Hugh Wesley “Wes” Wright was born at Markdale, Gray county, Ontario, on April 11, 1870. When he was about 17 years old, he crossed over to the American Sault where he stayed for about four years. In 1891, he came to Duluth where he worked for a firm which became Stone, Ordean Wells Company on their hoists which were later moved to Grand Rapids. Soon after coming to Duluth he took a claim near Bridgie, now Orth, to which he walked from Cloquet, then the end of the railroad. The railroad was then extended to Deer River and he often pack sacked to his claim from Grand Rapids and Deer River.
He came to Bemidji on April 2, 1897. He first ran a dray line, then for 12 years was agent of the Standard Oil Company when Bemidji was a distributing station and surrounding towns were supplied by team from here. About 1912, he established his home on the farm ten miles northwest of Bemidji at the southwest corner of the town of Liberty. He also served three terms as county commissioner.
In the spring of 1896 he was married at Grand Rapids to Annie H. Olson, of Mora, Minnesota. In August of 1921, he began to complain of not feeling well and in January he went to San Antonio, Texas for a change of climate and reported feeling better. On his return north, he went to St. Mary’s hospital in Minneapolis to see his old friend G. E. Carson, where he was taken seriously ill and passed away.
He was a member of the Woodmen lodge and the Methodist church. When he located on his farm home in Liberty township, he picked out a spot that would make a good site for a church some day and helped organize a little Methodist class to which he gave his membership and an acre for a church site. The church was erected in the fall of 1921.
He and his wife had four sons, Melvin, Roy, John and a son who died in infancy. Wes Wright was cordial and energetic, active in all the interests of the community.