KNOWN TOMBSTONE CARVERS OF PA: M. & T. S. Wright Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Bill Plack 08 Jul 2006 Copyright 2006-2008. All rights reserved. This page last updated: 21 Sep 2008 http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/cemeteries/tscarvers/wright-mts.txt http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/tscarvers/wright-mts/wright-mts.htm M. & T.S. WRIGHT Thomas S. Wright was born in England and, in 1848, came to Brownsville, PA where he learned the marble cutting trade from his brother, Moses. An 1859 directory for Brownsville lists Moses Wright, Brownsville Marble Works, and Thomas S. Wright, Marble Cutter. The brothers, working together, signed their marble tombstones "M. & T.S. Wright, Brownsville". After Moses retired from the trade in 1875, Thomas became sole proprietor of the business. In 1880 he installed steam power, which aided in the manufacture of granite monuments which were beginning to replace marble in popularity. In 1883 the company was known as T.S. Wright's Steam Marble and Granite Works, as shown in the advertisement above, from a book called The Three Towns. Employing 13 men, they were located at the junction of Front and Market Streets, Brownsville. They claimed to have erected many of the finest memorials and monuments in Fayette, Washington, Greene, Westmoreland and Allegheny Counties, working mostly from original designs created by Thomas's son, Harry S. Wright. I have seen Wright tombstones and monuments in 27 cemeteries, in all the counties mentioned above. I have only seen one marble stone signed by Moses; over 100 signed by M. & T.S. Wright; and only a handful of later stones signed by T.S. Wright only. After the death of Thomas Wright, his descendants operated the firm for a time. I have seen a few granite memorials signed "T.S. Wright's Sons", and simply "Wright's", from the late 1890's. Apparently they ceased operations sometime after 1912. *Known example of Moses Wright's tombstone carvings: Rachel Marchand Miller, Died 25 Feb 1858, Born 29 Sept 1827 Long Run Presbyterian Cemetery, North Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland County *Known examples of M. & T.S. Wright's tombstones and monument: Lafayette Cunningham, Died 29 June 1866, Aged 45 years Long Run Presbyterian Mary Elizabeth Erret, Died 28 Nov 1859, Aged 8 years, 6 months, 10 days St. Paul Seanor's Cemetery, Hempfield Twp., Westmoreland County Thomas Robertson, Died 22 Jan 1870, Aged 86 years, 4 months, 5 days Sewickley Presbyterian Cemetery, S. Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland Co. Major Robert Warden, Died 30 June 1862 in his 37th year Middle Presbyterian Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant Twp., Westmoreland Co. *Known examples of T.S. Wright's tombstones and monuments Jane Williams, Died 2 Nov 1873 in her 43rd year Long Run Presbyterian Jacob Grim, Died 26 June 1875, age illegible Wesley Chapel Cemetery, E. Huntingdon Twp., Westmoreland Co. Rev. George Craft, Died 15 Feb 1877 in his 92nd year, and Mary Craft, wife of Rev. George Craft, dates illegible Redstone Cemetery, Brownsville Township, Fayette Co. Civil War Monument Oak Grove Cemetery, Uniontown, Fayette Co.