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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  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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Hezekiah B. Wright. In reviewing the various business interests of Greene County, Ark., the name of Wright is found to be one of the most prominent, especially in connection with farming and merchandising. Mr. Wright was born in Hickman County, Tenn., in 1829, and there made his home until 1850, when he came to Arkansas, having commenced the battle of life at the age of eighteen years. Two years later he located on his present farm, and has about 250 acres of land in an excellent state of cultivation, besides several other tracts, all of which he has earned by energy and good judgment. He is also engaged in general merchandising at Gainesville, the style of the firm being H. B. Wright & Co., and they are enjoying a prosperous trade, owing to their thorough knowledge of the details of the business and the wants of the public, combined with honorable dealing. Mr. Wright was married to Mrs. Martha J. (Stares) Perry, who died in 1863, having borne two children by Mr. Wright: William J. and John N. (twins); and one child by her first husband, Mr. Perry: Mary, the wife of H. C. Sharer, of Wright County, Mo. Mr. Wright took for his second wife Mrs. Permelia E. (Ward) Wood, widow of C. Wood. Their union has resulted in the birth of eight children: Joseph D., Franklin C., Alvin T., Emma M., Anna A., Revis and Hezekiah B. Addie J. died when two years and nine months old. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, to which their children, Joseph, Frank and Emma, also belong. Mr. Wright is a Royal Arch Mason, and in his political views is a Democrat; he was elected county coroner on that ticket in 1858, and held the position until the breaking out of the late Civil War. He is a strong advocate of and a liberal contributor to schools and churches. He is the only surviving member of a family of three children (Thompson and Rebecca being the other two) born to John and Sarah (Barr) Wright, who were natives of South Carolina and Kentucky, respectively. When a small boy the father was taken by his parents to Tennessee, and resided first in Robertson County, then in Hickman County, where he attained his majority, and where his father died at an advanced age. He was the eldest child, and in 1849 moved to Arkansas, and died in Greene County, in 1867, at the age of sixty-five years, his wife dying in 1851, aged about forty-seven years.

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This family biography is one of 120 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Greene County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Greene County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Greene County, Arkansas family biographies here: Greene County, Arkansas Biographies

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