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Jason L. WIGHT, one of the thrifty and substantial farmers of Lawrence County, Mo., was born in the State of New York June 14, 1839. His parents, William and Rhoda (ROWELL) WIGHT, both of whom were born in New Hampshire in 1806, moved to Iowa in 1845, where they both died when the subject of this sketch was a small boy, and being left a poor orphan he was compelled to find work and a place to stay as best he could, but succeeded in obtaining a fair common-school education. When the Civil War came on he enlisted August 9, 1862, in Company F, Twenty-ninth Iowa Regiment. He participated in the battle of Helena, Ark., July 4, 1863; the battle of Jenkin's Ferry, Ark., April 30, 1864, and was in the siege of Mobile and many other engagements of less note. On October 22, 1865, he was united in marriage with Mary J. WITT, who was born in Wayne County, Ind., March 13, 1844. Their marriage was solemnized in Taylor County, Iowa. Three children have blessed their union: William P., born September 27, 1866; Letha M., born December 24, 1867, and Ira C., born October 11, 1870. Mrs. Wight's father, whose name is P. K. WITT, was born in Indiana in 1818, and his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth SWEET, was born in Urbana, Ohio, in 1819. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wight are consistent members of the Christian Church. Politically Mr. Wight is a stanch Republican. He and his wife moved to Lawrence County, Mo., in spring of 1866, took a homestead of eighty acres and proceeded to fix up a comfortable home. He, with the help of his industrious and economical wife, has been able to buy 160 acres more land, and has raised one of the finest orchards in the county, from which he sold apples to the amount of $230 in 1887. Besides this he is starting another fine orchard. His home is situated three miles northwest of Peirce City.
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