SILAS KNOX WRIGHT Born: 18 December 1844, Shenandoah County, Virginia, s/o William Wright & Elizabeth Bushong Married: Circa 1880 Died: 1 December 1925, Luray, Page County, Virginia Burial: Green Hill Cemetery, Luray, Page County, Virginia FRANCES MILLER Born: 17 October 1854, Shenandoah County, Virginia, d/o James W. Miller & Sarah Jane Houck Died: 1 March 1937, Luray, Page County, Virginia Burial: Green Hill Cemetery, Luray, Page County, Virginia ------------------------- Silas Knox Wright, born in Shenandoah County, son of William Wright and Elizabeth Bushong, was a photographer with studios at 4 South Broad Street in Luray, Virginia. He is mentioned in at least two books. One was THE STORY OF THE SUMMERS-KOONTZ EXECUTION by Robert H. Moore II and the other was LURAY AND PAGE COUNTY REVISITED by Dan Vaughn. In the last mentioned book the following is said about Silas K. Wright: Page 7 "Two worlds met when the Shenandoah Valley Railroad reached Page in 1881. The railroad, in hiring William Lau to document the line, recorded grandeur images of the Queen Anne-style Luray Inn. Popular Luray photographer Silas K. Wright would partner as Wright and Crabill, but he is most known for his independent work at his 4 South Broad Street location in Luray. Operating under both Sunbeam Gallaries and the Excelsior Studious, his cabinet card work was widely regarded. His image of the Luray Inn burning is possibly his most recognizable." Note: In this book there is a photo that Silas K. Wright took of a Reunion of Elijah Viers White's Battalion which included Company E, 12 Virginia Cavalry, the company that Silas served in during the Civil War. -------------------------- We could not find Silas K. Wright in the 1880 census anywhere in Virginia but we did find this fellow in Kansas. Whether he is one and the same, is inconclusive at this point in time.We are thinking probably not him BUT if it is him, then he was married twice and the first wife disappeared. He then returned to Virginia and married Fannie Miller. They took up residence in Luray. 1880 Federal Census: Kansas Kaw Township, ED 117, Jefferson County Enumerated 3 June 1880 Page 268D Lines 23-24, HH 28/28 Sylas Wright White/Male/35/Married/Farmer/VA/---/---- S. B. Wright White/Female/31/Wife/KeepingHouse/KY/KY/KY -------------------- In the late 1880's, he went to Pensacola, Florida to photograph the Geronimo who had been sent to Fort Pickens. ---------------------- Fannie M. Wright bought 25 September 1890 a piece of land described as Lot 15, Block 30, Section 2, Fronting 4th Street from The Valley And Land Improvement Company recorded in Page County Virginia Deed Book 19, Page 351. On 26 September 1894, Fannie M. Wright filed a suit in Chancery in Page County against The Valley Land and Improvement Company who defrauded her by selling her worthless land owned by A. M. Henkel. She deeded the property over to the Court and it was sold at public auction. ---------------------- 1900 Federal Census: Virginia Luray District and Town, ED 41, Page County Enumerated 9 June 1900 Page 174A, Sheet 6 Lines 30-32, HH 105/105 Broad Street Silas K. Wright Head/W/M/Dec1844/55/Md20yrs/Photographer/OwnsHm/VA/VA/VA Fannie M. Wright Wife/W/F/Oct1854/45/1child1living/VA/VA/VA William H. Wright Son/W/M/June1885/14/AtSchool/VA/VA/VA --------------------- The Shenandoah Herald Woodstock, Virginia Friday, 9 January 1903 Page 2, Column 4 MAURERTOWN Silas K. Wright was in our place on last Friday looking after the war claim of his father's that his brothers Messrs. A. M. Wright and George Wright had given to E. B. Shaver to place before the Court of Claims at Washington. NOTE: This is rather an interesting article and leads to many questions in our mind about the father William Wright who disappeared between 1860 and 1870 with no trace. ---------------------- The Shenandoah Herald Woodstock, Virginia Friday, 11 August 1905 Page 3, Column 2 PERSONAL MR. S. K. WRIGHT, Mr. John Robinson, Mrs. Anna Free, Mrs. T. W. McInturff, and Misses Lizzie Hottel, Vesta Hepner, and Edna Hamrick were visiting Mr. George I. Wright and family, last Saturday and Sunday. ---------------------- The Shenandoah Herald Woodstock, Virginia Friday, 22 February 1908 Page 3, Column 2 PERSONAL Mr. S. K. Wright and son William, of Luray, spent several days this week with Mr. Wright's brother Mr. George I. Wright. ---------------------- The Shenandoah Herald Woodstock, Virginia Friday, 9 November 1906 Page 3, Column 6 HARRISON HOUCK DEAD AT STRASBURG Mr. Harrison Houck, a well known farmer of Strasburg, died Sunday morning at an early hour in his 86th year. He leaves one sister, Mrs. William I. Slagle, and one brother, Mr. Charles W. Houck, of Winchester, where he w as well known. He was a veteran of the Civil War. The funeral took place Monday afternoon at Strasburg. Mr. Houck was a large landowner and was very wealthy. The Shenandoah Herald Friday, 20 November 1908 Page 3, Column 4 COURT PROCEEDINGS Fannie M. Wright VS A. J. Miller FINAL DECREE NOTE: From this Chancery Case, we now know more about the family of Fannie Miller Wright. Her parents were James W. Miller and Sarah Jane Houck married in Shenandoah County, Virginia 16 July 1852. Sarah who died before 1906, was one of the sisters of Harrison Houck who died in 1906. Fannie had a brother named Andrew J. Miller and a sister named Catherine E. "Katie" (Miller) Mace. Fannie and Katie sued their brother Andrew J. Miller over the estate of their Uncle Harrison H. Houck who died 4 November 1906. They lost the suit. Shenandoah County Virginia Chancery Case #1908-038 Fannie M. Wright et al VS Andrew J. Miller et al ------------------------ 1910 Federal Census: Virginia Luray Mag. District & Town, ED 50, Page County Enumerated 16 April 1910 Page 2B, Sheet 2 Lines 60-62, HH 37/38 Broad Street Silas K. Wright Head/M/W/65/Md29yrs/PhotographerOwnGallery/Rents/VA/VA/VA Fannie M. Wright Wife/F/W/55/1child1living/VA/VA/VA William H. Wright Son/M/W/24/Single/TeacherPublicSchool/VA/VA/VA -------------------------- 1920 Federal Census: Virginia Luray Mag. District, Luray, ED 66, Page County Enumerated 5 January 1920 Page 160B, Sheet 9 Lines 72-73, HH 10/205/218 Broad Street Silas K. Wright Head/OwnsHm/M/W/75/Married/RetiredPhotographer/VA/VA/VA Fannie M. Wright Wife/Female/White/65/VA/VA/VA ------------------------------ Silas Knox Wright died 1 December 1925. -------------------------------- GREEN HILL CEMETERY Luray, Page County, Virginia Double Stone Silas K. Wright 18 December 1844 1 December 1925 Co. E. 12th Virginia Cavalry, CSA Fannie M. Wright 17 October 1854 1 March 1937 ----------------------------- Researched and Submitted by Gloria Bushong