The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-02-09
Occupant of Oldest House in
City Had Lived Here Al
most A Century,
FALL TEN YEARS AGO
is CAUSE OF DEATH
Minister Who Buried Two Sis
ters Will Officiate at
Funeral.

AIRS. Ellen Wright, who died yester'
dav n. noon in her ante-bellum home
on the corner Of Themis and Middle
streets, will be buried this afternoon
at Q O'clock in the Old Lorimier Gene
terry. Rev. Marvin T. Haw, who
nreached the sermons at the funerals
os Mrs. Wright's sisters, will officIate
Prominent business men Will act as
pallbearers. They are: /. Ben Miller,
William w. Num-, J. T. Num- Jr'
Robert G. Num-, Charles J. Juden, Jo-
sep Albert, Of St. Louis; Charles
w. Miller, of Morley, and /. H. Poe, OF
Jackson.
Mrs. Wright was one of the oldest
residents Of the Cape. She has been
in i'll health for more than ten years,
but it was not until few days ago
that her condition was considered to
be serious. Yesterday morning she
elapsed into a state of unconscious
ness. Her nephew, J. T. Nunn, Sr.,
the insurance man, called on her in
the early morning as was his daily
custom, but she failed to recognize
him. She opened her eyes for few
seconds, but fell back into her pillow.
A number of the neighbors of the
aged woman were at her bedside when
she expired. They had learned of Mrs.
Wright's precarious condition and
wanted to spend the last hours of her
life with her. The deceased celebra ated
her seth birthday last Monday and re-
ceived many floral offerings from her
friends. Her birthday was an annual
event for the neighborhood, as nearly
everyone called to extend congratula-
tions and well wishes.
The house in which Mrs. Wright
lived and died is the oldest residence
in the city. Years ago it was used for
the sessions of the County Court. The
house was Z trading post when Mis-
souri, was on the frontier.
1t was the supply house for pioneer
settlers and Indians. They gathered
here several times each week and ex-
changed their products for the neces-
saries Of life.
Mrs. Wright, who was known as
Aunt Ellen" was the daughter Of
Alexander Miller, who came to this
State from Maryland. When 16 years
old she was married to Columbus Hen
derson, whose father was one of the
first judges of the County Court OF
Cape County. Her first husband died
in 1867.
About five years later she married
Abraham Wright, but their married
life was only of a short duration, Mr..
Wright dying in 1879. He died or
Christmas eve of that year after
short illness.
Mrs. Wright had three sisters and
two brothers. The latter two died
whca middle-aged men, while the SIS
ters reached ripe ages. Mrs. Mary J.
Nurr, the mother of Joel Num-, the
Oldest sister of the deceased, died when
si:. was So years old, and her other
sister attained the age of SO years.
One of her brothers was accidentally
killed.
Mrs. Wright was born on the Burns
farm on the Bloomfield road, near the
home of Hon. Louis Houck's residence.
She lived in Cape County all her life
and saw Cape Girardeau grow from a
crossroads settlement to its present
size. She lived here when the old
stage coach passed through carrying
the mail; when the river steamer was
in its infancy, and when trains were
unknown.
When the railroads invaded this
part of the State, she had already
passed the two-score mile post. Some
years ago she injured her hip IN a
fall and had been disabled since. Since
the accident she was eonfaed 70 her
room most of the time and was seen
outside only dustns Sasss usathss.