JOHN PROGER WRIGHT
1838 – 1918

History gathered by Sarah Louise Wright Butterworth Byram, daughter, and grand-daughter, Dorcas Debenham Moss

On April 4, 1838, in the town of Wrexham, Denbighshire, North Wales, John Proger Wright, our dear parent, first saw the light of this bright and glorious world. Born of goodly parents, William Rogers and Jane Wright, he naturally partook of their sturdy characteristics.

His early life was spent much the same as other boys of that time, with the usual ups and downs. While a child, his father died and his mother was left quite well off. He had one brother that I know of named Robert.

From the time he was old enough, he attended the village school and at the age of twelve, he was apprenticed to learn the tailor’s trade under the direction of Thomas Jones, an occupation which he followed until the time of his death. He continued his apprenticeship in the Thomas Jones home until he was about eighteen years old, about seven years. After completing this, he went back to his mother’s home and about this time the Mormon Elders came through. He was thoroughly convinced that the Gospel taught of the Latter-day Saints was true and accordingly, in the fall of 1856, he was baptized and became a member of the Church to which his faith strongly adhered. Immediately his mother disowned him.

On the 17^th of March, 1857, he left Liverpool for New York, with hopes that here in the land of the blessed, he might find freedom to worship God according to his desire. He was forced to provide himself with the necessities of life. At this time, Mr. Jones decided to come to America. John P. served the remainder of his apprenticeship.

After landing in New York, he went to Pottsville, Pennsylvania and remained there with Mr. Jones for three years. After leaving Pottsville, he went to Winter Quarters, where he joined an immigrant train that was leaving for Salt Lake City under the leadership of Captain Warren (Walling). One note worthy of mention and showing the character of our dear parent, before the company reached Fort Bridger, a girl had the misfortune to break her leg and she was forced to lie on a stretcher which father helped carry from the fort to Salt Lake City. Having completed a long and tiresome journey, he arrived in the Salt Lake valley on the ninth day of August in 1860.

After arriving, he gained a living as best he could, working in the canyon, and finally going to work for Charles Skidmore in the saw mill at the mouth of Mill Creek Canyon. He stayed here about three years. While there he married Ann Eliza Jones on the thirty-first day of December, 1862, daughter of Thomas Jones. She died on June 3, 1863. Isabelle Wardell, a young girl, went to call during the illness. John P. was stirring the coffee as it browned with a lead spoon. As he lifted the spoon, only the handle came out as it had melted off. This caused a good laugh. A few days after this, his first wife passed away, and she was buried in the Salt Lake cemetery.

On May 2, 1864, John P. Wright, married Isabelle Wardell, then a girl of fifteen. They walked from East Mill Creek down to Cottonwood, a distance of four miles, to get married. Mother had a new wedding dress which was percale, and her mother thought it was too nice to wear through the sage brush, so she made her wear a print dress. Bishop David Brinton married them. Before their first child was born, then went through the endowment house in Salt Lake City, where he had Eliza and Isabelle sealed to him. They lived in East Mill Creek for about two years. Then they settled down on the sagebrush flat and made adobe for their little two-room house. After twelve months a baby girl was born to them who was named Eliza Ann after father Wright’s first wife. When the baby was ___ days old, Isabelle walked four miles to her mother’s home in East Mill Creek carrying the baby. She had to sit down and rest a time or two. A short time later they built two additional rooms on the back of their house. There were fourteen children born in this home to this union.

Eliza Ann                    4 Apr. 1865                 John Wardell              15 Jul. 1877

Barbara Jane               5 Aug. 1866                William Martin           12 Jan. 1880

Mary Isabelle              20 Dec. 1867               Lucy Rhoena              15 Dec. 1881

Rhoda Ann                  2 Oct. 1869                 Emma Edna                28 Nov. 1883

Sarah Louise               4 Jul. 1871                   Naomi                           24 Jul. 1885

Harriet Josephine        31 Jul. 1873                 Joseph Hyrum               12 Jan. 1889

Norinda Cassander     6 May 1875                  Julia                           12 Jul. 1892

Eleven of these children lived to maturity and three passed away as children.

Father Wright went into business as a tailor and was helped by his wife, Isabelle, who ran the machine. The tailoring shop was in his own home. He made the clothing for the people of the community. He took their measurements and then measured it out on the cloth, as there were no patterns. He and his wife sewed for the Z.C.M.I. in Salt Lake City and made all the overalls and jumpers for David Brinton’s store in Cottonwood, where they bought meat and most of their provisions, and other country stores in the region. This way he provided a good living for his family. They sat up many nights until 12 o’clock sewing on these overalls and jumpers. Occasionally he had Patience Bowery come in to help run the machine when his wife was unable to help. He also made many burial suits and Temple burial clothes for the Saints of the community. One of father’s closest friends at this time was John Redman who made all the children’s shoes. Father was the agent for the White Sewing Machines along with Joseph Cornwall who is the father of Spencer W. Cornwall, the Tabernacle Choir leader. Together they sold the first sewing machines in Salt Lake County.

He was given his Patriarchal blessing August 17, 1874, by John Smith, Church Patriarch. He was told that he would assist in gathering scattered Israel and be an instrument in the hands of the Lord in doing much good. Also, he was promised that he should fulfill his mission upon the earth and secure unto himself a name which should be held honorable remembrance among the fathers of Israel and handed down with his posterity from generation to generation, which promise has been fulfilled up to this time.

There was an epidemic of diphtheria in 1878 which came into our home taking two children. They were Rhoda Ann who died Jan. 30, 1878, and five days later, Feb. 5, 1878, Mary Isabelle passed away. This took many children in the community. All but the baby had the disease.

Times were hard, but the blessings of God were with them, for they raised rye on the farm because there was no water available at that time for irrigation. Irrigation ditches were then dug from Cottonwood Canyon for the crops. People filed on the land in the spring and father was able to get a water right for the homestead. In later years a flowing well was dug on the homestead and though it is no longer used, the well is still there.

Father Wright was a teacher and Superintendant in Sunday School. In 1873, he became a trustee for the district schools. Bills ____ and faithfully attended his quorum meetings and other church meetings.

I can remember when they paid their tithing they would dress in their Temple clothes and go to the tithing yard in Salt Lake City. My father sang at many of the church meetings and was in the choir in Mill Creek Ward. He and his brother (?), George Bailey were the best basses in the ward.

Father was also the sexton of the cemetery when they first laid out the plot for the Mill Creek Cemetery. He filled this capacity for thirty years, after which he retired and his son John W. took the job.

When polygamy was practiced in the Church, father took another wife, Elizabeth Rhynerson, in about the year 1879. She was our hired girl, and he brought her right into our home to live with the family. After a few years he built her another home a few blocks from our homestead. Four children were born to them, Elvina, Martha, Charles, and Mabel. In July, 1887, a second epidemic of diptheria took the two eldest of these children Elvina and Martha.
Father was also a bee man, and took Mother and me with him to help. Elizabeth stayed home and took care of the rest of the family. At this time the U. S. Government had made polygamy unlawful and my father had many hardships while hiding from the marshal. He was in hiding for about 3 years. My little sister Naomi died of pneumonia in February 1887 during this period. The marshals used to come at any time of day or night with a warrant to search our house for Father. One night they came at 11 o’clock after Mother had gone to bed, to search the house. I was still up looking for my father to come home that night. When a knock came at the door, I answered, expecting it to be Father. It was four marshals to search the house and premises. Another time Father had left before daylight, crossed the ditches four times. That morning they came with bloodhounds to track Father. The dogs lost the scent because Father traveled in the water. He was only three-quarters of a mile away at a friend’s house.

Father came home when Elvina and Martha were sick and stayed with Elizabeth to help with her children. When the children died, Father’s second wife, Elizabeth went home to live with her Mother. The marshals arrested Father when he came home during this siege of sickness.
He was put in the penitentiary for six months. While there he made clothes for the inmates and suits for the warden, thus making money for his family and paying his fine. We were only permitted to visit him once a month for about an hour. We’d always take him some of his favorite food. While in the penitentiary, his second wife left him, married again, and raised another family. She lived in Murray, Utah.

In February 21, 1896, he was to fill a two year mission in Great Britain, thus fulfilling the promise given him in his patriarchal blessing. He labored in Wales in his home town. People thought he was his brother long since dead. Isabelle supported the family by helping with confinements (women who had just given birth) and baking for large weddings and banquets. When Father came home, he continued his tailoring in a shop in Murray.

Mother and Father Wright lived happily for many years and celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary at the old home.

Not long after, Father fell and was confined to his home where he had spent all of his married life. He made out his will leaving all the land to his three sons. The youngest, Hyrum, lives on the old homestead. John has a home on some of the land, but William’s land is still vacant.

Father died at the age of 80, January 3, 1918. The funeral was in the Mill Creek Ward Chapel and interment in Mill Creek Cemetery, the same cemetery which he had taken care of so long. He rests only ½ mile from his old home where he knew such happiness.