My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography included in the book, The History of Knox County, Missouri published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1887.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Dr. M. F. Wright, a leading and prominent physician of Colony Township, was born in Jefferson Township, Clark Co., Mo., October 16, 1840, and is a son of Moses and Mary W. (Taylor) Wright. The father was a native of South Carolina, and born September 20, 1800. When quite young he accompanied his parents from his native State to Adair County, Ky., where he was married about 1829, and with his family moved to Illinois, where he remained but a few months, and then removed to Van Buren County, Iowa, and a few years later again changed his residence, going to Clark County, Mo., of which he was one of the first settlers. His occupation through life was that of farming, but served as magistrate for many years, the duties of which office he was discharging at the time of his death, October 3, 1860. Our subject’s mother was a cousin of Zachariah Taylor, and a daughter of George Taylor. She was born in Adair County, Ky., November 25, 1801, and died at the residence of her son, our subject, March 1, 1885. Both she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church before its division, and then joined the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Our subject is the eighth of a family of nine children, of whom seven are living, and received his education at the common schools of Clark County. In 1859 he began to study medicine at Fairmont, under Dr. J. E. Henry, but in August, 1861, left his studies to join Company B, of Green’s Regiment, Missouri State Guards, but served only a short time. In 1862 he again resumed his studies, this time in Colony, Knox County, under Dr. W. H. Martin. In 1864-65 he attended lectures at the Keokuk Medical College, and has since been engaged in the practice of his chosen profession at Colony, first in partnership with his preceptor, and now by himself. February 14, 1866, he married Ruth J. McReynolds, of Knox County, Mo., daughter of Josiah and Mary (Pugh) McReynolds, to which union four sons and three daughters have been born, all of whom are living. In politics our subject is a Democrat, and he is a member of the Masonic fraternity. His wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church South.

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This family biography is one of 204 biographies included in the Knox County, Missouri portion of the book,  The History of Lewis, Clark, Knox and Scotland Counties, Missouri published in 1887.  For the complete description, click here: Knox County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Knox County, Missouri family biographies here: Knox County, Missouri Biographies

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