Friday, July 18, 2008

Deputy Sheriff Joel Martin Wright 1880-1916

Joel Martin Wright was the son of George Wright and Mary "Pop" Potter. George was the son of Joel Martin & Susannah Wright.  He was born on August 12, 1880.  He married Mary Alice Killen, the daughter of Morgan Martin Killen and Delaney Elizabeth Bentley, a couple I have written about before.

Joel and Mary Alice had at least four children:  Dixie, Elmer, Goldie and Maggie.

He was a deputy sheriff for the Fleming Neon Police Department.

On Friday, August 4, 1916 he went to a suspect's home to serve a warrant.  When the suspect's young daughter saw Joel holding his pistol, she ran up to him, grabbed his pistol and shot him.  The girl and her father were both arrested after the shooting.

Deputy Wright succumbed to the gunshot wound 20 days later on the 24th of August 1916.  His death certificate says the wound was to his lung and spinal cord.  I could not find what happened to the charges against the girl or her father.

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