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Col. John C. Wright was born in Talbotton County, Ga., March 15, 1835, and died at the home of his son-in-law, Judge E. O. Mahony, in Eldorado, Ark., on the 18th of January, 1915.

A life was thus called out of the world on which other lives had leaned; a man of genuine manhood, whose convictions of duty were illuminated by the realities of divine truth; a man whose integrity, sincerity, and generosity made an impression on the work and whose Christlike spirit of self-sacrifice abides as a benediction. It was his manful sympathy the enthroned him in the hearts of human lives; and as he had served and ministered to others, so loving hearts and tender hands ministered unto him in his last days. All through the days of a long life he was active and useful, and he leaves a record of honorable service as a precious legacy, In 1859 he was married to Miss Alabama Newton; and of their six children, there are two sons and daughters. His father, Maj. Edward Wright, removed to Union County, Ark., in 1843.

In 1861 Colonel Wright raised a company for the Confederate army, and upon the organization of the 15th Arkansas Volunteer Infantry he was elected its lieutenant colonel. His regiment surrendered at Fort Donelson, but Colonel Wright made his escape, and before his regiment was exchanged, in connection with his brother-in-law, Col. A. S. Morgan, and Major Bell, of Pine Bluff, Ark., he raised another regiment. He was made lieutenant colonel of that also and distinguished himself in the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., but on account of some dissension in that regiment he resigned, On his way home he met a friend, Captain Reed, of Monticello, Ark., who told him of a regiment of cavalry then being organized, and he persuaded Colonel Wright to go with him to the camp. Such was the personality of the man that, alhough he was known only to Captain Reed, he was almost unanimously elected colonel of the regiment, afterwards known as Wright's Cavalry Regiment, with which he performed distinguished service during the remainder of the war.

Colonel Wright was the leader of his people in throwing off carpetbag government, and his people hold him in eternal gratitude for his services after reconstruction. He held with honor and distinction the offices of Circuit and County Court Clerk and was also a member of the State Legislature, all with credit to himself and honor to his people.

[By committee: W. E. Lacy, A. C. Jones, J. T. Tatum.]