Laura Maria Sheldon Wright Explained

Laura Maria Sheldon Wright (July 10, 1809January 21, 1886) was an American missionary.

Laura Maria Sheldon was born on July 10, 1809, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont.^[1] She grew up in St. Johnsbury and in Barnet, Vermont,^[2] and was educated at the Young Ladies' School.^[3]

She married Asher Wright on January 21, 1833, and the two moved to Buffalo Creek Reservation on February 5, 1833, to begin their mission.^[1] As a missionary, Laura wrote a school primer in Seneca and English and worked as a teacher.^{[1] [2]} She also founded an organization called the Iroquois Temperance League.^[3]

She died of pneumonia on January 21, 1886, in Iroquois, New York, at the home of Nicholson Henry Parker (1819–1892), a Seneca interpreter.^{[1] [4] [2]}

Notes and References

1. Book: Fenton. William N.. William N. Fenton. Wright, Laura Maria Sheldon. James. Edward T.. Notable American Women, 1607–1950: A Biographical Dictionary. James. Janet Wilson. Boyer. Paul S.. 1971. Harvard University Press. 978-1-84972-271-1. 221275644. 680–681.
2. Book: Webster's Dictionary of American Women. 1996. Smithmark. 0-7651-9793-6. 36280109.
3. Book: Hirschfelder. Encyclopedia of Native American Religions: An Introduction. 2000. Facts on File. Molin. Paulette Fairbanks. 0-8160-3949-6. 40848662. 339.
4. Book: Porter, Joy. To Be Indian: The Life of Iroquois-Seneca Arthur Caswell Parker. 2001. University of Oklahoma Press. 978-0-8061-3317-1. en. 14.