Robert Wright (1826 - 1887)

Born 4 Dec 1826 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Martha (Kirkley) Wright — married 19 May 1847 in St. Andrew's Parish Church, Newcastle, Northumberland, England

Descendants

Died 12 Apr 1887 at age 60 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, USA

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Biography

Robert Wright was born on 04 December 1826^[1] (or 1824^[2]) in Newcastle, Northumberland, England, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Winter) Wright. Robert was a glass cutter's apprentice as early as 1841, at age 15, while living with his parents on Cannon St. in Gateshead.^[3] He was living in Gallowgate in Newcastle when he married Martha Kirkley on 19 May 1847 in St. Andrew's Parish Church, Newcastle.^[4] Robert was a glass cutter in 1851 when he is found in the census residing on West St. in St. Mary's parish in Gateshead with his wife Martha and daughter Elizabeth.^[5] Before leaving England they had a son born in Gateshead named Robert Jr.

Immigration records indicate that Robert arrived in New York about 06 March 1852, with a final immigration record filed on 09 November 1871. He was a glass cutter, born in County Durham, England, about 4 Dec 1826, and was residing in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1871.^[1]

By 1855 Robert and his family were living in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was working as a glass cutter. The area is near what is now the Franklin Park in Roxbury.^[6]

While living in Boston, Robert and Martha had three children born: Margaret, who died in infancy, Joseph and Jonathan. In 1860 the family moved to Sandwich on Cape Cod, where Robert was employed as a glass cutter in the Boston & Sandwich Glass Works for nearly 30 years. After their arrival in Sandwich they had one more child born there, William.

At various times in the 1870s and 1880s, all of Robert's children were employed in the glassworks, including daughter Elizabeth.

Robert was aged 62 years and 4 months when he died of Bright's disease (kidney disease) on 12 April 1887 in Sandwich, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.^[2] He was buried in the Bay View Cemetery in Sandwich.^[7]

An obituary was pubished in the Sandwich Observer on 19 April 1887:

Mr Robert Wright died at his home in Sandwich on Tuesday of last week of Bright's disease of the kidneys, after a short illness at the age of 63 years. He was born in Newcastle on Tyne, England, and came to Sandwich about 1859 to work at his trade as a glass cutter at the Boston and Sandwich Glass Works, where he had continued working to within a short time of his decease. He was a member of the Knights of Honor Lodge, also of the Cape Cod Mutual Benefit Association. Funeral services were held on Thursday at his residence, the Rev SM Beale officiating, which were largely attended. All his former associates in the Glass Works and the members of the Knights of Honor attending in a body.

Children:

1. Elizabeth 1849-1914
2. Robert 1851-1895, m. Mary A. Chase
3. Margaret 1855-1857
4. Joseph 1857-1907
5. Jonathan K. 1859-1924, m. Hattie E. Burgess
6. William C. 1866-1923, m. Temperance Emma Fish

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Final naturalization record; 1871; Circuit Court for the District of Mass, 9 Nov 1871.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Massachusetts Death Registration - Robert Wright, (1887) Vol. 382:19, entry #12, Massachusetts State Archives, Boston, Massachusetts.

   "Robert Wright died at age 62y,4m, cause Bright's disease, a glass cutter, res & died Sandwich, place of burial Sandwich, place of birth Newcastle England, father John of Gateshead, Eng, mother Elizabeth of Gateshead, Eng." (note: parent's names conflict with his marriage record)

3. ↑ 1841 UK Census, Durham, Gateshead, HO107 Piece 296; Book:17; Enumeration District:19; Folio:22; Page:38; Line:23, LDS Family History Library British Film #241345.
4. ↑ Marriage of Robert Wright & Martha Kirkley, (1847) St. Andrew Parish Church Register, Newcastle Upon Tyne, entry #481, General Register Office (England & Wales) Southport, England.

   Groom: Robert Wright, of age, bachelor, glass cutter, res. Gallowgate (50 yards from St Andrews Church in Newcastle), father Thomas Wright, a smith;

   Bride: Martha Kirkley, of age, res. Gallowgate, father Jonathon Kirkley, a cordwainer, (Martha signed with her mark) witnesses were John and Esther Kirton, married after bans by Thomas Smyth.

5. ↑ 1851 UK Census, Durham, Gateshead, M3/36, HO107/2402, folio 291, p. 42, Durham County Records Office, LDS British Film #087080.
6. ↑ 1855 MA State Census, population schedule, Suffolk Co., MA, enumeration #1394/2242-2243, Massachusetts State Archives LDS films 953958 & 953959.
7. ↑ Wright Family Burial Plot, Bay View Cemetery, Main & Pine Streets, Sandwich, Massachusetts, Gravestone Reader: Bobbie Hall 07 Jul 2002

See also:

• Frank W. Chipman, The romance of old Sandwich glass, with dictionary of old Sandwich patterns (Sandwich, MA: Sandwich Publishing Co., 1938)