Joseph W. Wright (1838-1919) was my maternal third great grandfather. What follows is an exploratory analysis of the biographical data I have discovered about him.
1. Vital Records
Joseph was born in April of 1838 in Brown County, Ohio1, 2.
1.1. Birth Certificate
The State of Ohio did not require birth certificates at the time of Joseph's birth. Statewide recording of births started in 1867.
1.1.1. Birth Notice in Newspaper
If Joseph's birth was mentioned in a newspaper, I've not yet located it. Will need to check with state and local archives to see if they have any local newspapers from the time period.
1.1.2. Bible Record
I am not aware of any surviving Wright family Bible that mentions Joseph. Will continue to reach out to extended family in hopes that one can be located.
1.1.3. Baptismal Record
I'm not aware of any baptismal record record for Joseph. I'm not aware of the church affiliation of the Wright family at this time.
1.1.4. Adoption Record
There is no indication that Joseph was adopted.
1.2. Marriage License
Joseph married Rebecca Heaton on November 1, 1857 in Schuyler County, Missouri3. They had moved with Rebecca's parents to Liberty Township, Schuyler County, Missouri along with other families from Brown County, Ohio.
Joseph married Dortha Palmer on April 11, 1891 in Madison County, Indiana4.
1.2.1 Marriage Notice in Newspaper
I have not yet searched available newspapers from the time period to see if Joseph and Rebecca's or Joseph and Dortha's nuptials were mentioned.
1.2.2. Anniversary Notice
I have not yet searched available newspapers from the time period to see if mention was made of Joseph and Rebecca's anniversaries, either. Their 25th wedding anniversary would have been November 1, 1882. Rebecca passed away before their 50th. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
1.2.3. Divorce Decree
There is no indication that a divorce ever occurred, and a recent search of court records during the time period did not turn up a divorce record.
1.3. Death Certificate
Joseph died September 16, 1919 in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana5 of organic heart over inflation.
1.3.1. Obituary in Newspaper
Joseph's obituary appeared in the September 16, 1919 edition of the Alexandria Times-Tribune in Alexandria, Indiana6.
1.3.2. Funeral Home Records
Will need to search records of the local historical society to see if they have any records of funeral homes that might pertain to Joseph. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
1.3.3. Tombstone Photograph
Joseph's tombstone in the I.O.O.F. cemetery in Alexandria, Indiana has been photographed7. A link to his memorial page at FindAGrave can be found here.
2. Census Records
2.1. Federal Census Records
2.1.1. 1910 Federal Census
On April 20, 1910, Joseph was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana8, as Joseph Wright, male, white, Farmer, age 72. He was married for the 2nd time for 19 years. He was born in Ohio, as were both of his parents. He could read and write and spoke English and owned his home free of mortgage.
2.1.2. 1900 Federal Census
On June 27, 1900, Joseph was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana9, as Joseph Wright, male, white, Farmer, age 62, born April 1838. He was born in Ohio, as were both of his parents. He could read and write ans spoke English and owned his home free of mortgage.
2.1.3. 1880 Federal Census
On June 18, 1880, Joseph was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana10, as Joseph Wright, male, white, Farmer, age 50. He was born in Ohio, as were both of his parents.
2.1.4. 1870 Federal Census
On September 13, 1870, Joseph was enumerated as head of household in Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana11, as Joseph Wright, male, white, Farmer, age 33. The value of his real estate was $3000, and his personal estate was valued at $639. He was born in Ohio, and was a U.S. citizen.
2.1.5. 1860 Federal Census
On June 28, 1860, Joseph was enumerated as head of household in Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio12, as Joseph Wright, male, Farmer, age 22, born in Ohio.
2.1.6. 1850 Federal Census
On September 18, 1850, Joseph was enumerated in the John Wright household in Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio13, as Joseph Wright, age 12, male, born in Ohio. He had attended school within the year.
2.2. State Census Records
The State of Indiana conducted census in 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919 and 1931. These, however, were merely for the purposes of legislative apportionment.
No state census records in Ohio are known to exist.
2.3. Agricultural Census Records
I have not yet investigated these types of records to see what light they might shed on the Wright farm.
3. Military Records
3.1. Draft Registration
No draft record has yet to be located for Joseph. Searches in Brown County, Ohio, where he was residing in 1860 census have not yielded positive results.
3.2. Pension Records
I am not aware of any military service by Joseph that would have made him eligible to receive a pension.
3.3. Service Records
No military service has been discovered for Joseph, though he would have been at the proper age to have served during the Civil War. No mention of Civil War service was made in his obituary, and there is no known tradition of Civil War service. How he managed to not serve during the war is a mystery that needs further research.
4. Land Records
4.1. Deed Records
Deed records need to be thoroughly searched in Madison County, Indiana, Brown County, Ohio and Schuyler County, Missouri to see what records mention Joseph. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
4.2. Plat map / county map
Plat maps of Madison County, Indiana will need to be searched to see what information can be gleaned that might be relevant for my search.
5. Supplemental Records
Supplemental records to research for Joseph include city/county directories, court records and will and probate records. Will add this to my list of "to-do" items for my next research trip.
Sources:
1. Joseph Wright household, 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Township, Madison County, Indiana, ED 96, SD 8, sheet 22A, dwelling 411, family 445; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 386, page 39.
2. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2015. Original data : Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900-2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.
3. Ancestry.com. Missouri, Marriage Records, 1805-2002 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data : Missouri Marriage Records. Jefferson City, MO, USA: Missouri State Archives. Microfilm.
4. Joseph Wright - Dortha Palmer marriage license (1891), Madison County Clerk's Office, Anderson, Indiana, USA.
5. Ancestry.com. Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Indiana State Board of Health. Death Certificates, 1900–2011. Microfilm. Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana.,Joseph Wright, 9-16-1919, Madison County, Indiana.
6. Joseph Wright obituary, Alexandria Times Tribune, Alexandria, Indiana, USA, September 16, 1919, page 1, page 1.
7. FindAGrave, Inc., FindAGrave.com (www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 November 2016), Joseph W. Wright memorial.
8. Joseph Wright household, 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, ED 109, SD 8, sheet 2B, dwelling 40, family 40; National Archives micropublication T624, roll 364., Page 168.
9. Joseph Wright household, 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, ED 96, SD 8, sheet 22A, dwelling 411, family 445; National Archives micropublication T623, roll 386., Page 39.
10. Joseph Wright household, 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, ED 21, SD 3, Page 39, dwelling 329, family 330; National Archives micropublication T9, roll 293., Page 106.
11.Joseph Wright household, 1870 U.S. census, population schedule, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, Page 38, Alexandria P.O., dwelling 275, family 270; National Archives micropublication M593, roll 336., Page 210.
12. Joseph Wright household, 1860 U.S. census, population schedule, Washington Twp., Brown Co., OH, Sardinia P.O., dwelling 360, family 360; National Archives micropublication M653, roll 938., Page 25.
13. John Wright household, 1850 U.S. census, population schedule, Washington Township, Brown County, Ohio, USA, dwelling 1555, family 1560; National Archives micropublication M432, roll 662.
This post was developed as part of the series relating to Building My 2011 Research Template, an attempt to systematically document and source the details of my ancestors' lives. Comments regarding this template and the conclusions drawn in this article are welcomed.
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