WRIGHT, Simeon
Source: Greencastle Star 10 July 1880 p 1
Buried Swinford Cemetery, Barnard, Nodaway County, Missouri – born Putnam County, Indiana 14 Feb 1832 – died 21 June 1880 Nodaway County, Missouri – husband to Sarilda Jane – father to William Mordecai; Rebecca sabelle; John L; Henry Elsberry; Noah W; Amanda Ellen; Ulysses Simeon and Ira Afton Wright (via findagrave.com)
The Republican of June 23, 1880, published at Maryville, Missouri gives the following account of the death of Mr. Simeon Wright, formerly a resident of this county, a brother of Mr. William Wright who is a resident on Little Walnut northwest of the city. On Monday morning our citizens were startled by the announcement passed from mouth to mouth that “Sim Wright had been killed,” and upon investigation it was found to be only too true. Mr. Jos. Jackson received a telegram from Mr. Stockton, stating that Mr. Wright had been run over by the cars and killed instantly at Burlington, Iowa. The distracted relatives were notified of the horrible death of their dear relative, and Mr. WM Wright of the firm of Signs & Wright, son of the deceased started immediately on the northbound train to bring back all that was Morton of Simeon Wright. From Mr. Ed M. Moss we learn full particulars of the sad affair which are substantially as follows: Mr. Wright, accompanied by the following well known gentlemen, Jacob Everhart, William Bell, Sr; William Bell, Jr; William Sewell; RS Stockton and Ed. L. Townsend, son of RK Townsend, our grocer, started from Maryville Saturday morning with stock for the Chicago market. While nearing the depot at Burlington, Iowa which was about 1 o’clock Sunday night, Mr. Wright suggested that they all go on top of the train until the train men changed cabooses which is customary at that point. The party consented, and arrived safely on top and seated themselves on the cars, when Mr. Wright told William Bell Jr to follow him and go to the forward end of the train and when it stopped they would go, one on each side, back along the cars and look after the stock. Actng under his advice, Mr. Bell started forward and had gone about three car lengths when Mr. Wright started. At this time Mr. Ed. Townsend concluded to go forward also and started with Mr. Wright about two or three car lengths ahead of him. They had traversed probably half the distance when Mr. Townsend in the indistinct light, thought he saw some one fall and accordingly halloed to Mr. Bell that Mr. Wright had fallen from the train. Upon hearing this Mr. Bell ran back and immediately notified the train men who stopped the train as soon as possible. Search was immediately instituted under the train, but not seeing anything of him the party started back the track, where the remains were found a short distance from the train, horribly mangled. It was a sight well calculated to freeze the blood in the spectator’s veins. The head was entirely separate from the body and lay about 6’ distant. The body was considerably mangled. The sorrow stricken and almost paralyzed part of friends, who a few short minutes before had parted with one of their number, tenderly gathered the mangled remains together and took them to an undertaker and notified the coroner who concluded an inquest and rendered a verdict in accordance with the above facts, at 10 o’clock Monday morning when the body was carefully dressed and placed in a casket and given in charge of Mr. Sewell, who volunteered to assist in the sad duty of brining the remains to Maryville where they arrived Tuesday morning. The body was taken immediately to the family residence, about 4 miles east of Maryville, where a short service was held by Elder DO Hink of the Advent Church of which Mr. Wright was a worthy member, after which all that remained mortal of Simeon Wright was followed by a large concourse of weeping friends and grieving relatives to the Swinford cemetery and buried in the family burying ground. No words can express the deep grief of the dear relatives in this sad hour. They have the sympathy of all, but sympathy is a poor balm, especially in this instance, where a loving husband and kind father had but a few short hours before in the prime of life, taken leave of the dear ones, to be gone but a few days at most. What must have been the anguish of the fond wife and affectionate children when the sad news them ? We can only pint them to Him who doeth all things well. In the death of Mr. Wright, Nodaway County has lost one of her foremost and most energetic men. He was always at the front in any scheme which was likely to benefit our county.