Adams County Wisconsin Genealogy

Transcribed by Robert Schieber
Source: Memorial and Biographical Record and Illustrated Compendium of Biography of Citizens of Columbia, Sauk and Adams Counties, Wisconsin, published 1901 by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1901, Pages 706 - 707

Strength of character and activity of mind, two of the characteristics which have predominated in the life of our subject, have given to Adams county her more influential citizens, and prominent among them stands this gentleman. He has been a conspicuous figure in the history of that region, and needs little introduction to those among whom he has passed nearly forty-five years. He was a pioneer of Adams county, and his home is now located in New Chester township, where he has gathered around him a pleasant home and fine estate.

Mr. Wright was born in Mount Holly, Vermont, October 8, 1829, and was the son of Elijah and Lucy (Wright) Spaulding. His father was accidentally killed when our subject was but a young boy, and an uncle, Joel Wright, adopted him, and he took the uncle's surname as his own. Joel Wright was a farmer by occupation, and died January 14, 1867, at Chelmsford, Massachusetts. After her husband's death our subject's mother married Calvin Sargent, and later married Mr. Taylor. By the second marriage she was the mother of nine children. She was the daughter of Zacheus Wright, a prosperous farmer of Chelsford, Massachusetts, probably of English descent. Her death occurred in Vermont, October 1, 1874, aged sixty-seven years, four months and twenty-seven days. Our subject's grandfather, Zebulon Spaulding, was a man of great physical proportions and strength, and was a farmer by occupation. He removed from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, to Ludlow, Vermont, where he resided until his death. Our subject's parents had four sons and one daughter, as follows: One son died in infancy; Calvin W.; Elijah, who afterward too the name of Wilder; Joel B., our subject; and Abigail, who married Mr Bigelow, and died in Connecticut. Our subject is the only surviving member of the family. Two oh his brothers were also adopted by other families whose names they took as their own.

At two years of age our subject removed with his foster father to Chelmsford, Massachusetts, where he spent his boyhood days on a farm. He was employed a part of the time in a cotton factory at Lowell, and was also one season in the match factory at Boston. He came to Wisconsin in the spring of 1855, and located in Adams county. In 1860 he purchased his present homestead in New Chester township, and of the wild land he then purchased he made a well improved farm. His estate covers eighty acres, sixty acres of which is under a high state of cultivation. He has erected commodious and convenient farm buildings, and in every manner made it one of the first farms of the vicinity. For several years he marketed his produce at Grand Rapids, and spent one or two seasons lumbering on the Yellow river.

Mr. Wright enlisted in October, 1861, in Company H, Eleventh Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, and served nearly four years. Before leaving Madison, Wisconsin, he suffered an attack of pneumonia, and upon his recovery was appointed steward of the field hospital, and was later employed in the hospital at Mound City, Illinois, for two months. He then went with his regiment to Texas, where he re-enlisted as a veteran in the same company and regiment. From boyhood he was adept at surgery, and was offered the position of assistant surgeon in the service but declined. He accompanied his regiment, doing hospital duty at Bayou Cache, Port Gibson, Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black River, Siege of Vicksburg, Fort Esperanza, Spanish Fort, Blakeley, and Mobile. Most of the time he was on the field in charge of the stretcher bearers.

Mr. Wright was married, April 11, 1850, at Nashua, New Hampshire, to Ann Ware, daughter of Parker and Maria (Cowdry) Ware. Mrs. Wright was born in Hillsboro, New Hampshire, and spent most of her childhood at Billerica, Massachusetts. Her father was a native of New Hampshire, and served in the war of 1812. Mrs. Wright's grandfather, Joseph Cowdry, was a farmer, who removed from New Hampshire to Billerica, Massachusetts, and his wife, Lucy (Brown) Cowdry, was the daughter of Thomas Brown, a farmer of Billerica. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wright, as follows: Joel Jefferson, postmaster of Oxford, Wisconsin, and Annetta S., now Mrs. Hon. Clarence Pierce, of Germania, Wisconsin. Mr. and Mrs. Wright have eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Both our subject and Mrs. Wright are members of the Jonesville Congregational church, which they assisted in organizing, and Mr. Wright is a trustee and treasurer of the church. They were formerly connected with the New Chester Congregational church. Mr. Wright is a member of J. C. Miller Post, G. A. R., at Oxford, and also the Masonic fraternity. He has been a Republican since the organization of that party, but cast his presidential vote for Pierce in 1852. Soon after the Adams county poor house was established, in 1876, he was appointed overseer and spent two years in charge of the institution. Although he had but few conveniences on which to depend, he conducted the place satisfactorily and declined appointment the third year. He has filled numerous township offices and served as county superintendent of the poor for six years. His active public spirit and faithful service for the welfare of his community commend him to the respect of his many friends.