Beginnings

Robert Wright was born in Oxford Village, East Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, to Alexander and Sarah Wright on February 10, 1816.[1] He never knew his older sister, Leah, who died about six weeks after her January 8, 1814 birth.[2] Unfortunately, his little brother Peter who was born on October 18, 1819[3] died sometime before 1828.[4] Robert grew up, probably in Chester County with his younger sister, Elizabeth Ann, who was six years younger.

 Robert’s father, Alexander, died after the conception of his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, between late 1827 and May 1828. In May 1828 his wife, Sarah, requested the court for a guardian for her two children, Robert and Eliza.[5] My records give a death date for Alexander on April 18, 1825, when Robert was nine years old and Elizabeth Ann was three but the date is unsubstantiated at this time. Sarah Wright was left to care for her two children alone. She lived long enough to raise them to maturity. Then, she too, passed away on January 18, 1837[6] before either Robert or Elizabeth was married. Robert was now twenty years old and Elizabeth was fourteen.

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[1] “Book of Memoranda,” 1845, a journal belonging to Robert Wright, a copy of ‘Record of Robert Wright’ pages from this workbook in possession of Margaret Murphy [address for private use] Provo, Utah, USA, 2013.

[2]  Ibid.

[3]  Ibid.

[4] Chester County, Pennsylvania, Orphans’ Court Record Book 15:309, Petition for Guardian for Robert and Eliza Write, 1828; Clerk of Orphans’ Court, West Chester, Pennsylvania. Peter was not listed as a surviving child of Alexander’s in this 1828 petition for guardianship of his children.

[5] Ibid.
[6] “Book of Memoranda,”1845, Record of Robert Wright, Murphy family papers.