Richard Wesley's Inheritance

Obediah's Will

Our previous posting told of Obediah Swayze of Helt Twp, Vermillion County, Indiana, and his heir Richard Wesley Wright. Richard was the only known child of Rev. Richard Wright and Obediah’s daughter Malinda. (We are using the designation “Rev” to help distinguish between the two Richard Wrights, even though the older Richard may not have been a “Reverend” at the time.) Born between 1821 and 1825, Malinda died around age twenty, between 1841 and 1844, soon after the birth of her son in 1841 (in Illinois). Following Malinda’s early death, a very young Richard Wesley Wright was left by his father, Rev. Richard, with his grandparents, Obediah and Lydia Swayze, and when Obediah died, Richard Wesley was the sole heir to a very large estate.

In 1872, Obediah’s will was probated. Part of the estate was eighty acres (E½ NW¼ S21 T15N R9W) acquired by Obediah in 1825. It was there that Richard Wesley already had his farm, which was less than a half mile north west of Helts Prairie Cemetery, where Richard’s mother, grandfather, grandmother, and other Swayzes are said to rest.

Another portion of Richard’s inheritance were three hundred twenty acres of Section 27 land near the Wabash River. Valued at $15,000 in 1882, the property was eventually used, in part, for the Helt Twp community of Summit Grove. But the land had a “bad title.” All of Richard’s inherited real estate was entailed. Properties had to pass to his descendants. Richard could only sell his “life dower.” His children would have claim to the lands upon his death. By 1882 purchasers were worried about what would ensue when Richard Wesley died. Would his children come after the property? We know nothing of the outcome, but the unincorporated community of Summit Grove still exists today. Perhaps Richard’s descendants were unaware of their “opportunity.”

With the probate of Obediah’s will, 1872 was an important year in Richard Wesley Wright’s life. But it was important for another reason. In that year Richard was immersed in a nasty divorce, the subject of a future posting.