of these children which occurred February 8, 1817, Mr. Wright married Mary Howe, who bore him three children: James, Ann (Mrs. Samuel Graham) and Rachel, all deceased. The father died January 24, 1849, in his sixty-eighth year, the mother December 5, 1841. Thomas Wright, whose name opens this biographical memoir, was educated at the subscription schools of the neighborhood of his birthplace and early in life commenced farming. On December 13, 1844, he married Miss Sarah, daughter of John Carson, a native of eastern Pennsylvania, where his father James was also born. The latter was there married to Mary Hill, a native of Ireland, who bore him children as follows: John, Isaac, James, Adam, Mattie (wife of Hugh Mehollin), Betsy (wife of David Carson), Ann (wife of Archibald Stewart), and Jane (wife of William Brownlee). Mr. Carson was a farmer, and came to Buffalo township, this county, in an early day, when Indians and wild animals were yet numerous. The family were all members of the Seceder Church. John Carson, son of the above, and father of Mrs. Sarah Wright, in early manhood married Sarah Hill who bore him the following named children: May, Rebecca, Rachel, Martha, Adam, Jane (wife of James Howe) and Sarah (wife of Thomas Wright). The father died in 1840, the mother in 1855. They were members of the Seceder Church at South Buffalo, of which he was an elder and liberal supporter, and in politics he was a lifelong Whig. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Wright continued to reside on the home farm, where were born to them three children: Rachel (who died at the age of twenty-four years), and two that died in infancy. Mr. Wright was called from earth May 31, 1881, and his widow is now calmly awaiting the final summons. He was a member and liberal supporter (as is his widow) of South Buffalo United Presbyterian Church; politically he was first a Whig, and after, on the formation of the party, a stanch Republican to the day of his death. Mr. Wright was a thoroughly representative, self-made man, and has left to posterity the heritage of a good name.

Text taken from page 736 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed January 1997 by Neil and Marilyn Morton of Oswego, IL as part of the Beers Project. Published January 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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