Obituaries etc.

Father: Leonard Burke Wight
Born: 31 Aug 1811, East Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut
Marriage: (1): Lucy Marcy, 31 Mar 1833, Holland, Hampden, Massachusetts
Marriage: (2): Mercy Wood Bigelow, 29 Nov 1842
Died: 4 Apr 1884, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, at age 72


Leonard married Lucy Marcy on 31 Mar 1833 in Holland, Hampden, Massachusetts.  (Lucy Marcy was born on 1 May 1814 in Holland, Hampden, Massachusetts  and died on 2 May 1842 in Wales, Hampden, Massachusetts.)

Leonard also married Mercy Wood Bigelow, daughter of Daniel Bigelow and Mercy Wood, on 29 Nov 1842.  (Mercy Wood Bigelow was born on 21 Nov 1812 in Chester, Hampden, Massachusetts.)


The Washington Post, Wednesday, January 29, 1896, pg. 12.  WILL OF THE LATE E. B. WIGHT.  The will of the late Eugene Barton Wight, dated September 3, 1891, was filed yesterday. It bequeaths all the testators property to his wife, Mary Dennie Wight, and she is named as executrix. The paper is witnessed by W. A. Day, Fred Perry Powers, W. P. Montague, and K. R. Hampton.

DC-OBITS-L Archives

Subject: The Washington Post, January 10, 1896 - WIGHT OBIT Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 12:05:50 -0700 (PDT)
The Washington Post, January 10, 1896, pg. 3
MR. E. B. WIGHT'S DEATH  One of the Best Known Newspaper Men of Washington.  HIS CAREER AS A CORRESPONDENT  For a Quarter of a Century He Had Represented Leading Newspapers at the Capital, and Was One of the Leaders as Well as Veterans of the Correspondents Corps His Comrades of the Press Gallery and Gridiron Club to Attend the Funeral.
The death of E. B. Wight, a veteran in the ranks of Washington newspaper correspondents, which occurred early yesterday morning at his residence, 1803 Nineteenth street, caused sincere grief to his many intimate friends and regret to many others who knew him chiefly as an able writer and public spirited citizen.  Mr. Wight had been in poor health for some months.  He consulted a physician in Boston last summer, and was informed that his malady was angina pectoris, which might terminate fatally at almost any time. He then determined to allow himself a little more relaxation from his work, and about the time Congress convened he arranged with Mr. O. P. Austin to assist him. Since the opening session Mr. Wight has not visited the Capitol, though he was at his desk in his office every day until last Saturday, when his condition became such that he was obliged to remain at home. He suffered considerably and was unable to lie down. He spent most of his time in an easy chair, and there he died at 6:30 yesterday morning. Mr. Wight leaves a widow and two sons, the elder about seventeen years old.Funeral services will be held at his late residence at noon to-day. The remains will be sent to Boston for interment at 3 oclock, accompanied by Mr. L. U. Paynter, who was an intimate friend of Mr. Wight.Action of His Associates.The press correspondents met in the Senate gallery yesterday afternoon, E. G. Dunnell presiding, and appointed the following committee to draft suitable resolutions to be forwarded to the family: John M. Carson, William E. Curtis, O. O. Stealey, John P. Miller, and William C. McBride.There was also a largely attended meeting last evening of the Gridiron Club, for the purpose of taking suitable action. Mr. E. G. Dunnell introduced the following resolutions, which were adopted unanimously:Mr. President: I ask that the following minute be entered upon the records of the Gridiron Club and that an engrossed copy be sent to Mrs. E. B. Wight:The death of our friend and companion, Eugene Barton Wight. Is a personal bereavement to us all. He was one of the founders and charter members of the Gridiron Club, and from its inception has been among its most useful and honored members. Whether as a patient and earnest worker in its ranks, or as an officer, always reluctant to accept recognition of his worth, he compelled the respect and warm esteem of his associates. As a journalist he early took and steadily maintained a high position in this community. For nearly thirty years he exhibited the characteristics of the high-minded, generous, and courteous gentleman. He brought to the exercise of his profession in Washington a well-trained and well-filled mind, a keen sense of honor, of personal integrity, and a gentleness of manner which intensifies his loss to those whose privilege it was to know him and to respect him. Whether in his relations to his fellow-journalists, or his connection with those outside the pr!ofession,his sterling manhood and ability, joined to an indefatigable industry and a pride in the performance of duty, made friends of acquaintances and enforced confidence and esteem.The Gridiron Club, to the institution and success of which he gave much of his time and solicitude, and in the furtherance of the aims, of which he was always a devoted worker, hereby places on record the expression of its deep sorrow at his loss and its affectionate sympathy with his family in their bereavement.A committee was also appointed to accompany the remains from the house to the railway station, consisting of President W. E. Annin, S. E. Johnson, O. O. Stealey, P. V. De Graw, E. G. Dunnell, F. A. G. Handy, Alfred Stofer, and George H. Walker. The club also decided to be present at the funeral services in a body. At the request of Mrs. Wight the Gridiron Quartet consisting of Herndon Morsell, Alex. Mosher, J. Henry Kaiser, and W. D. Hoover, will sing at the funeral.His Career as a Correspondent.Mr. Wights career as a correspondent was a brilliant one. For twenty-five years he represented leading daily newspapers at the Capital, the most important in recent years being the Chicago Inter Ocean. He was born in Wales, Mass., December 6, 1843, and at an early age went with his parents to Illinois, where they lived near Chicago. After acquiring an education at the University of Chicago, he spent some years in Germany, becoming a thorough master of the language, which was afterward of great use to him. He was afterward connected for some time with a law firm of which Attorney General Harmon was a member.  He came to this city about 1870, and accepted a position in the New York Times bureau. Three years later he became Washington correspondent of a paper which was started in New York in the interests of Gen. Grant. He next became Ben Perley Poore's assistant on the Boston Journal, and later succeeded the brother of Editor Medill, as head of the Chicago Tribune bureau. He occupied this position for nearly twenty years, retaining, however, his connection with the Boston Journal. He married a daughter of Mr. Clapp, who was editor and controlling owner of the latter paper.  Several years ago he accepted the position of Washington correspondent of the Chicago Inter-Ocean, and represented both the Inter-Ocean and the Boston Journal at the time of his death.  His Collection of Press Clippings.  He was a tireless worker, and devoted a great deal of time to study and affairs outside of the regular run of his profession. One of his most valuable achievements was the collection of an enormous mass of newspaper clippings on important and interesting subjects. Added to his own collection, the accumulation of thirty years, was the collection made by the late Mr. Kingman, which was purchased by Mr. Wight. The collection has been kept complete up to day, and as he had prepared a comprehensive card index this vast fund of useful information is easily accessible, and makes a record of almost priceless value. Mr. Wight was also a photographer of considerable ability, his efforts in this line rivaling those of any professional.