In Memoriam

John Wesley Wright

John Wesley Wright was born in Perry, Wyoming county, New York, December 5, 1838, and died at his home in Liberty Center, O. October 7, 1910 at the ago of 71 years, 10 months and 2 days.

In the same year of his birth his parents moved to Bath township, Summit county, Ohio, and in 1853 the family moved to Fulton county, Ohio, where tho father and mother resided until their deaths.

The deceased came to Texas, O., in 1862 and entered the employ of Roach & Wilson, who at that time conducted a general store. When the store passed into the hands of Mr. Gehring he remained in his old position until the death of Mr. Gehring when he purchased the stock and engaged in business for himself. He continued in active business until December of 1908 when he retired and moved to Liberty Center.

He was united in marriage to .Sarah E. Crozier at her father’s home in Texas on October 17,[unreadable] by Rev. Colgan, and together they walked through sunshine and shadow, for nearly forty-four years, meeting and overcoming or bearing the trials and troubles of life shoulder to shoulder, mounting from little of worldly goods to a competency and comfort.

The deceased leaves a wife, three brothers, Thomas, who resides at Columbus, O. Charles and Robert, both residing in Fulton county, and one sister, Mrs. R. B. McClarren, of Wauseon.

The funeral was held at the Reformed church, in Liberty Center, Sunday, Oct. 9th, at 2 o’clock, conducted by Rev. Albright. The I. O. O. F. lodge of Texas, of which Mr. Wright was a charter member, attended in a body, as did the Liberty Center lodge, and the order he loved so well laid the tired body to rest in Young’s cemetery with its touching rites.

Small use is there for the writer to dwell upon the virtues of this man who has gone from among us, and were it necessary so to do we feel more than we can tell you our inability to pen portray the upright life of the man. For nearly half a century he lived among you, and who among you can point to a dishonest, dishonorable act? Who of you have heard him illy spoken of, even? Few indeed are the men of whom this can be said, and said truthfully. Honesty, honor, truth and loyalty, to do as he would be done by, that was his religion, and he lived it to the letter. Who among you have a better? Who among you follow your creed so closely?

But few of you know of the pain and suffering so heroically and uncomplainingly borne by the man. None knew of this except those of us who knew something of his ailments, and the suffering that must necessarily have arisen there from. But he endured all that God sent with the heroism that characterized the man all through life.

No deserving man ever went from his door hungry, many of you who read this can recall a [unreadable] hunger and cold by the credit he so freely extended. And thank God he cared for the orphans.

In the early morning, just as the curtains of night palled lo admit the golden day-king, his spirit left its manacles of clay and returned to the God who gave it.

And so he laid the burden by,
As one who rests beside the road,
And from his weary back unbinds
The whelming load.

And had it been given mortal eyes to see, and mortal eats to hear, we might have seen he pearly gates hung wide to admit the spirit of this just man; we might have caught a glimpse of the glory that lies beyond; we might have heard the angels sing and a sweet voice say: ‘Welcome home.’ We might have caught a waved adieu from the weary hands and seen again the accustomed smile upon the uncomplaining lips.