Chariton County, Missouri Biographical Sketch - WILLIAM C. WRIGHT
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File transcribed and contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives
by: Willard D. Smith

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The subject of this sketch is one among the oldest, most influential,
highly respected and best known of Salisbury township. He was born in
Howard county March 17, 1830, and was the son of Wm. C. and Mary (Burgher)
Wright, who were natives of Madison county, Kentucky, and were there
married. They came to Howard county, Missouri, where they remained until
1850, when they removed to Chariton county, where they lived until 1855,
when the cold finger of death pointed out the husband and claimed him as
its own. The mother died August 19, 1876. Our subject was the ninth of
family of twelve children, five of whom are now living. He was educated in
a log school house in Howard county, where they used split logs hewn
smooth for seats, and was reared on a farm where he remained till the gold
fever broke out in California in 1849, when he wended his way across the
broad western plains between Missouri and his destination, with a caravan
made up of citizens from his section of the country. He remained there
until 1851 when he started on his homeward journey to Chariton county. In
1852 he returned to California and remained until 1853. He then came back
to this county and on March 8, 1854, was Married to Miss Amanda J. Addis,
daughter of Geo. and Susan Addis, of Chariton county. The fruits of this
marriage was six children-five boys and one girl-three of whom, N. R , C.
C. and Wm. L. are still living, a few miles southwest of Salisbury, where
our subject had purchased 200 acres of land in 1834. Mrs Wright died June
25, 1894, which loss was sadly mourned b a loving family. Our subject was
elected township collector in 1874, and to the office of assessor, when he
took the census. In 1892 he was re-elected to the office of assessor,
which he now holds. He is a true-blue democrat and has been a member of
the Baptist church since 1855. Our subject has lived long and prosperous,
and notwithstanding the many obstacles in the life of a pioneer settler he
still enjoys excellent health. His farm, on which he now resides lies in
sections 15 and 16, township 53, range 17.