Hillsborough-Manatee-Duval County FlArchives Biographies.....Wright, Olin Seymour 1852 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 4, 2008, 3:26 pm Author: B. F. Johnson Olin Seymour Wright To no other profession is the world more indebted than to the medical fraternity. This is especially true during the last two centuries. The devotion of medical men to their profession, the way in which they recklessly hazard their lives at the call of duty, their intense application to scientific discovery which has cost the lives of many distinguished men, has endeared the members of the profession to the people to such an extent that no other man holds the same place in the family life as does the family doctor. He comes in hours of distress and grief as a messenger of Providence, and it is to the credit of that splendid profession that in no other vocation do we find so few unfaithful men. The standard of the profession in Florida has grown steadily for the last twenty-five years and today the doctors of Florida will compare favorably with those of any other section, both in skill and in devotion to duty. A leading man in his profession in his section is Dr. O. S. Wright, of Plant City. Dr. Wright was born in Covington, Pa., December 1, 1852. His parents were George Mercereau and Charlotte E. (Evans) Wright. His father was a hotel proprietor and a contractor. The family is of English extraction on both sides. The Wrights have a long and honorable record in our country. Between 1630 and 1740 ten distinct families of Wrights were founded in America, all coming from the same stock in England, and since our history began to be made our records show that the Wright family has furnished over fifty men of eminence in the various walks of life towards the building up of this Republic. On the maternal side the Evans family has been settled in Pennsylvania for generations. Dr. Wright's education was obtained in the high school at Hornell, N. Y. Having decided upon the medical profession, he became a student in the medical department of the University of Michigan, and was graduated by that institution in 1875, with the degree of M. D. And in the same year he began the practice of his profession in Hornell, N. Y. He practiced there until 1883, when he decided to move to Florida, and went to Manatee county, where he followed his profession for four years, and like everyone else in that county became to some extent an orange grower. In 1887 he removed to Jacksonville, where he practiced for two years, and in 1888 came to Plant City, where he has since remained and built up a large practice. He is recognized as a physician of very superior ability who has been a success in a professional way and who is now gradually withdrawing from the active practice as the growth of other interests and advancing years demand and justify. On September 5, 1888, he married Mrs. P. C. Collins, whose maiden name was Palestine Hamilton, a daughter of George Hamilton, of Polk Co., Fla. They have three children, Juno E., Pallas A. and Victor O. Wright. In religious matters the doctor is a communicant of the Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Democrat. In fraternal circles he is a thirty-third degree Mason, and has held high position in that splendid old fraternity, and is also affiliated with the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Woodmen of the World. He has been a wide reader and profound student of medical and scientific subjects, in addition to which he has found most helpful works of a historical character. Dr. Wright's judgment is that the interests of Florida would be promoted by the abolition of the credit system which would protect the merchant against bad debts and the customer against himself. He believes in the compulsory education of the youth of the land and the building of good roads, both for the betterment of transportation and the more speedy development of the country. A good citizen, profoundly interested in the welfare of his town, notwithstanding the pressure of his professional duties, he has served several terms as Mayor of his city. At intervals as time could be found he has made valuable contributions to the medical press on subjects of interest to physicians. Aside from his practice, he is the owner of the Magnolia Pharmacy, and White Brick Drug store, two well equipped drug stores. He is a Director in the Hillsboro State Bank. Dr. Wright has achieved by his ability, his industry 'and his integrity a substantial measure of financial success, and what is even better than that, has gained the respect of the community as a thoroughly good citizen. Additional Comments: Extracted from: FLORIDA EDITION MAKERS OF AMERICA AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS VOL. III. Published under the patronage of The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida ADVISORY BOARD: HON. W. D. BLOXHAM COL. FRANK HARRIS HON. R. W. DAVIS SEN. H. H. McCREARY HON. F. P. FLEMING W. F. STOVALL C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY 1909 A. B. CALDWELL ATLANTA, GA. COPYRIGHT 1909 B. F. JOHNSON Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/hillsborough/photos/bios/wright52gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/hillsborough/bios/wright52gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb