History of Wright

Wright was not an original town in the county. Rather, it was formed from Schoharie in 1846.

The first settlement of the village took place in what is now Gallupville around 1735. The first settlers were the Beckers. On their trip to America, the father died, leaving his wife and children. Down the line, a step-father in the family, named Bashsha, continued the customs of New Year celebrations. There was a target-shooting competition, in which a drunken squaw shot Bashsha.

The other settlers in the early town were the Hilts, Zimmers, and Lawyers. On Zimmer’s farm was built two saw mills by 1765. Because of Hon Yost Becker’s lateness in buying a millstone, the girl he was to marry, married another. Becker was also the commander of the Old Stone Fort during the Johnson and Brant raids.

There is an interesting story that Wright’s first Methodist was thought to be bewitched. Therefore, he was brought to a witch doctor, and was fed medicine and whipped.

In 1782, Tories and Indians attacked the town, killing civilians and burning buildings. There was a skirmish at Major Becker’s house, and one patriot shot the hat off of Crysler. One of those captured in the raid, John Snyder, is said to have killed Seth Henry by dragging him with a rope, beating him, and then tied the rope to a log, and Henry drowned.

One of Major Becker’s sons became an Assistant Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. The other built a fulling mill.

In 1812, a school-house was built in Wright by the early settlers. The Gallup family, the family that Gallupville is named after, were desendents of the pilgrims of Plymouth. In 1825, a post office was built in Gallupville, and a tannery in 1825. There were three churches in Wright, all Protestant.

In the list of supervisors, Dominick and Davidson are the most common names. Amazingly, the real estate of the town was worth over 350,000 dollars.

In my opinion, Hon Yost was probably lucky not to marry his bride to be. She sounds like a gold digger to me.