“Memorial and Biographical History of Dallas County,” published:  Dallas;
  Walsworth Publishing Company, 1892.


JESSE WRIGHT,  a farmer and stock raiser, and another one of the pioneers 
of Dallas county, has resided here since 1850.

He is a native of Tennessee, born ten miles east of Nashville, in 1816, a son 
of Hanlas Wright, a native of North Carolina, and of English ancestry.  His 
mother's maiden name was Sallie Humphres, and she, too, was a native of 
North Carolina, born in Davidson county.  They were married in that State, 
and went to Tennessee at an early day, when that country was the frontier of 
civilization, and on a farm in the latter State they passed the rest of their 
days.  They were the parents of ten children, all of whom lived to be grown; 
and a fact worthy of record is that they never had a doctor in their home.  Of 
this large family only the subject of our sketch survives.

Mr. Wright was reared on the farm, and remained with his parents until he 
reached his majority.  He was married June 27, 1837, to Miss Martha Ann 
Wright, a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Thomas Wright.  After his 
marriage he lived with his father-in-law and worked at the blacksmith trade, 
a business in which he was very proficient, having picked the trade up and 
followed it until he emigrated to Texas, in 1850.  He came here with horse 
and mule teams, and as there were few roads and no bridges they were six 
weeks in making the journey, landing in Dallas county the last of November.  
He settled on a farm about six miles and a half south of Dallas, on land his 
father-in-law had purchased, and continued to work at his trade.  He made 
the irons for two mills, the first mills of importance in the county, and 
ground grain for the people, some of them coming a distance of fifty miles.  
When Mr. Wright came here Dallas had two small stores, a rude tavern, and 
about four residences.  He lived with his wife's father until 1860, when he 
purchased 320 acres of wild land, and as the years rolled by developed it into 
one of the finest farms in the neighborhood, and on it he has since resided.  
He has assisted in building nearly all the churches in this part of the county, 
and has contributed freely of his earnings toward keeping up religious 
meetings and schools.  He has been a member of the Baptist Church for 
more than a half century, and has held the office of Deacon.  His wife was 
also a member of the church for many years, and was a devoted Christian, 
possessing many estimable qualities that endeared her to a large circle of 
friends.  Her death occurred in 1886, at the age of sixty-five years, and after 
a happy married life of fifty years.

Submitted by Linda Pingel