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Dana Wright Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: Photo 518

Scope and Content

The Dana Wright Photograph Collection holds two photographic prints. One photo is of the Lake Jessie Historic Marker, the second photo is of Cut Thumb Butte, located in Eddy County, T. 149 R. 62, Sec. 31 (Colvin Township).

Dates

  • 1959

Access

The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the NDSU Archives.

Copyrights

Copyrights to this collection is held by the NDSU Archives.

Biography

Dana Monroe Wright was born on August 30, 1878 in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. He moved with his parents to farm near Jamestown in 1882, and left that area in 1898 to enlist in the North Dakota National Guard. Wright served in the military during the Spanish-American War in the Philippines and later in the Mexican Border War and World War I. In 1902 he was promoted to Corporal in the National Guard; in 1903 to Sergeant; in 1904 to 1st Lieutenant; in 1906 to Captain; in 1913 to Major; was Post Commander at Fort Lincoln in 1917; and ended his career as Lieutenant Colonel. He participated with his Company in the National Rifle Matches for several years.

Wright had a variety of jobs between his active duty military service. After returning to the United States from the Philippines, he taught school at Sydney, North Dakota and then homesteaded at Montpelier, North Dakota. In 1902, he became an employee of the Northern Pacific as a fireman and locomotive engineer and held that position for ten years. Wright was elected sheriff of Stutsman County in 1913 and in 1917 served in the State House of Representatives. After World War I, he was elected to another term as county sheriff. He was hired in 1927 by the U.S. Customs Service and was posted on the Canadian border near St. John, North Dakota. Wright retired from the customs service in 1941 and became a game warden and custodian of the state game farm through 1949.

Dana M. Wright was elected a director of the State Historical Society Board in 1915; later, as chairman of the State Parks Committee, he had the responsibility of locating sites of historical interest. Wright wrote articles concerning North Dakota history which were published in the Society's historical quarterly and by a number of newspapers. The reorganization of the State Historical Society resulted in his resignation from the Board in 1962.

Dana Wright married Sybella Henderson Pearson on May 4, 1904. They had four children: Sybella Luneta, Sivilla Jeanne, Jean Laurie, and Monroe Dana. Dana M. Wright died on February 16, 1964 in Rolla, North Dakota. Biography copied from the Dana Wright Photograph Collection finding aid at the State Historical Society of North Dakota: https://www.history.nd.gov/archives/manuscripts/inventory/00101.html

Extent

2 Photographic Prints (2 photographic prints)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Historian, state legislator, and superintendent of state game farm, of St. John, N.D.

Provenance

Donated by Dana Wright, 1953. (Acc. 32)

Separation record - Manuscript Materials

Dana Wright manuscript materials in (SC 32).

Property rights

The NDSU Archives owns the property rights to this collection.
Title
Finding Aid to the Dana Wright Photograph Collection
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository

Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States