Rachel Wright 1816–1902 – Genealogical Records

Sources

Genealogy Event 1
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 6 Jun 1816
Event Place: Wellsburg, , WV, USA
Record Source: Descendents of William Seaman of Washington County, Pennsylvania and Allied Families: HUNT, BRASHER, McCAMMANT, WRIGHT; Compilied and Edited by: Helen Elizabeth Vogt - March 1981, pg. 320

Genealogy Event 2
Event Type: Custom Event
Event Date: 24 Apr 1902
Event Place: Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA, USA
Record Source:
[1] Rachel Wright Baldwin, Obituary
[2] Rachel WRight Baldwin was born Wellsburg, West Virginia, June 6, 1816, and died April 15, 1902, at her home in Keosauqua.

She was the daughter of John Wright, a Virginia Quaker, and Rachel Seaman, whose family was of Welsh descent.

The family consisted of four sons and four daughters, only one of whom Mrs. Amy D. Puett, is now living, and she was present at the funeral.

The father died in 1824 at Bloomington, Ind., leaving the large family to the care of their mother who brought them all up to successful lives. She was a woman of very strong character. She died in Keosauqua in 1851, at the home of her son George G. WRight.

Mrs. BAldwin lived at home in Indiana until she was 24 years old, when in the spring of 1840, she removed with her brother Seaman and his family to the then territory of Iowa, to his farm in Harrisburg township in this county.

The journey was made overland, partly with ox teams, and occupied two weeks. Her health at that time was so frail that it was feared the journey might prove injurious, but it had the contrary effect.

For sixtytwo consecutive years she has lived here and been a part of the life of this community.

During the years from 1840 to 1844 she was active in the young society of the place. This was some years before Iowa was admitted to the Union, and the original Indian tribes had many of them not been removed.

Mrs. Baldwin often recounted incidents of her meeting the bands of friendly Indians in journeys she made up the valley on horseback between Keosauqua and the Des Moines, accompanying her brothers on business engagements.

In September, 1844, she was married To Charles Baldwin, And Keosauqua Had Been Her Home Ever Since. There were seven children of their marriage, of whom five are now living.

Mr. Baldwin died January 28, 1898, a highly honored and respected citizen.

Mrs. Baldwin survived all her brothers and lived to see some of them occupy positions of highest trust in the nation. Joseph A. Wright was the most eminent. He was governor of Indiana and the United States senator and appointed by Abraham Lincoln, Ambassador to Germany, where he died. George G. was long a member of and Chief Justice of the supreme court of Iowa and United States senator as well as a member of the legislature, etc. And John Wright represented this county in the legislature. In 1825 (?), ..........the Methodist church.........................................ing a great revival held under the ministry of William Dally, afterwards president of the University of Indiana. She was always a faithful, devoted and loyal Methodist, and generous in her support of the cause of religion.

She was a woman of great common sense amounting to almost genius. She had a wonderful ........ for making and holding friendships. She possessed a fine sense of humor, and a braod minded charity and tolerance. She exercised a positive influence upon many and the circle of her friendships was always a wide one.

Of the children of this noble woman and mother, W.W. Baldwin of Burlington has for many years been counselor and land commissioner of the C.B. & Q. railroad, and is one the brainiest and best men in the state; Charles Baldwin is a successful practicing attorney at Salt Lake; Mrs. Charles S. Lefferts is the wife of a promiment business man of Council Bluffs; Mrs. J.W. Cheney and Mrs. Julia McKibben are residents of this place.

Mrs. Baldwin was a loving mother, and never was a mother's loved rewarded with a truer, tenderer devotion on the part of her children. During her long invalidism and before her every want and wish had been anticipated. Mr. W.W. Baldwin has always been a frequent visitor here, as well as Mr. Charles Baldwin of Salt Lake. The latter was here less than a year ago, and here in the winter, was here again not more than two or three weeks before his mother's death, and was here at the funeral, returning west the same evening or the following day.

The funeral services were conducted at the late home, by her pastor, Rev. W.R. Jeffrey, Jr. assisted by Presiding Elder C.S. Cooper. Many loving and sympathising friends were present. There were floral offerings in great profusion, the casket being a perfect bower of beauty.

The pall bears were W.W. Baldwin, Charles Baldwin, Martin T. Baldwin of Chicago, Charles S. Lefferts of Concil Bluffs, Rev. J.W. Cheney of this place and Charles H. Cheney of Minneapolis.

Genealogy Event 3
Event Type: Death
Event Date: 15 Apr 1902
Event Place: Keosauqua, Van Buren Co., IA, USA
Record Source: Descendents of William Seaman of Washington County, Pennsylvania and Allied Families: HUNT, BRASHER, McCAMMANT, WRIGHT; Compilied and Edited by: Helen Elizabeth Vogt - March 1981, pg. 320