Pacific Grove Review, CA October 18 1909.
Death of Aged Pioneer in Monterey:
Jonathan Wright died at his home in New Monterey on Wednesday evening shortly before six o'clock at an advanced age, he being aged about ninety years. Mr. Wright enjoyed the distinction of being a survivor of the Fremont (sic) expedition which came to California in 1846. He was for some time pony express rider in the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company and brought mail across the plains. Some forty years ago he was living in the San Franciscquito country near the Carmel river, and the first season he located here he shipped 40 tons of wild honey which he gathered. Deceased was the father of Mrs. Cornelius Culp of this city. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon from the residence in New Monterey under the auspices of the Masonic lodge of Monterey. Interment in Monterey Cemetery. Deceased leaves a wife and several grandchildren to mourn his death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In addition to the achievements touched on in his obituary, above, Jonathan Wright was in many other ways, a pioneer and a man who left his own mark on the history of the region. In 1846 he accompanied the very first wagon train across a new route through the Great Salt Lake, proving the route to be viable. After serving under General Fremont, 1846-1847, and later in the Mexican-American War, he worked in the redwood lumber industry, later following the rush for gold in 1849. He worked as a whaler in Monterey Bay for five years and served as lighthouse keeper at Point Piños. He later became a rancher of wild honey and fine angora goats, at Rancho San Francisquito. There was also a small vineyard and peach orchard on the spread. And in 1871, he co-founded Monterey Free Masons Lodge 217. In Sep of 1879, Jonathan's Wright stumbled across Robert Louis Stevenson laying in the creek bed on his property. The man was weak and near death. Jonathan Wright pronounced the man "real sick", and he and his family nursed the man back to health for three weeks in their small family cabin near the San Clemente River. While recovering, Mr. Stevenson taught two of Mr. Wright's young daughters how to read. The experience is well-documented by a number of historical sources. Jonathan Wright was also a family man, having married twice. In 1849 he married Luly Brown of Sacramento. She died in 1854, leaving Jonathan with two daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Claudy Masters. Together they had 6 daughters and one son. Three of these children preceded him in death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Within the autobiography of my great-aunt, Elma (Stone) Olds, dated 1998, page 3 (written on the occasion of her 100th birthday), reads the following:
"Uncle Jonathan Wright was Grandma's older brother and lived in Monterey. I remember him as an old man with a long white beard. He came here with Commodore Sloat's army and later lived in the county nearby. The history books have a picture of him as a young man. They tell of him rescuing R.L. Stevenson in the woods and caring for him until he was well. In return, Stevenson taught his daughters, Sarah, Dollie and Ruth. Uncle Jonathan later became the collector of revenue and they lived in the Custom House. They had also lived in the first brick house, the first in California. When we went to the dedication of the Sloat Monument at the Presidio, Uncle J. and his brother-in-law, Captain Lambert were the last veterans of the Sloat Co. there."
Note: The Custom House, located in Custom House Plaza in Monterey, was California's first designated historic landmark, now a California State Historic Park. It is the location where Commodore Sloat ordered the first American Flag raised in California, declaring California an American territory. Capt. Wright was under Commodore Sloat's command at the time the flag was raised there, and it was Capt. Wright, himself, who raised the American flag on Fremont Peak, after which time California was acquired by the United States.
Jeff Gonyea
Death of Aged Pioneer in Monterey:
Jonathan Wright died at his home in New Monterey on Wednesday evening shortly before six o'clock at an advanced age, he being aged about ninety years. Mr. Wright enjoyed the distinction of being a survivor of the Fremont (sic) expedition which came to California in 1846. He was for some time pony express rider in the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company and brought mail across the plains. Some forty years ago he was living in the San Franciscquito country near the Carmel river, and the first season he located here he shipped 40 tons of wild honey which he gathered. Deceased was the father of Mrs. Cornelius Culp of this city. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon from the residence in New Monterey under the auspices of the Masonic lodge of Monterey. Interment in Monterey Cemetery. Deceased leaves a wife and several grandchildren to mourn his death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In addition to the achievements touched on in his obituary, above, Jonathan Wright was in many other ways, a pioneer and a man who left his own mark on the history of the region. In 1846 he accompanied the very first wagon train across a new route through the Great Salt Lake, proving the route to be viable. After serving under General Fremont, 1846-1847, and later in the Mexican-American War, he worked in the redwood lumber industry, later following the rush for gold in 1849. He worked as a whaler in Monterey Bay for five years and served as lighthouse keeper at Point Piños. He later became a rancher of wild honey and fine angora goats, at Rancho San Francisquito. There was also a small vineyard and peach orchard on the spread. And in 1871, he co-founded Monterey Free Masons Lodge 217. In Sep of 1879, Jonathan's Wright stumbled across Robert Louis Stevenson laying in the creek bed on his property. The man was weak and near death. Jonathan Wright pronounced the man "real sick", and he and his family nursed the man back to health for three weeks in their small family cabin near the San Clemente River. While recovering, Mr. Stevenson taught two of Mr. Wright's young daughters how to read. The experience is well-documented by a number of historical sources. Jonathan Wright was also a family man, having married twice. In 1849 he married Luly Brown of Sacramento. She died in 1854, leaving Jonathan with two daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Claudy Masters. Together they had 6 daughters and one son. Three of these children preceded him in death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Within the autobiography of my great-aunt, Elma (Stone) Olds, dated 1998, page 3 (written on the occasion of her 100th birthday), reads the following:
"Uncle Jonathan Wright was Grandma's older brother and lived in Monterey. I remember him as an old man with a long white beard. He came here with Commodore Sloat's army and later lived in the county nearby. The history books have a picture of him as a young man. They tell of him rescuing R.L. Stevenson in the woods and caring for him until he was well. In return, Stevenson taught his daughters, Sarah, Dollie and Ruth. Uncle Jonathan later became the collector of revenue and they lived in the Custom House. They had also lived in the first brick house, the first in California. When we went to the dedication of the Sloat Monument at the Presidio, Uncle J. and his brother-in-law, Captain Lambert were the last veterans of the Sloat Co. there."
Note: The Custom House, located in Custom House Plaza in Monterey, was California's first designated historic landmark, now a California State Historic Park. It is the location where Commodore Sloat ordered the first American Flag raised in California, declaring California an American territory. Capt. Wright was under Commodore Sloat's command at the time the flag was raised there, and it was Capt. Wright, himself, who raised the American flag on Fremont Peak, after which time California was acquired by the United States.
Jeff Gonyea
Pacific Grove Review, CA October 18 1909.
Death of Aged Pioneer in Monterey:
Jonathan Wright died at his home in New Monterey on Wednesday evening shortly before six o'clock at an advanced age, he being aged about ninety years. Mr. Wright enjoyed the distinction of being a survivor of the Fremont (sic) expedition which came to California in 1846. He was for some time pony express rider in the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company and brought mail across the plains. Some forty years ago he was living in the San Franciscquito country near the Carmel river, and the first season he located here he shipped 40 tons of wild honey which he gathered. Deceased was the father of Mrs. Cornelius Culp of this city. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon from the residence in New Monterey under the auspices of the Masonic lodge of Monterey. Interment in Monterey Cemetery. Deceased leaves a wife and several grandchildren to mourn his death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In addition to the achievements touched on in his obituary, above, Jonathan Wright was in many other ways, a pioneer and a man who left his own mark on the history of the region. In 1846 he accompanied the very first wagon train across a new route through the Great Salt Lake, proving the route to be viable. After serving under General Fremont, 1846-1847, and later in the Mexican-American War, he worked in the redwood lumber industry, later following the rush for gold in 1849. He worked as a whaler in Monterey Bay for five years and served as lighthouse keeper at Point Piños. He later became a rancher of wild honey and fine angora goats, at Rancho San Francisquito. There was also a small vineyard and peach orchard on the spread. And in 1871, he co-founded Monterey Free Masons Lodge 217. In Sep of 1879, Jonathan's Wright stumbled across Robert Louis Stevenson laying in the creek bed on his property. The man was weak and near death. Jonathan Wright pronounced the man "real sick", and he and his family nursed the man back to health for three weeks in their small family cabin near the San Clemente River. While recovering, Mr. Stevenson taught two of Mr. Wright's young daughters how to read. The experience is well-documented by a number of historical sources. Jonathan Wright was also a family man, having married twice. In 1849 he married Luly Brown of Sacramento. She died in 1854, leaving Jonathan with two daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Claudy Masters. Together they had 6 daughters and one son. Three of these children preceded him in death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Within the autobiography of my great-aunt, Elma (Stone) Olds, dated 1998, page 3 (written on the occasion of her 100th birthday), reads the following:
"Uncle Jonathan Wright was Grandma's older brother and lived in Monterey. I remember him as an old man with a long white beard. He came here with Commodore Sloat's army and later lived in the county nearby. The history books have a picture of him as a young man. They tell of him rescuing R.L. Stevenson in the woods and caring for him until he was well. In return, Stevenson taught his daughters, Sarah, Dollie and Ruth. Uncle Jonathan later became the collector of revenue and they lived in the Custom House. They had also lived in the first brick house, the first in California. When we went to the dedication of the Sloat Monument at the Presidio, Uncle J. and his brother-in-law, Captain Lambert were the last veterans of the Sloat Co. there."
Note: The Custom House, located in Custom House Plaza in Monterey, was California's first designated historic landmark, now a California State Historic Park. It is the location where Commodore Sloat ordered the first American Flag raised in California, declaring California an American territory. Capt. Wright was under Commodore Sloat's command at the time the flag was raised there, and it was Capt. Wright, himself, who raised the American flag on Fremont Peak, after which time California was acquired by the United States.
Jeff Gonyea
Death of Aged Pioneer in Monterey:
Jonathan Wright died at his home in New Monterey on Wednesday evening shortly before six o'clock at an advanced age, he being aged about ninety years. Mr. Wright enjoyed the distinction of being a survivor of the Fremont (sic) expedition which came to California in 1846. He was for some time pony express rider in the employ of the Wells Fargo Express Company and brought mail across the plains. Some forty years ago he was living in the San Franciscquito country near the Carmel river, and the first season he located here he shipped 40 tons of wild honey which he gathered. Deceased was the father of Mrs. Cornelius Culp of this city. The funeral will be held on Friday afternoon from the residence in New Monterey under the auspices of the Masonic lodge of Monterey. Interment in Monterey Cemetery. Deceased leaves a wife and several grandchildren to mourn his death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
In addition to the achievements touched on in his obituary, above, Jonathan Wright was in many other ways, a pioneer and a man who left his own mark on the history of the region. In 1846 he accompanied the very first wagon train across a new route through the Great Salt Lake, proving the route to be viable. After serving under General Fremont, 1846-1847, and later in the Mexican-American War, he worked in the redwood lumber industry, later following the rush for gold in 1849. He worked as a whaler in Monterey Bay for five years and served as lighthouse keeper at Point Piños. He later became a rancher of wild honey and fine angora goats, at Rancho San Francisquito. There was also a small vineyard and peach orchard on the spread. And in 1871, he co-founded Monterey Free Masons Lodge 217. In Sep of 1879, Jonathan's Wright stumbled across Robert Louis Stevenson laying in the creek bed on his property. The man was weak and near death. Jonathan Wright pronounced the man "real sick", and he and his family nursed the man back to health for three weeks in their small family cabin near the San Clemente River. While recovering, Mr. Stevenson taught two of Mr. Wright's young daughters how to read. The experience is well-documented by a number of historical sources. Jonathan Wright was also a family man, having married twice. In 1849 he married Luly Brown of Sacramento. She died in 1854, leaving Jonathan with two daughters. His second wife was Elizabeth (Lizzie) Claudy Masters. Together they had 6 daughters and one son. Three of these children preceded him in death.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Within the autobiography of my great-aunt, Elma (Stone) Olds, dated 1998, page 3 (written on the occasion of her 100th birthday), reads the following:
"Uncle Jonathan Wright was Grandma's older brother and lived in Monterey. I remember him as an old man with a long white beard. He came here with Commodore Sloat's army and later lived in the county nearby. The history books have a picture of him as a young man. They tell of him rescuing R.L. Stevenson in the woods and caring for him until he was well. In return, Stevenson taught his daughters, Sarah, Dollie and Ruth. Uncle Jonathan later became the collector of revenue and they lived in the Custom House. They had also lived in the first brick house, the first in California. When we went to the dedication of the Sloat Monument at the Presidio, Uncle J. and his brother-in-law, Captain Lambert were the last veterans of the Sloat Co. there."
Note: The Custom House, located in Custom House Plaza in Monterey, was California's first designated historic landmark, now a California State Historic Park. It is the location where Commodore Sloat ordered the first American Flag raised in California, declaring California an American territory. Capt. Wright was under Commodore Sloat's command at the time the flag was raised there, and it was Capt. Wright, himself, who raised the American flag on Fremont Peak, after which time California was acquired by the United States.
Jeff Gonyea
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