Josiah Wright

Josiah Wright (1842-1916) was a Billerica contractor and builder who served as assessor in the late 1880s and as a selectman for twelve years, dying in office in 1916. He was born in Billerica on October 12, 1842, a son of Jonathan Wright and Hannah P. Allen. He married Emma L. Johnson of Stoneham, and by 1883 they had three children, Charles Alvin, Annie May and Harry Allen.

His trade shows up throughout the town accounts. In 1886 the town paid him for a contract on River Street, for laying wall below the railroad there and for moving a schoolhouse. When the Talbot School at North Billerica was enlarged in 1889, the School Committee reported that "the task of raising the roof, which was considered by many likely to prove a difficult undertaking," had been sub-let to Mr. Josiah Wright, "who skillfully and successfully accomplished the work." The 1897 jury list gives his occupation simply as contractor.

As an assessor from 1888, with Albert R. Richardson and John E. Rowell, he signed a report that described consulting lawyers at the assessors' own expense on whether veterans were exempt from the poll tax, and searching the valuation lists of the past twenty years, and the registry of deeds, to correct the names of non-resident owners. He was elected a selectman in 1896 and served until 1903, much of the time with Rowell and Edward B. Haskell, and was an assessor again in the same years.

He returned to the board in 1912. The selectmen's report for 1914, signed by Burton O. Sanford, Ralph E. Manning and Wright, describes new macadam on the Boston and Concord roads with state aid, plans for a new concrete bridge over the Shawsheen, the purchase of a ten-ton steam roller and eleven new street lights, two of them "on Pond Street beginning near by the residence of Mr. Josiah Wright." He also sat on the town's Finance Committee in 1914. Re-elected in 1916, he signed the town warrant on April 3, 1916, and died on June 23, 1916, aged 73.

References

1. Hazen, History of Billerica (1883), Genealogical Register p. 166: Wright family; Josiah, son of Jonathan, born 1842
2. Billerica Town Report 1887, payments to Josiah Wright (River Street contract, moving schoolhouse)
3. Billerica Town Report 1890, Assessors' report signed by Josiah Wright
4. Billerica Town Report 1890, School Committee report (Josiah Wright raised the roof of the Talbot School)
5. Billerica Town Report 1897, jury list (Josiah Wright, contractor)
6. Billerica Town Report 1914, Finance Committee report (Josiah Wright present)
7. Billerica Town Report 1914, selectmen's report (street lights near the residence of Josiah Wright)
8. Billerica Town Report 1914, selectmen's report signed by Josiah Wright
9. Billerica Town Report 1916, warrant of April 3, 1916, signed by Josiah Wright as Selectman
10. Billerica Town Report 1916, deaths recorded in 1916 (Josiah Wright, June 23, aged 73)