I have decided that this little story is a true example of why I am in one way, or another related to all of the early settlers of DeWitt. So thought I would share it with the mailing list as well as with the descendents of the Wright family from DeWitt County. Just found some papers that were written by my aunt on the Wright family. She does not list her sources, but would imagine that it was from various sources. Pierce Wright was a brother to Chalky (Thomas) Wright. His wife was Martha Davis sister to Joe Davis that married Elizabeth Coppenbarger. Again as so often happened all through the Coppenbarger family- we find sort of a double relationship, by marriage. Pierce and Martha were the parents of at least four children but we have only found the names of two: Oliver P. and Geroge W. Oliver P. was born in 1869 and died in 1945. He married Clara Orr, who was born in 1875 and died 1943. Both are buried at Long Point Cemetery. If they had any children we know nothing about them. Oliver P. Wright had a varied career. He began life as a school teacher and continued in that profession until his marriage to Clara. After the marriage Oliver engaged in the grocery business. But as a merchant Oliver did not prove successful and was soon in financial difficulty, he found a way to remedy this trouble and after two fires on successive nights had been extinguished, the store caught fire for the third time and was completely destroyed. (this is a story told by my Great Aunt Gertrude many times EK). Oliver then took a 3 month course and announced himself as prepared for the ministry and strange as it is he had a certificate attesting to this fact. Stranger yet, Oliver P. Wright became one of the best known and best liked preacher in the area. After filling the pulpit in several small town churches, he landed in Decatur where he expounded the gospel for several years. All we know of George W. Wright is what is said in his obituary.( If you don't have this one I will quote what is written, just let me know EK) Again quoting my aunt: With these few facts we have exhausted all the known and provable facts we have regarding the Wright family. We know that Rebecca b. 1822 and Chalkie b. 1824 were brother and sister and that Rebecca became the wife of William Coppenbarger- son of Jacob and Catherine Coppenbarger, while Chalkie married Nancy Coppenbarger daughter of John and Matilda Coppenbarger and a niece of William. Later Amos Wright son of Chalkie and Nancy-married Elizabeth Henderson Hays, widow of John Thurman Hays, who was the son of Emaline Coppenbarger Hays. Now this relationship, we leave up to you to figure. Unquote. We know now that Pierson, Chalkie(Thomas), and Rebecca Wright were all children of Amos B. Wright. Now this doesn't help you solve your family, .but it is kind of cute and my nemesis as the Coppenbargers intermarried with most of the early families just in this manner. Earliene Kaelin [email protected] or [email protected] 1118 156th St. East Tacoma, WA. 98445-2324 Coordinator for http://www.rootsweb.com/~ildewitt/ Home Page http://www.telisphere.com/~cartmill -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [SMTP:[email protected]] Sent: Sunday, June 27, 1999 1:33 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: RE: Pierson" death Hi - You certainly have our permission to print Piersons obit- we have no info on Martha Ellen Davis except that she was born in Ind. about 1850 and died in 1916 in the Peoria State Hospital which we just found out on our trip to Lincoln. I'd like to write to the hospital and request records but I'm not sure what to ask for - any suggestions? Maxine ( Ron's Mom)