Biography:

Dr. George Wright was born in Romney Township (Chatham-Kent), Ontario on the 9th of March, 1856.  Dr. Wright was the 6th of 12 children born to Thomas Wright and the former Ann Cox.  His parents had immigrated from Lincolnshire, England.  The Wright family had a farm approximately 3 miles east of Wheatley and Dr. Wright’s siblings were; Mary, Joseph, Thomas, Jane, Ellen, William, Sarah, Marcy, John and Hannah.  The first 3 children, Mary, Joseph and Thomas were born in England.  (Note: One of Dr. Wright’s siblings has been lost to the passage of time….only 10 siblings were found during the research).

After attending local schools Dr. Wright attended a number of other educational institutions, including Hamilton and St. Thomas Collegiate Institute. He also attended the Toronto Normal School and the Canada Business College in Chatham.  Dr. Wright supported his educational aspirations, by teaching school.

After teaching school for about 10 years, Dr. Wright attended Trinity College graduating in 1890. He furthered his education and obtained his C.M., L.R.C.P. & S. in Edinburgh and L.F.P. & S. in Glasgow.

While Dr. Wright was in England, he married Mary Green on the 23rd of May, 1890 in Birmingham. Mrs. Wright was born in Stockport, England on the 8th of October, 1866, the eldest of 8 children born to Sir George Green and the former Jane Heyward.  Her father was a self-made man of wealth with humble beginnings as a ‘weaver laddie’ at the India Mill in Stockport.  Mrs. Wright’s father would eventually make his fortune in the insurance industry and was knighted by King Edward the VII.  Family archives include a letter that Sir George Green wrote to his grandson describing the ceremony, including the fact that he was brought into the King’s presence by none other than, Sir Winston Churchill.  Mrs. Wright’s siblings were; Jane Green, Lucy Green, Joseph Green, Florence Green, Annie Green, William Green and Louise Green.  Sir George Green and his wife relocated to Glasgow and built a home near the medical school.  Sir George and his wife Jane let out rooms to enterprising medical students studying at the university.  A number of his daughters ended up marrying physicians, including Mary and her sister Jane, who married Dr. Thomas Morrison Lawton.

The newlyweds settled in Wheatley, where Dr. Wright had a thriving medical practice.  Dr. and Mrs. Wright had a son George Green Wright born to them on the 29th of May, 1892, in Wheatley.

Dr. Wright was listed in the 1893 Ontario Business Directory as practicing medicine in Wheatley.  He was also listed as practicing in Wheatley in the 1897 Farmers and Business Directory for Elgin, Essex, Kent and Lambton County.  Dr. Wright was a member of the I.O.F., the Howard Lodge, A.F. & A.M.

Dr. and Mrs. Wright moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1898.  Their daughter Florence ‘Jean’ Wright was born in Detroit, in 1903.  Dr. Wright worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company until 1915 at which time he went to Glasgow, Scotland to do medical work during WWI.

Dr. Wright died on the 20th of June 1922, in Glasgow Scotland.  The Detroit Free Press wrote about his death in the June 23rd, 1922 edition.  Dr. Wright was buried at the Erie Cemetery near Wheatley.

According to the 1930 census Mrs. Wright was living with her daughter  Florence Jean and her daughter’s husband, James Woodside in Detroit, Michigan.

Mrs. Wright died on the 25th of December, 1937. At the time of her death she resided with her daughter at 2654 Hooker Avenue in Detroit.  According to her death certificate Mrs. Wright was buried at Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit.

*Dr. Wright’s brother-in-law, Dr. Thomas Morrison Lawton also appears on the Chatham-Kent Physician Tribute website.

**Dr. Wright’s son, George Green Wright served during World War I and World War II with the United States Army.