Major Benjamin Wright
In reading a blog post on the old Purdy cemetery this morning, I wondered how Major Benjamin Wright’s monument was holding up. It was 2004 when I took the picture below of it and I seriously doubt that I will ever, ever, never, ever visit that cemetery again to check on it.
Also, I notice that it appears that Major Wright’s monument has a math error or chiseled typo. The Siege of Veracruz happened in March 1847. Assuming that the birth date on the monument, April 2, 1784, is correct, that would make him 63 in the Spring of 1847, not 65 as the monument states. I guess the other option is that he fought in a battle or two before volunteering, which doesn’t seem logical.
West side of monument -”The body of Martha Ann Wright reposes beneath this monument. Born in Dinwiddie County, Va., died in Purdy, Tenn., February 27, 1859, aged about 66 years.. She was a good wife and affectionate parent; amiable, wise and just woman.
"The world recedes, it disappears,
Heaven open on my eyes,
My ears with sounds seraphic ring
Lend, lend, your wings,
I mount, I fly,
O, grave where is thy victory,
O, death where is thy sting,"
South side of monument - “In the second grave south rests the body of Marcus Benjamin Wright, born in Chatham County, Ga., April 2, 1784, died at Purdy, Tenn., January 30, 1860. He was an officer in the U.S. army commanded the left wing of the 59th Regiment at the battle of the Horse Shoe. Upon the death of the brave Montgomery, he resigned his commission, and engaged in private pursuits until the breaking out of the Mexican War, when at age of 65 years, he volunteered as a private soldier in the Fayette Cavalry, and was present at the siege of Vera Cruz. on his return home, he was elected Register of McNairy county, which office he held until his death. He built the first cabin in the town of Purdy near where this monument stands. He was esteemed by all who know him, a brave, a generous and honest man.
"How sleep the brave who sink to rest,
by all their Country's wishes blessed.."
Filed under: Old Purdy Cemetery, Early Settlers of McNairy Co., Purdy
I believe I did see this stone and if it is the one I am thinking of it is almost buried now and difficult to read. Many of the stones on the ground appear to have been run over by the lawn mower many times, making them even more illegible. When I return, I will be certain to hunt down this stone and photograph it for you. I am going to go through my pictures now and make sure I don’t already have one.
It is very hard to miss, here is how it was described in a 1924 newspaper article …
Then in the center of the old cemetery then, now on the southern boundary stands one of the most imposing monuments to be seen. It is 15 feet high, and stands on a base about 5 feet square. It is an imposing one even in this day.
http://files.usgwarchives.org/tn/mcnairy/cemeteries/oldprdy.txt
I believe I have found it. It’s a photo I took this weekend. I am emailing it to you now.