From the Dana Monroe Wright Collection at the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Dana Monroe Wright was born on Aug. 30, 1878, in Eaton Rapids, Mich. He moved with his parents to farm near Jamestown, N.D., 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, N.D., and then homesteaded at Montpelier, N.D. In 1902, he became an employee of the Northern Pacific as a fireman and locomotive engineer and held that position for 10 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, N.D. 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 that 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 Feb. 16, 1964 in Rolla, N.D.
Sources:
Turtle Mountain Star, Feb. 20, 1964.
Fargo Forum, Dec. 2, 1956 and Feb. 17, 1964.
For more information on this collection, see Dana Monroe Wright Collection.