Wright, Mrs. Francis (Died)

Death of a Venerable Lady

We regret to have to announce this week the death of another one of our most respected citizens. Last Monday evening, March 14 Mrs. Francis M. Wright peacefully and joyfully passed to the world above. Grandma Wright, as she was familiarly called by our townspeople, had been gradually failing all winter, but was not seriously ill until two weeks before her death, when she was attacked with senile bronchitis. She died at the residence of her two sons, Alfred and John Wesley, on Adams street, in this place. Grandma was in her 78th year, and was never ill but twice during her life. She was the mother of fifteen children, ten of whom are still living. Five of them attended the funeral, the others being so far away as to make it impossible for them to reach here. She has thirty living grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Her descendents are scattered from the Pacific Slope to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. She was a native of County Carlow, Ireland, and left her native home with her husband and oldest child in 1832, since which time she lived fifty years I Canada and five years in Kirkwood. She looked much younger than her years. She was beloved by all who knew her, for her generous, goodnatured and happy disposition. . The great love and respect for her was manifest by the large number who visited the house to tender their sympathy to the bereaved family, and to bring floral offering as tokens of their love. Many of the floral offerings were very beautiful. At the head of the casket was a very large pillow of white flowers with the inscription “Our Mother” in the centre of it. At the foot of the casket stood a beautiful floral representation of the Gates Ajar, which was sent by the young ladies in the employ of her sons in St. Louis. There were beautiful offerings from Mrs. Chambers, Mrs. Hughes, Miss Wilson and others.

This death leaves a vacancy that will be long and sadly felt in her sons’ home, as she was so devoted to her family and they to her. Among the many sweet reccollections [sic] of her last hours will be her prayer when her speech was very difficult. It was only four words, but contained a world to her and her children. It was, “God bless my family.”

Her family expected her to live fifteen or twenty years longer, as her mother died at the age of 98, her grandmother at 103, a brother and sister at 86, and she leaves a sister who was born on the first day of this century.

Her husband, the late George L. Wright, died in Canada 1868. The family purpose removing the remains to Oak Hill Cemetery and lay them beside his wife.

The funeral services were held on Wednesday at the Methodist church, and were conducted by Dr. Godbey, assisted by Rev. Mr. Lewis. The attendance was very large and the ceremonies very impressive. After the services at the church the remains were taken to Oak Hill and there consigned tot heir last earthly abode which she requested should be in Kirkwood, near her two youngest children. (Mis. U. S. Leader)