Judy Shea of Halifax has found a good home for her antique sampler. In a presentation on Tuesday, Judy and her husband John, of John the Barber fame in Halifax, presented the needlework sampler done by Selah Wright, one of the many Wrights of Plympton, to the Plympton Public Library. Accepting it on the library’s behalf was librarian Mike Slawson.
When approached by Judy’s brother, Plympton Selectman John Traynor, to see if the gift would be welcome, Slawson replied, “This is really interesting and a very kind gesture from Judy. I would love to have this in the library.” The Selah Wright sampler, done by her hand at the age of 10, has come home.
Selah Wright was born May 11, 1798 in Plympton, the 2nd great-granddaughter of Adam Wright (1645-1724) who is considered by most as one of the first, if not the very first white man to permanently settle in the place now named Plympton. The Wrights have a long history in town, Traynor said. Selah died in Plympton April 9, 1827, and is buried in Hillcrest Cemetery in Plympton. Her gravestone inscription reads:
“In memory of
MISS SELAH WRIGHT
dau. Of Isaac Wright Esq.
& Mrs. Selah his wife;
she died April 9, 1827.
Aged 28 years, 10 mo’s
& 28 days
Traynor leads the informal genealogy group at the Plympton Public Library that meets monthly.
Judy told The Express that she had been offered $1200 for the sampler – it is in remarkably good condition – about 30 years ago, but she believes the proper home for the sampler is Selah’s home, Plympton.
In 1680 the birth of John Wright to Adam Wright and his wife Mehitible (Barrows) was recorded in the (Western Precinct) of Plymouth, now Plympton. Adam’s first Plympton house was built near his first mill. The Wrights owned a great many Plympton land grants and from these Wrights numerous descendants through the centuries have served Plympton in about every official capacity.
~ Deb Anderson and John Traynor