The Descendants of John Wright is the definitive family history of Springboro’s founders.

George F. Wright has been researching the family history of Springboro’s Wrights for many years and has published this definitive genealogy.

Jonathon Mahlon Wright (1844-1925), was one of a number of scions of the Wright family in Springboro that became doctors.

Subsequently, he attended the medical department of the Michigan University at Ann Arbor for two years, 1866-1868;  thence attended the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati one year, graduating in the spring of 1869. In 1870, he located at Waynesville in the practice of his profession along with retiring physician, William Anderson. In spring of 1871, he located at Red Lion, where he has continued, and established a good practice.

Doctor "Jonny" practiced in Red Lion, a small town south of Springboro, for several years.

Joel Wright (1750-1829), father of Springboro’s founder, Jonathon Wright, was a Quaker born in Menallen (southeast), PA and first came to Ohio, in 1788 as part of a team to survey the Northwest Territory. He was hired first to survey the Muskingum Valley, then later the Scioto Valley, later the Great & Little Miami Valleys, and eventually settled in 1806, near Waynesville. Joel Wright platted the towns of Columbus, Dayton, Springboro, Ohio and Louisville, KY. A picture of a compass Joel Wright used can be seen at Ohio History.

(Note, John Bateman was a member of the same Menallen Friends Meeting as Jonathon Wright in Adams County, southeastern Pennsylvania. Bateman and Wright married sisters. The county seat of Adams County is Gettysburg.)

George Wright’s ancestors were represented at the 1915, Springboro Centennial and Homecoming celebration as noted in the following item excerpted from the Centennial and Homecoming extra edition of the Franklin News:

Recent family history notes (2014) from George F. Wright:

1.Josiah Wright #1863 b. 27-Sep-1808, Menallen Twp., Adams Co., PA,

(son of Jonathan Wright #1856 and Mary Bateman #1860) m. in Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

Emily Thomas #4640, b. 22-Jan-1817, d. 26-Apr-1909, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  Josiah died 29-Aug-1870, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  Was living next to his father, Jonathan in the 1850 Census - Clear Creek Twp. Warren Co., OH. Emily: A cousin to her husband.

Children:

+2.iJesse Wright #4649 b. 26-Oct-1837.

  3.iiElizabeth Wright #11716 b. 27-Mar-1839,

d. 6-Sep-1849,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  4.iiiHannah Wright #4650 b. 7-Dec-1842, Warren Co., OH,

d. 13-Jan-1910, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  5.ivCharles Wright #4651 b. 13-Aug-1846, Warren Co., OH,

d. 15-Sep-1857,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  6.vEdward Wright #4641 b. 23-Apr-1848, Warren Co., OH,

d. 21-Feb-1867, Springboro, Warren Co., OH,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  7.viLydia Wright #4652 b. 11-Mar-1850, Warren Co., OH,

d. ??-___-1944,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.

+8.viiAlfred T. Wright #4653 b. 27-Apr-1853.

  9.viiiMary (Cousin Mittie) Wright #4654 b. 22-Oct-1855, Warren Co., OH,

d. ??-___-1937,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.

  10.ixAnna Wright #4655 b. 13-Mar-1858, Warren Co., OH,

d. ??-___-1884,

buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  11.xEmily Wright #4656 b. 7-Nov-1859, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

occupation Physician, d. 13-Jul-1940, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.  After working in a business office to earn enough money, she went to medical school in Philadelphia and started practice in Chicago, but later moved to Rock Island, where she continued until her retirement.  During her last years she resided with her older sisters in the old house in Springboro.  (Rock island is a port on the Mississippi River directly west of Chicago in the state of Illinois.) Census data:

1880 Clear Creek Twp., Warren Co., OH - Emily, Jr. is with her mother and sibs, 20 yrs old.

1900 Ward 5, Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL - Dr. Emily Wright, boarder, b 1859, 40 yrs old, physician 1910 Ward 5, Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL- Emily Wright, boarder, 50 yrs old, physician 1920 Springboro Village, Clear Creek Twp., Warren Co., OH- Emily Wright, head, 60 yrs., medical doctor, general practice Lydia Wright, sister, 69 yrs., no occupation Mary Wright, sister, 64 yrs., no occupation *Emily must have still been practicing in Springboro. 1930 Springboro Village, Clear Creet Twp., Warren Co., OH- Lydia Wright 80, no occupation Mary Wright 74, no occupation Emily Wright 70, no occupation.

Death Cert. displayed on Famil Search (from Terry Easton): Father - Josiah Wright b Adams Co., PA Mother - Emily Thomas b Adams Co., PA Doctor - D. Keever, MD Cause of death - Rectal Carcinoma Burial at Springboro on 7/15/1940 Informant - Mrs. Ida Keever

+12.xiIda Wright #11703 b. 1-Sep-1861.

Second Generation

2.Jesse Wright #4649 (1.Josiah1) b. 26-Oct-1837, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH, occupation Mechanic, m. 30-Dec-1867, in Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

Jane Farr #11704, b. cir 1844, OH,

(daughter of Franklin Farr #12472 and Elizabeth Bateman #12460) d. 11-Jan-1935, buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  Jesse died 1-Jul-1925, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH, buried: Friends Cem., Springboro, Warren Co., OH.

  1870 Census lists Jessie 32, Jane 26 and Charles E. 1. Worked with his brother, Alfred in their father's woolen mill in 1870. Terry Easton sent pics of the 100th year celebration of Springboro in which Jesse was the featured speaker, talking about  the history of Springboro - 1815-1915.

Children:

+13.iCharles E. Wright #11705 b. 30-Oct-1868.

  14.iiJulia B. Wright #11852 b. 25-Dec-1873, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

d. 29-Nov-1875, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH.

8.Alfred T. Wright #4653 (1.Josiah1) b. 27-Apr-1853, Warren Co., OH,

occupation Physician,

m. 16-Oct-1894, in Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

Emma Weir #11857, b. ??-___-1865,

d. ??-___-1929,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.  Alfred died ??-___-1934,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.  Alfred and his brother, Jessie worked in their father's woolen mill in 1870. According to Aron & Mary Wright, Alfred studied medicine and practiced in southern Ohio, spending the later years of his life in Waynesville.

Children:

  15.iAlfred J. Wright #11858 b. 10-May-1897, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

d. 14-Jan-1964,

buried: Quaker Cem, Springboro, OH.

  16.iiR. Elliot Wright #11859 b. 23-Jan-1901, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH.

12.Ida Wright #11703 (1.Josiah1) b. 1-Sep-1861, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

occupation Physician,

m. 28-Oct-1886,

Dudley Keever #11860, b. 12-Nov-1859, Waynesville, Warren Co., OH,

occupation Physician, d. 17-Feb-1953, Centerville, Wash T, Montgomery Co., OH, buried: Springboro Cem, Springboro, Warren Co OH.  Ida died ??-___-1946, Centerville, Wash T, Montgomery Co., OH, buried: Springboro Cem, Springboro, Warren Co OH.  Dudley: This person was supposed to be a physician but there is no record at AMA. He established a large practice in Springboro and then Centerville.  He took advanced classes in New York.  He was active in relief work in Dayton at the time of the 1913 flood.  He was a classmate of his wife at Miami Valley Coll. Also, grandson of the pioneer, Martin Keever.  Practiced medicine until he was 90 yrs old. Apparently the name was formally Benjamin W. Dudlely Keever.

1900 Census Centerville, Washington Twp., Montgomery Co., OH (He lived there all  of his life) Benjamin W. Keever Nov 1859, married 14 yrs, 2 of 3 children living. Ida W. Sep 1861 Edward Oct 1889 Stanley W. (Wynne) Jan 1898

1910 - same address Dudley Keever 50 Ida 48 Edward 20 Winn 12 Lidia Wright 60 sister-in-law

1930 - same address B. W. Dudley Keever 70 Ida 68

Death Certificate published on line.  Father - Moses Keever, Mother Julia Tuney.  Widowed.  Bur Springboro Cem.  Informant - Edward Keever.

Children:

  17.iEdward Wright Keever #11861 b. 9-Oct-1889,

m. ??-___-1920,

Estella Berge #12466.  Was for a time in New York, but returned to Ohio, married in 1920 and is a journalist in Dayton.  No children.

  18.iiRobert D. Keever #11862 b. 13-Apr-1893,

d. Infant.

+19.iiiWynne Keever #11863 b. 1-Jan-1898.

Third Generation

13.Charles E. Wright #11705 (2.Jesse2, 1.Josiah1) b. 30-Oct-1868, Springboro, Clear Ck.Twp, Warren Co., OH,

occupation Librarian, m. 25-Nov-1902,

Lola M. Davis #11853, b. Cir 1874.  Charles died ??-___-1941, Duquesne, PA.

  Grew up in Springboro and eventually became Librarian of the Carnegie Fenn Library at Duquesne, PA in 1906 and remained at that post until his death in 1941. 1910 census - Duquesne, Allegheny Co., PA Charles E. Wright 39 yrs Lola M. 34 William J. 6 Elizabeth R. 4 Charles E., Jr. 2

1920 census - ward 2, Duquesne Chares E. Wright 51 Lola 44 William 16 Elizabeth 14 Charles 12 Robert 6

1930 census - same Charles E. Wright 61 Lola M. 54 William J. 26 Charles E. 22 Robert J. 16

Terry Easton sent a copy of a brief announcement in 1915 of a visit to Springboro of Mr. & Mrs Charles Wright and their 3 sons, William, Charles and Robert.

Children:

  20.iWilliam Jonathan Wright #11854 b. 20-Oct-1903.

  21.iiElizabeth W. Wright #11855 b. 30-Apr-1905,

m. Charles J. Marsh #12464.

  22.iiiCharles E. Wright, Jr. #11856 b. ??-Nov-1908.

  23.ivRobert J. Wright #12465 b. Cir 1914, Duquesne, Allegheny Co., PA.

19.Wynne Keever #11863 (12.Ida2, 1.Josiah1) b. 1-Jan-1898,

m. Miriam Washburn #12467.  Graduated from Swarthmore College, taught at George School at Newtown, PA, and then assumed charge of a school in New Rochelle, NY. (Aron & Mary Wright).

Children:

  24.iJane Keever #12468.

  25.iiDudley Keever #12469 occupation Physician.  Practiced in Mt. Kisko, NY.

The Wright General Store, Mahlon & Josiah Wright, props, downtown Springboro - by Pamela Harrington

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