The stirring and genial young man mentioned at the head of this article is one of the successful business men of the reservation portion of Nez Perces County, being now equal partner in the mercantile and ferry business owned by Evans & Wright at Willola.
Charles W. Wright was born in January 2, 1874, being the son of William A. and Ella (Emerick) Wright, natives of Ohio and Washington County, Oregon, respectively. They now live at Dublin, this County. Our subject has the following brothers and sisters, Harry S.; Henrietta, deceased, wife of Robert Hall, of Latah County, who had two children: Roy E. and Vera; Earl, with parents; Myrtle, wife of William Evans; and Cora, wife of Oliver Anderson of this County. He has also one adopted sister, May, with his parents.
Charles was educated in the public schools in Dayton, Washington, graduating at the age of nineteen. Then he farmed for a time and in 1894, came to the reservation and rented Indian land, handling three hundred acres for three years. After this he located a homestead seven miles west from the town of Nez Perce and that was the scene of his labors until 1902, when he sold out and after a visit to Washington, he returned to the County and purchased a half interest in Mr. Evans’ business at Willola, where we find Mr. Wright at this time rapidly building up a good patronage. His skill, good judgment, business tact and kind and pleasant ways have added strength to the firm and the partners are now the recipients of a first class patronage.
On September 30, 1893, Mr. Wright married Miss Annie, daughter of Elijah and Minerva (Farris) Davidson, pioneers of Oregon. Mrs. Wright was born in Josephine County, Oregon. Four children have been born to them, Charles R., Jesse J., Levina A. and an infant. Mrs. Wright has the following brothers and sisters: Winter L., in Bandon, Oregon; Summer, in Culdesac; Thomas B., at Bandon, Oregon; Frank F., at Grants Pass, Oregon; Pearl, single, living with her parents. Mr. Wright is a member of Phinney Camp No. 492, of the W. W. at Fletcher. He and his wife also belong to the auxiliary. Mr. Wright is a Republican in political matters, but is not desirous of personal preferment.
Mr. Wright’s eldest son had eleven grandparents at one time and was the fourth generation living.
Back to: Nez Perce Biographies
Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903