Living

Notes:

At the time he completed his draft registration for World War I, he was a carpenter of Will Burns in Rich Hill, Bates County, Missouri. He was a medium heigth and build, with brwon eyes. He listed his nearest relative as Maggie Burns.

(Research):

Census Listings:

1930 Census
Missouri, Bates County, New Home Township
Enumerated 3 Apr 1930
ED 7-21 SD 10 Sheet 1B
16-16
Wheatley, William Hd M W 81 M 40 NC NC NC Farmer Stock
Wheatley, Maggie W F W 69 M 28 Tx La TN
-- - 17
Burns, Robert Hd R M W 30 M 26 Mo Canada-Eng Canada-Eng Carpenter rough
Burns, Mary Wf F W 28 M 24 Mo NC Tx
Burns, Joan Dtr F W 2 11/12 S Mo MO Mo

Robert married Mary Lorene Wheatley on 23 May 1926 in Rich Hill, Bates County, Missouri. Mary (daughter of William Greenleaf Wheatley and Marjorie "Margie" McLemore) was born on 17 Aug 1901 in Bates County, Missouri; died on 8 Nov 2002 in Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Marjorie "Margie" McLemore on 10 Mar 1889 in Rich Hill, Bates County, Missouri. Marjorie (daughter of Wright K. McLemore and Rebecca Wilson) was born in Dec 1860 in Texas; died on 15 Jan 1942 in Bates County, Missouri. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):Census Information:

1880 Federal Census
Wright K McElmore Self M M W 43 MS Farmer MS MS
Rebecca McElmore Wife M F W 55 Ga Keeps House Ga Ga
George Graner (Graves) SonInLaw M M W 23 MS Wagoner Tn Tn
Margie Graner (Graves) Dau M F W 20 Tx Keeps House Ms Ga
Daniel Cox Other S Male B 16 Tx Wagon Driver Tn Tn
Precinct 1, De Witt, Texas FHL Library Film 1255299 NA Fil
m T9-1299 Page 400B

Note, on the Ancestry.com scan of the census microfilm, these names were all crossed out with a heavy black line. Graves was indexed, apparently in error, as Graner.

1900 Census: not located

1910 Census
Missouri, Bates County, New Home
Enumerated 15 and 16 of April by John L. Cope
SD 6 ED 14 Sheet 1B and 2A

William Wheatley Hd M W 60 NC Va Va Farmer
Maggie Wheatley Wife F W 49 Tx Va Tn
James Wheatley Son M W 17 Mo NC Tx Farm Laborer
Goldie Wheatley Dtr F W 16 Mo NC Tx
Ivia Wheatley Dtr F W 11 Mo NC Tx
Ira Wheatley Son M W 11 Mo NC Tx
Mary Wheatley Dtr F W 7 Mo NC Tx
Mildred Wheatley Dtr F W 2 Mo NC Tx

1920 Census
Missouri, Bates County, New Home Township
Enumerated 14 Jan 1920 by Walter D. Janseens
SD 6, ED 15
4-5
Wheatley, William Hd M W 71 M Nc Nc Nc Farmer
Wheatley, Maggie Wf F W 59 Tx La Tn
Wheatley, Ira Son M W 21 S Mo NC Tx Farm Labor
Wheatley, Iva Dtr F W 21 Mo NC TX
Wheatley, Mary Dtr F W 18 S Mo NC Tx
Wheatley, Mildred Dtr F W 12 S Mo NC Tx

1930 Census
Missouri, Bates County, New Home
Enumerated April 3, 1930 by Eleanor Morris
ED 7-21 SD 10 Sheet 1B
16-16
Wheatley, William Hd M W 81 M 40 NC NC NC Farmer Stock
Wheatley, Maggie W F W 69 M 28 Tx La TN
-- - 17
Burns, Robert Hd R M W 30 M 26 Mo Canada-Eng Canada-Eng Carpenter rough
Burns, Mary Wf F W 28 M 24 Mo NC Tx
Burns, Joan Dtr F W 2 11/12 S Mo MO Mo

Notes:

A teamster, he later owned a butcher shop in McDade, Texas.

Hung, along with his brother Thad, by vigilantes in McDade, Texas on Christmas Eve, 1883. Further details can be found in "I'LL DIE BEFORE I'LL RUN: The Story of the Great Feuds of Texas" by C.L. Sonnichsen (University of Nebraska Press, c. 1951, 1961), (pp. 178-187).

The following letter was written by Wright's widow some two weeks after the tragedy:

The Late Tragedies at McDade From the News

MCDADE. January 14, 1881 (sic)-Now while the horrible tragedy that was enacted at this place on Christmas eve and day is going the rounds of the press, just as correspondents see fit to clothe, and as reporters get it, I, a widow of one of the victims, claim a hearing. Three weeks have passed since the McLemore and Batey families received their double blow. Life with its duties and cares are before us, while behind us lies the shadow of our murdered dead and heart wounds that time can never heal.

The Bastrop Advertisor, containing an account of the triple lynching in Texas, as taken from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, is before me; also the reported interview with F. H. McLemore. It seems that it was proved at the inquest that Thad McLemore was under arrest, charged with burglary; that Wright McLemore and Henry Pfeiffer were under a nominal bond for cattle-stealing when taken from the saloon. That Jack, Azberry and Haywood Batey, Charley Goodman, Burt Hasley and Robert Stevens came in town next day defient, trying to learn the fate of their friends; that all were old residents, and all were under bad repute except Jack Batey. Thad McLemore was under arrest through charges by S. E. Walker, as was ascertained afterward. I hope that Thad died in ignorance of the latter fact, for he thought Walker a friend.

As to Wright McLemore, my husband, being under a nominal bond for cattle-stealing, there is no truth in it. His accusers have not, nor can not, come forth! That all were old residents, and under bad repute, is another untruth. Wright McLemore had only been in the county six months, was almost an entire stranger. We had been living in McDade only about two and a half months. My husband was old and badly crippled with rheumatism, an object of pity to anyone who had a spark of that element. He felt that his life was nearly over, and came here to spend his remaining days near his brothers. The southern and north-western counties know W. K. McLemore; Bastrop did not.

Thad McLemore and his brother Felix were volunteers from here in the Confederate army; served their time, came back, married and settled down in this county, where they have lived ever since in good repute; and yet one of those brothers, while in custody, was taken by a mob from a town he had helped to build, at an early hour, and on an evening when such a thing would be more difficult to perform than at any other time, carried out and hanged, and McDade knew nothing of it until the next day.

And that next day! Oh, it is a deed worthy of being handed down to posterity with the Alamo!

As to the Batey crowd going in armed and defiant, that is also false. It is true they went in together. It is a custom of old Mrs. Batey to get all of her family together on Christmas day. They boys said they would ride into town to see what was going on; and come back for an early dinner. They were not drinking; none were armed except Haywood Batey and Charley Goodman; the latter never used his pistol, it being on his person all the time, and turned the ball that wounded him. Haywood Batey had only four charges in his, so that might account for the miraculous escape of Milton and Bishop, as there were from sixty to one hundred shots! I saw them as they rode into town, and a few minutes later Azberry Batey rode up to my door to see if the news he had heard was true. I think the very last rational words he ever spoke were to me. I saw him fifteen minutes later lying in the streets dead. I see from the Bastrop Advertisor that it is generally supposed that the lynching was the outgrowth of a vigilant committee organized in McDade after the shooting of Heffington, of Lee County, and that the McLemore brothers were suspected as being implicated. My husband did not know Heffington.

Thad McLemore left town before the train came down that Fitzpatrick, the accused, was on. We knew nothing of a man being shot until the following Monday. The shooting was done on Saturday night. In a special from McDade to The Galveston News, dated December 25, it was stated that Wright McLemore happened to be present when the others were taken out. Since them The News has come out with an editorial which should elect him for our next governor, if such a man could be spared from the press. Texas, the empire State of the Union, has a constitution that demands the right to say who shall and who shall not be put to death.

The Globe-Democrat reporter, in copying from notes made during his interview with Felix McLemore, was sadly out of time; but then he had been at the scene of carnage, and I suppose had caught the infection so it will have to be excused. Felix is well known in this county and wants it distinctly understood that he emphatically denies having once said, "I can prove this and so." He told the reporter from the beginning that he knew nothing about it only what his family and friends had told him; he was not home at the time, and only stayed a short time when he did go. He made no allusions as to his dead brother's families being dependent on him for a support. Everyone in that mob knew Thad McLemore was the father of six children, all under twelve years of age, and left without a maintenance. The part referred to where Thad had a conversation with Goodman and Fitzpatrick is all wrong. Felix has the letter now which my husband wrote him after the death of Heffington, containing the substance of what he related to the reporter. He is not staying from home through any fears of killing or being killed. He is a living flesh and blood man, with perfect organization and, it is presumable, he has the power of feeling. I can establish all and more than is contained in this article and earnestly request that you give it publication.

Mrs W. K. McLemore

Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~txmdhms/bastrop_advertisor_january_26th_1884.htm

Melba Gene McLemore writes "A three day search in Oct. 2000 of the Bastrop Co. Courthouse records, index books and court jackets produced no record of Wright ever being charged with cattle theft as reported in newspapers. Wright is buried along with his brother Thaddeus Koesko McLemore in unmarked graves in the Baker Hill Cemetery which is on private property in McDade Texas. His brother Thad was married to Texana BAKER and this small cemetery is a family plot with graves mostly belonging to Baker family members. The cemetery is not visible from any road and when I (Melba) visited Baker Hill I spent several hours finding some local who knew where to find this family cemetery & was told at the time of my visit (2001) that some of hte local women had taken it upon themselves to clean up the cemetery and it was fenced in with a sign on its gate. We drove miles thru pasture land on private property to find this old cemetery. Local resident Buddy Lewis graciously drove me thru pastures on land of Kastner's to the Cemetery."

(Research):
Census Information

1870 Federal Census
Texas, Victoria County, P.O. Mission Valley, Pr 2
Enumerated August 11, 1870
Page 282, Line #11
#94-88
McLemore Wright 35 M W Teamster Miss
Value of personal estate $100
Rebecca 53 F W Keeps house Tenn
Margaret 10 F W At school Tex

1880 Federal Census
Wright K McElmore Self M M W 43 MS Farmer MS MS
Rebecca McElmore Wife M F W 55 Ga Keeps House Ga Ga
George Graner (Graves) SonInLaw M M W 23 MS Wagoner Tn Tn
Margie Graner (Graves) Dau M F W 20 Tx Keeps House Ms Ga
Daniel Cox Other S Male B 16 Tx Wagon Driver Tn Tn
Precinct 1, De Witt, Texas FHL Library Film 1255299 NA Film T9-1299 Page 400B

Note, on the Ancestry.com scan of the census microfilm, these names were all crossed out with a heavy black line. Graves was indexed, apparently in error, as Graner.

Wright married Rebecca Wilson on 27 Sep 1857 in DeWitt County, Texas. Rebecca was born before 1825 in Tennessee; died about 1881 in Texas. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Rosa McLemore, Wright's half-sister, stated that "Rebecca Wilson-Victoria, Tex." was the first wife of Wright McLemore, and that they had one child, a daughter, Marjorie. Other sources instead show her as Rebecca RANSOM. (Farris and Cunningham Family Ancestors tree at Rootsweb WorldConnect project).

Notes:

Married:
Marriage Index: Texas, 1851-1900
Married: Sep 27, 1857 in: DeWitt, TX
Gender: M
Source info: microfilm reference number File name: 1012058
Spouse's gender: F Spouse's name: Ransom, Rebecca
Data Introduction
MY FAMILY TREE FILE IMPORTED THE ABOVE INFORMATION.information either incorrect or
Rebecca was married prior to Wright as his sister Rosa gives her name as Rebecca Wilson OR WE HAVE A TRANSCRIPTION ERROR
DEWITT CO COURTHOUSE HAS NO RECORD OF THIS MARRIAGE ..CHECK W LDS FOR MICROFILM !!!!!

(Courtesy Melba Gene McLemore)