Sunday, June 24, 2012

Snapshot: Abbie Wright Austin

Our snapshot of Abbie Wright comes to us from Gloria Karow.  Thanks, Gloria!

"Abbie Wright was born in the town of Elba Dodge County Wisconsin on December 15th 1868.  Abbie died at her home in Waterloo Wisconsin on March 21, 1927.  Insulin was discovered in {1923} but Abbie was not going to be a [guinea pig].  Abbie died a year before Gloria Abbie Austin Karow 1928.


Abbie was married to Manly H. Austin in 1890.  They lived on a farm at [Sam Hill] town of Portland, where she went as a bride until two years at the end of her life, when they moved to Waterloo Wisconsin.  Abbie and Manly had five children, Miner, Wright, May, Stanley and Vira.  May tarried a few days, and passed away.


Abbie was the youngest from a family of twelve. Leslie Wright married Mary Lowe in 1848.  Mary had 12 children in 19 years, now that’s some kind of a record.


Abbie and Manly along with many of the Wright clan are buried at the Okeeg Cemetery of Elba Dodge County Wisconsin.


The Okeeg Cemetery of Elba is a privately owned cemetery, the Association was formed in 1848, three trustees were chosen to conduct the affairs of said Association, the 3 trustees decided that the first Sunday of December in each year at 6 o’clock PM be the time of holding Annual Meeting of said Association.


The name Okeeg was the Indian name of the Crawfish River, Okeeg translated into English meant Peaceful or at peace.


Small country Cemeteries, at this time, were increasingly neglected.


A gentleman by the name of George Adams visiting from California suggested to write letters to every lot owner and everyone who has a relative buried in the cemetery for donations, then he George Adams would give a dollar for every one collected.


In 1907, with the money and help of the trustees and men of the Association, (the women) formed the OKEEG CEMETERY LADIES IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY. This group plus husbands and members of the Association are still meeting to this day. Now called the Okeeg Auxillary, we meet seven times a year at the Elba Town Hall. We have a noon potluck and always have a feast, the meeting part we’ve fixed fences had trees cut down new exit gate, we have a caretaker we pay half his wages.


We have 12 to 15 people at our meetings.  This is a far cry from the original ladies who had as many at 75 in their big country homes. Back in the early days they met on the night of the full moon so the horses and wagons and horses and buggies could find their way home.

I, Gloria ABBIE (Austin) Karow am very proud to be named after my Grandma, ABBIE."

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The pictures are of Okeeg Cemetery when we (Nathan and I) drove out to find it.  It is a really lovely cemetery with many Wrights, Austins and Stofflets.  A very pretty and peaceful place. The Wright family farm was just 1/2 a mile down the road.

WELL my fellow clan members, that's it!  The end of the snapshots and I must say I am sorry to see our research end.  Thank you all for your help and interest!  Continue to send us stories, we always love to add knowledge to the clan archives.  I hope you've had as much fun reading these snapshots as we have had writing them.

A few notes:  if anyone is interested in "those Bleecker Boys" who Wright women kept marrying check out Skip Bleecker's excellent genealogical website: http://webpages.charter.net/bleecker/Family/family.4.html

We are saddened with the passing of Alberta Wright Kickbush, the daughter of Albert Wright, who died just last week.  Here is a link to her beautiful obituary:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?n=alberta-wright-kickbush-bert&pid=158148893
The Reunion is two weeks from today!  Bring yourselves, your sunscreen and a dish to pass.  Here is the information once again:
Join us for the 88th Wright Family Reunion! We will be gathering at the
Cedar Community Beach House once again, 5595 County Road Z, West Bend, WI 53095

July 8th 2012 at 10:00 in the morning. We will gather, have a meal (bring
a dish to pass!) have our family business meeting and hang out together at
Beautiful Cedar Lake. You can find a map at our blog:

http://www.wrightsofoldrayne.blogspot.com/

or if you need futher instructions feel free to contact me, Mary Bubenzer
(your secretary) at

bubenzer@charter.net

If you are unable to come this year please send us a note via email to
share with us "doings" in your family!

Due to cost and ease of use after this year we will be sending email only,
and not the paper mailing. If you know someone who is still getting the
mailing, please encourage them to send us their email addresses.

Hope you can come in July! We'd love to see you there!

Cheers,

Mary Bubenzer
Wright Family Secretary

I have enjoyed being your secretary so much and will be handing over the reins to a worthy successor at the reunion.  Consider taking the post:  it is a real pleasure and I will be more than happy to show our new secretary the ropes!

With love, 
Mary Bubenzer
secretary

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