50th Wedding Anniversary - Virgil & Edna Wright (1965)

This photograph was taken at the 50th wedding anniversary of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright. Pictured here with them are their grandchildren.

Front row : Jeff Webster, Alan Webster. Middle row : Charlie High, Virgil Wright, Edna Wright, Gloria Wright. Back row : Terry Wright, Phil High

Lawrence & Jessie Spence with Charles High - 1947

This January 1947 photograph is of Jessie (Pennisten) Spence and husband Lawrence Spence, with great-grandnephew Charles High.

On the back of the photo is written "Aunt Jessie died Feb. 27 1948. Uncle Lawrence died Mar. 28 1961. This was 14 yrs. after this picture taken."

Jessie Pennisten was the daughter of John and Jane Ann (Alderman) Pennisten. Lawrence Spence was the son of Thomas and Suzan (Berry) Spence. Charles was the son of John and Clara Ellen (Wright) High.

Wedding Day : Clara Ellen Wright & John High (December 8, 1945)

This photograph is of John High and Clara Ellen Wright's wedding, taken December 8, 1945. Standing with them is Bonnie (Lambertson) Wright, Clara Ellen's sister-in-law.

Wright Family Gathering

This undated photograph shows a Wright family gathering. In the front row, kneeling are Barbara Wright and Terry Wright. In the second row are Edna (Pierce) Wright, Bonnie (Lambertson) Wright, Clara (Wright) High and John High. In the third row are Virgil Wright and William Wright.

50th Wedding Anniversary - Virgil & Edna Wright

This photograph was taken in June 1965 at a celebration honoring the 50th wedding anniversary of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright. They are pictured here with their children.

(L-R) Clara Ellen (Wright) High, Virgil Lee Wright, William Lee Wright, Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright, Barbara Lou (Wright) Webster.

Virgil Lee Wright and Edna Muriel Pierce were married on June 19, 1915 in Alexandria, Madison Co., IN.

Terry Wright, Gloria Wright & Charlie High photo

This undated photograph is of Terry Wright, holding sister Gloria Wright, along with cousin Charlie High. With the Christmas tree in the background, this photo must be taken around December 1947.

Wright and High Family photo

This undated photograph at a family gathering shows John High, Clara Ellen (Wright) High, Bonnie (Lambertson) Wright, William Wright. Clara Ellen is holding son, Charlie High, and Bonnie is holding daughter Gloria Wright. In the front is Terry Wright.

Virgil Wright and Melissa High

This undated photograph is of my maternal great-grandfather, Virgil Lee Wright, along with his granddaughter, Melissa Sue High.

Birthday Party : Clara Ellen (Wright) High

This undated photograph appears to be a birthday celebration for Clara Ellen (Wright) High. If you look closely at the cake, you can make out "Happy Birthday Clara Ellen."



In the photo, from back row, left to right, are Virgil Wright, Clara Ellen High, Edna Wright. In the front are Clara Ellen's children, Charlie and Phil High.

High - Cooper Wedding

Nicole Lee Cooper and Andrew Jacob High will marry Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Anderson with the Rev. Robert Williams officiating.

Nicole is the daughter of Gary and Pam Cooper of Alexandria. She is a 2001 graduate of Alexandria-Monroe High School and a 2005 graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She is a registered nurse, employed by Community Hospital North in the Intensive Care Unit.

Her fiancé is the son of Phil High of Anderson and Mary High of Noblesville. He is a 1997 graduate of Alexandria-Monroe High School and a 2002 graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor’s degree in business management. He is employed by Speedway Oil Corp., as a district manager.

The couple will honeymoon to Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

From : Anderson, IN Herald-Bulletin, September 20, 2007

Alexandria-Monroe Historical Society Museum Visit

Yesterday on my lunch hour, I visited the Alexandria-Monroe Historical Society Museum located at 313 N. Harrison St. Alexandria Indiana. The museum is run by volunteers and is only open on Thursdays from 1-5 p.m.

It had been many years since I was able to visit the museum, and I was pleasantly surprised at the numerous exhibits and pictures with local history. I found a picture of my uncle Terry Wright in his Boy Scout days, also my great-uncle John High was featured in the military history room.

The local history section was full of tidbits for further research, including local funeral home and church records. I noticed that my cousin had submitted a notebook on the KING family and there were others that I would have loved to have been able to examine, had I more time. I am going to have to plan some quick lunch time research there in the near future.

Membership in the society is only $10/year.

Edna Muriel Pierce (b. February 7, 1897)

Today's featured relative is my maternal great-grandmother, Edna Muriel Pierce.

Edna was born February 7, 1897 in Madison Co., IN, the daughter of William Francis and Clara (PENNISTEN) PIERCE. Edna married June 19, 1915 in Madison Co., IN to Virgil Lee WRIGHT, son of John William and Ellen (KING) WRIGHT. Virgil was born July 6, 1894 in Madison Co., IN and died March 25, 1972 in Madison Co., IN. Edna died March 3, 1968 in Madison Co., IN. Both are buried in Parkview Cemetery, Alexandria, IN.

Children of Virgil Lee and Edna Muriel (Pierce) Wright are as follows :
i. Clara Ellen Wright m. John M. High
ii. William Lee Wright m. Bonnie Mae Lambertson
iii. Barbara Lou Wright m. Robert L. Webster

Lawrence Spence, veteran of two wars, dead at 98

Source : Alexandria Times-Tribune, Alexandria, IN, Wednesday, March 29, 1961, p. 1

Lawrence Spence, veteran of two wars and oldest Legionnaire in the state of Indiana, died Tuesday at Veterans Hospital, Indianapolis, after a short illness. He was 98.

A retired sergeant in the U.S. Army, where he served for 30 years, he was a veteran of the Spanish-American and World War I. He resided at 214 West Monroe St. for the past 41 years.

He was born in Madison County Jan. 18, 1863, the son of Suzan Berry and Thomas Spence. He was married Sept. 24, 1920, to Jessie Pennisten, who died in 1948.

Surviving are three nieces: Mrs. Muriel Wright of Alexandria, Mrs. Molly Wilkerson of Louisville, Ky. and Mrs. Dora Dunmeyer of Portland; one nephew, Charles Brammel of Fortville; and two great-nephews, Clay Disbennett of Norman, and Clarence Henshew of Indianapolis.

The body was taken to the Karl M. Kyle Funeral Home, where friends may call after 6 p.m. today. Services will be held at the funeral home at 2 p.m. Thursday by the Rev. Herschel Reed of the First Christian Church. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery.

Commander Sam Allen of the American Legion requests that all Legionnaires meet at the Legion at 7:30 this evening before going to the funeral home to pay their respects.

(I received this copy of the obituary courtesy of cousin Charles High of Anderson.)

Pearl Harbor : Great-Uncle John High

Pearl Harbor, the "day that will live in infamy", touched my immediate family in a number of ways. Not only did my grandfather and several great-uncles enlist to fight the Japanese - but my great-uncle John High was on board the U.S.S. Oklahoma on that fateful day.

I didn't get much opportunity to ever really talk to him about his experiences, but I do know that I'm thankful to God that he survived the attack.