Ivan Wright

Bessie and Ivan Wright have lived in Texas, Ohio, since October 2, 1931; this is 44 years this October.

Ivan was the son of John Albert Wright and his mother was Emily (Crockett) Wright. Ivan was born September 27, 1891, in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a book publisher, and also a school teacher.

They moved from Chicago, Illinois, to Liberty Township, to the old Wright homestead west of Liberty Center in the spring of 1893.

Ivan spent all his school years in the Liberty Center School. His first teacher was Cora Welson. He graduated from Liberty Center High School on May 25, 1909. There were 10 who graduated that year with him and six of these are still living today in 1975.

Ivan served in World War I. He was inducted in March of 1918 and was with the 83rd Infantry Division and then transferred to the 82nd Division. He served in France until he was "gassed"; then was sent home in the spring of 1919.

Bessie was the daughter of Bertha (Tressler) Heinlen and William Heinlen. She was born August 31, 1897, in Bucyrus, Ohio. Her family moved to Frederickstown, Missouri, when she was a small child. She spent all her school years in Fredericktown.

Bessie and Ivan met in Toledo, Ohio, while both worked at the Willys Overland. They were married November 28, 1923, in Toledo, so they have been married 52 years this fall.

They moved to Texas, Ohio, because of Ivan's health; his doctor said he could live a year to a year and a half. He now is 84 years old so Texas must have been good for his health.

Bessie wrote news items about the Texas folks for about 40 years for the Liberty Press and the Northwest Signal newspapers. She was off a short while in 1953 when she was operated on for her eyes. She has had eye trouble since a child, and it has slowly gotten worse, but in spite of this she does her own housework and still writes for both papers today with Ivan's help.

Ivan likes nature; he always liked to walk in the woods, and along the Maumee River. He would go pick lots of wild strawberries, blackberries and raspberries in the summer. He would always tell us kids when the first spring flowers were out in the woods.

Ivan always kept watch of the thickness of the ice, on the Maumee and Bessie would record this in her news items in the papers. We always knew if the ice was safe to go skating. Some of the kids who used to go skating were Mildred and Skip Anglemyre, Peggy and Pat Johnson, Frank and Marion Koch, Mary Ellen Patton, the Murrin boys, Jack, Bill, James, Robert, and Jerry.

In January and February of 1945 he built an "igloo" of snow blocks on the river and it was big enough for ten people to get into. Mrs. Leland Soles took a picture of it and her daughter Lila Lee who was 6 years old. It was sent to the Toledo Blade.

Bessie and Ivan never had a family, but they like children; the kids often talked about the trick and treat they got, big popcorn balls and candy bars and apples at Halloween. Some of these children they recall were Terry and Brenda Bowers, Patsy and Mike Mann, Norman and Ruth Lawrence, Bonnie Foreman, Bill Metcalf, Dick Kimerer, Lila Lee Lawrence and Sharon Soles and there were many more. These children are about all married and now have families of their own.

Ivan said when they first came to Texas the road going through here was Route 31 and it only went to the west edge of Texas. Then it turned north to I. J. Johnson's and then west to 109, then back to the river again.

Ivan said he once remembers coming on the ferry at Damascus and Texas. His mother and father had a Sunday School class outing. He tore his pants and his father had to buy him a new pair at the J. W. Wright store here in Texas. He was very embarrassed and never forgot it, he said.

Bessie and Ivan both were members of the Gilbert Baughman Post No. 492 American Legion and Auxiliary of Liberty Center. Bessie is a charter member there today.

They said they have seen many changes in the past 44 years since they came to Texas. Many friends have come and gone.

Submitted by Mary Ellen Thrane