| Notes |
- DELOS WRIGHT.
On the roll of early settlers of Grundy county appears the name of Delos
Wright, whose ancestry may be traced back through several generations until we
find that the family history began at the time of the early colonial
settlement of New England by the Puritans. Israel Wright, the father of our
subject, was born near Boston, Massachusetts, and was a son of one of the
patriot farmers who abandoned the plow in order to aid in the struggle for
independence. He obtained such educational privileges as were afforded at that
day in the common schools and became a farmer. Like his father, he was a
patriot and served his country as a soldier in the war of 1812, participating
in the battle of Sackett's Harbor. He was married in Oneida county, New York,
to Miss Betsey Gridley, a native of Connecticut, and a daughter of Job and
Mary (Porter) Gridley. Her father was also one of the Revolutionary heroes,
and both the Gridley and Porter families were established in Connecticut in
early colonial days. Job Gridley was a member of the fourth generation of the
family in America, his father being Samuel Gridley, a son of Thomas, whose
father, Thomas Gridley, Sr., established a home in Hartford, Connecticut, and
thus planted the family upon American soil. The ancestral history in England
has been traced back to 1200 A. D.
Three brothers of the name came from England to America, probably from
Essexshire, between the years 1630 and 1633. Samuel Gridley died soon after
his arrival, at or near Boston, leaving no descendants. Richard Gridley
remained at Boston, where he was admitted as a freeman on the 1st of April,
1634. In 1658 he was a member of the Boston Artillery Company, and afterward
became its captain. He died in that city, about 1674. His children were Mary,
Sarah, Hannah, Return, Believe, Tremble and Joseph. Thomas Gridley, the third
brother, went to Hartford, Connecticut, with Rev. Thomas Hooker and his
followers, where, in 1639, he was one of one hundred and twenty-seven
landholders. He was there married, September 29, 1644, to Miss Mary Seymour, a
daughter of Richard Seymour. He died about 1655, at Hartford. His children
were Samuel, Thomas and Mary. These sons of Thomas Gridley became two of the
original eighty-four proprietors of Farmington, Connecticut. Nearly all of the
people living in the United States by the name of Gridley have descended from
the Hartford ancestor.
Job Gridley, the grandfather of Mr. Wright, had five children: Sybil, Betsey,
Reuben, Thomas and Samuel. He removed to Oneida county, New York, becoming one
of the pioneer settlers, and there in the midst of the forest near Clinton he
developed a good farm, upon which he spent his remaining days, dying at an
advanced age.
When a young man Israel Wright, the father of our subject, removed to Oneida
county, New York, where he followed farming. He married Miss Betsey Gridley
when she was nineteen years of age. He, too, developed a farm in the midst of
the forest, but in 1847 left the east removing to Lawrence county, Illinois,
where he purchased land of the government. That tract was also in its
primitive condition, but he succeeded in transforming it into richly
cultivated fields. He was an old-line Whig in politics, a member of the
Methodist church, and died when more than eighty years of age. His children
were Sewell, Ursula, Prudence, Russell, Betsey, Ambrose, Orin, Armenas, Delos
and Armena, who died in childhood.
Delos Wright was born in Oneida county, at Clinton, New York, January 4, 1821,
obtained a common-school education, and, with his father, became a resident of
Lawrence county, Illinois, in 1847. For twenty years he worked at the
carpenter's trade. About 1848 he took up his abode in Kendall county,
Illinois, and was there married, July 3, 1851, to Miss Mary Hick, born May 11,
1832, a native of Turin, Lewis county, New York, and a daughter of Richard and
Agnes (Schank) Hick. Her father was a well-known man and a local Methodist
minister. He was born in England and in early life came to America. In Turin
he married Miss Agnes Schank, who was of sturdy Holland Dutch descent. About
1850 he removed to Lisbon, Kendall county, Illinois, where he engaged in
preaching the gospel and farming. There he died when about the age of sixty
years. His children were Ruth, Ann, Agnes, Laura, Mary, Richard, Richardson,
John and Hester.
After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Wright they located near Lisbon, Illinois,
where he purchased eighty acres of land from the government, at a dollar and a
quarter per acre. This was in Nettle Creek township. Of this tract of wild
prairie he improved a farm, which he rented, in the meantime working at his
trade of carpentering in Lisbon and Morris. Subsequently he sold his land and
removed to Reading, Livingston county, Illinois, in 1853. There he again
purchased government land, at a dollar and a quarter an acre, and developed a
good farm, upon which he lived for ten years, when he sold that property and
removed to Fairbury, where he conducted a furniture store for six years. In
1877 he took up his abode in Verona, Illinois, where he again embarked in the
furniture business until 1891. Through the four succeeding years he was a
furniture dealer of Mazon and his business affairs were creditably and
successfully conducted.
In 1895 Mr. Wright was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died in
Mazon on the 10th of July of that year. She was a member of the Methodist
church and lived an earnest Christian life. Her children were: Elizabeth, born
August 20, 1852; William A., born September 14, 1854; Ellery, born March 7,
1857; Josephine, born December 11, 1861; and Albert G., born April 15, 1868.
Mr. Wright was again married April 29, 1896, in Mazon, his second union being
with Mrs. Sarah Dewey, the widow of Joseph Dewey. She was born in Washington
county, New York, January 15, 1835, a daughter of William and Nancy (Dugan)
Whitlock. Her father was a native of the town of Day, Washington county, born
about 1818, and was of Pennsylvania Dutch lineage. He was a farmer and stone-
mason, and in Washington county, New York, he married Miss Nancy Dugan, a
daughter of Arthur and Sallie Dugan. Mr. Whitlock lived in the town of Day and
followed his trade for many years. There his first wife, who was a consistent
member of the Presbyterian church, died at the age of sixty-two years. Their
children were Sarah, born January 15, 1835; William J., born June 5, 1837;
Jane, born June 25, 1839; and Arthur, born July 4, 1841. For his second wife
Mr. Whitlock chose Janette Gorley, who was born in Scotland and came to
America when seventeen years of age. In early life she engaged in teaching.
After his second marriage Mr. Whitlock purchased and located upon a farm, but
later resided in Salem, New York, where his second wife died. He passed away
when about seventy years of age, respected by all who knew him.
Mrs. Wright was reared in Washington county, New York, received a common
education and was married January 29, 1852, in Washington county, New York,
when about seventeen years of age, to Joseph Dewey, who was born September 30,
1825, in Greenwich, same county. His parents were Daniel and Lucretia
(Pangborn) Dewey, and their children were Polly, Betsey, Rhoda, Eliza, Amos,
Sallie, Moses, Phoebe, Fannie, John, Jane, and Joseph. The father died in
Washington county, New York, when about seventy years of age. As a private
citizen he took part in the battle of Lake Champlain. Both he and his wife
were members of the Methodist church, as were a number of their children. He
belonged to one of the old colonial families and was a descendant of Thomas
Dewey, the founder of the family in America. Joseph Dewey, his son and the
first husband of Mrs. Wright, located on a farm after his marriage and resided
in the Empire state until 1860, when he sold his property and removed to
Norman township, Grundy county, Illinois. After eighteen years he took up his
abode in Wauponsee township and purchased a farm of eighty acres of improved
land. There he died when sixty-seven years of age. He was a member of the
Methodist church and was an industrious and highly respected citizen. His
political support was given the Republican party, and his children were: Nancy
R., born January 10, 1853; Mary, June 6, 1856; Maggie, born March 14, 1858;
John, born April 17, 1860; Annie L., February 17, 1862; Arthur A., September
21, 1865; Jennie, September 16, 1869; Estella, August 21, 1871; and Lizzie,
August 18, 1874. All are living, and all are married with the exception of
Estella, who is a young lady at home. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are now living
quietly at their pleasant home and have many friends in Grundy county, where
they are numbered among the most highly respected citizens. Through an active
business career our subject conducted his affairs carefully and
systematically, and his sound judgment and close application brought to him a
handsome competence, which now enables him to live retired.
Additional Comments:
Source: Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County,
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p651-654
File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/wright42gbs.txt
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1821 - 1905 (84 years)
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