Grant Wright, famous artist, who died at his home in Weehawken,
New Jersey,
Sunday morning of pneumonia, is recalled by many of the older
residence of this
community, having been born on a farm in Whitefield Township
[born in Decatur,
Michigan]. He lived in Henry with his parents in the house at
the corner of
Second and Wirt Streets, now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Johnson.
Mr. Wright attended the public schools in Henry and also worked
for a time in
the Hanna Wagon factory, later moving to Peoria, where he worked
on various
newspapers. Mr. Wright won considerable success as a commercial
artist,
drawing the sketches and illustrations for the catalog of the
St. Louis
Exposition in 1904. He was also credited with having originated
the famous
trade mark the ‘Gold Dust Twins’ and many others. He also served
as a
cartoonist for the New York City Times. It will be recalled by
the older
residents Mr. Wright’s father was killed in the famous train
disaster at
Chatsworth in 1886 or 1887.
Mr. Wright was a cousin of Merton Swift, Mrs. Callie Clawson and
Mrs. Henry
Mattison of this city.
Published 24 Oct 1935 in the Henry News Republican
Contributed 04 April 2011 by Louis Paul Hennefeld
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
 |
La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
