|
Wright, Joseph, Bishop of East Coalville Ward, Summit county, Utah, is the son of Joseph Wright and Martha Rippon, and was born Dec. 8, 1844, at Handsworth Woodhouse, Yorkshire, England. In a brief biographical sketch prepared for this work, Bishop Wright says: "I was raised in my native village until I was twenty-three years old, and was baptized April 19, 1868, by William Walker. I emigrated to Utah the same year, sailing from Liverpool, England, on the steamship "Colorado," July 14, 1868. We arrived in New York July 28, 1868, and at Benton, the terminus of the Union Pacific railroad, Aug. 7, 1868, Here we camped on the North Platte river about one week. We left Benton Aug. 14th in Daniel D. McArthur's ox-train of 61 wagons and 411 persons, and arrived at Echo city, Utah, Sept. 8, 1868. Bishop Warren, a railroad contractor, whose camp was at the point of the mountain by the rock quarry, near what is known as the Devil's Slide, wanted men to work on his railway contract. I was engaged and worked on the road till Christmas, when I went to Coalville, to stay for the winter. I secured work in the coal mines and married Betsy Jane Bowers July 18, 1870; we made our home in Coalville till November, 1873, when we moved to Kamas, to take up land and make a start in life. Bishop Samuel F. Atwood called me to go on a mission to Arizona. Feb. 14, 1876, and in response to this call I left Kamas Feb. 14th, and after many difficulties I reached Salt Lake City. We started for Arizona Feb. 24, 1876, and traveled through mud and snow till we reached Panguitch, whence we traveled up the Sevier river to Assay's ranch. We found four feet of snow on the divide. At Orderville we stopped two weeks to rest our cattle, after which we traveled via Mount Carmel and Kanab to John D. Lee's ferry, on the Colorado river. The river was very high and dangerous to cross; and while camping on its banks, we were overtaken by Brothers Daniel H. Wells, Erastus Snow, Brigham Young, jun., Lorenzo W. Roundy, Jacob Hamblin, and others, who were on their way to visit the Saints on the little Colorado river. We helped to ferry them across, and made two trips in safety. Returning for another load, we put on two provision wagons and Pres. Wells' buggy, after which we towed the boat up the stream one mile, in order to give it a chance to land at the proper place on the opposite side. While taking the boat around a point of rocks, the water poured over the bow; word was given to slacken the tow-rope, and in doing so the rope caught in the seam of a rock, whereby the bow was drawn under the water, and in a few moments the rapid current swept the boat clear of its contents; men, wagons and luggage went into the surging water together. Pres. Wells jumped towards the shore where I stood on the bank, and I threw the tow-rope to him, in order to help him out. A rush was made to get a small skiff to pick up the brethren who were floating down the river. We soon found that Bishop Lorenzo W. Roundy was missing; he was said to be a good swimmer, but most likely he was taken with the cramp and sank at once. I understand that his body has never been found. The party then went to the house of John D. Lee, and his wife Emma did all she could for the comfort of the brethren. It was a very gloomy night on account of the loss of Bro. Roundy. This unfortunate affair occurred May 28, 1876. Pres. Wells counseled Brother George Dabling and me to take our families back to where we could get feed and water for our cattle. Consequently, we returned to Jacobs Pools, where we remained until the river went down, so that we could cross without danger. Brother Dabling and I made a trip back to Orderville after provisions. In the latter part of July we again started for the ferry, where we met John D. Lee for the first time. We swam our cattle across the river and crossed our wagons on the ferry boat, while our families crossed in a little skiff. The next morning we started for Navajo springs, thence we traveled via the Limestone tanks and Willow springs to Mow-abby. From that place we made a visit to Moancoppy, to see the brethren who were located there as missionaries to the Indians. We returned to Mow-abby, whence we traveled to the Little Colorado river, and up that stream to Sunset, where we arrived Aug. 19, 1876. Here we rested a few days with the Saints who were located here, and harvested a small patch of wheat and corn, after which Brother Lot Smith called all the brethren to go and build a fort as a protection against the Indians. I was appointed to dig a well. We dug one 33 feet deep and found good, cold water, but it was a little brackish. After I had finished walling the well up with rock, Bro. Smith put a mson's trowel in my hand and said, "Brother Wright, I want you to go and build some houses." We all got houses by the first of January, 1877. We lived in the united order, as we had turned all our property in as one family: we all ate at one table, and the sisters took turns in doing the cooking; the brethren all labored under the direction of Bro. Lot Smith (who was president of the company) and other brethren who were appointed to take charge of certain portions of the labor. We all got along very agreeably, without much faultfinding, and we prospered with everything we undertook to do. In the fall of 1880 I went to visit my folks in Utah, and while there I was released from my Arizona mission by the First Presidency. I then settled at Coalville, Summit county, where I have resided ever since. In 1889 I was chosen by the presidency of the Stake to preside over the East Coalville Ward, and at a meeting held May 17, 1889, I was unanimously sustained in that position. At the close of the meeting I was ordained a High Priest and Bishop by Apostle Franklin D. Richards."
Andrew Jenson, Latter-day Saint Biographical Encyclopedia: A Compilation of Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4 vols. Salt Lake Cit 1:467 |
Biographies 
