Biography

07/19/1841 - 02/22/1921

Private George W. Wright (R47) Lawrence and Mercer Counties 1877-1880 

Early Life: 

Private George W. Wright, born, July 19, 1841, Worth Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania; son of Thomas and Sarah Fowler Wright; Mercer Academy, Thickson Academy, Meadville; teacher, Tennessee, Kentucky, 1859-1860; private, Civil War, 1861-1864; engaged, farming, oil business; elected, Clerk, Mercer County Commission, 1868-1873; elected, Mercer County Recorder of Deeds, 1873-1876; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1877-1880; married, Rozetta M. Carrol; died, February 22, 1921, Mercer County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Enlisted, private, Company I., 39th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, 10th Pennsylvania Reserves, June 20, 1861; three years’ service; seeing action, Drainesville; Mechanicsville; Gaines Mill; Charles City Crossroads; Malvern Hill; Harrison’s Landing; Gainesville; 2d Bull Run; South Mountain; Antietam; Fredericksburg; Mud March; discharged by order of surgeon’s certificate. 

Engaged, farming, oil business, Petroleum Center, Venango County. 

Established, Sandy Lake Car Company, manufacturing. 

Appointed, superintendent, Mercer Soldiers Orphan School, held for 20 years.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Director, Mercer County Trust Company; President of the Board of Farmers and Mechanics National Bank. 

Member, Mercer Methodist Church, donated the bell that is currently at the church.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Clerk, Mercer County Commission, 1868-1873. 

Elected, Mercer County Recorder of Deeds, 1873-1876. 

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania State Senate, 47th district, Lawrence and Mercer Counties, 1877-1880; committee assignments, Federal Relations and Military Affairs. 

Alternate delegate, Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1884.

Legacy: 

The George W. Wright, Students Aid Fund, following his death, a trust established so the income may be loaned to deserving young people of Mercer County for the purpose of education. His will provides that three Trustees oversee Trust. George W. Wright - soldier, educator, businessman, legislator - even today he continues to educate the young people of Mercer County. www.georgewrightfund.org

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members W". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1879). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 705, 710-712, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 668.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Wednesday February 23 1921, Page 13, reported he had been an invalid the last 30 years of his life. 

George W. Wright (1841-1921) - Find a Grave Memorial