Friday, November 8, 2024

Wright farm recognized by Department of Agriculture

Posted

WEATHERFORD— The Claude Wright Dairy Farm on Tucker Road, near Azle, was recently recognized by the Family Land Heritage Program. Agricultural Commissioner Sid Miller recognized the Wrights in an Oct. 9 ceremony and luncheon in New Braunfels.

The FLHP honors historical agricultural operations in Texas. Farms and ranches qualify for inclusion if a family has maintained at least 10 acres of the land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years. Family includes relatives by blood, marriage or adoption. The program began in 1974 and has honored more than 5,000 farms and ranches in the state.

The farm was founded by Claude Wright just over 100 years ago. Carolyn Wright Schlueter, his granddaughter, told her family history to the Department of Agriculture, which relayed these details in material for the ceremony and social media.

According to Schlueter, members of the Wright family have spent many lifetimes in Parker County. Wright acquired the original acreage of his dairy farm in 1922 and eventually acquired land in excess of 320 acres. Wright was born in the Clear Fork community of Parker County March 15, 1896. He founded his dairy farm in 1922 after marrying his first wife, Fay Tucker. The Wrights welcomed five children: Gladys, Denzil, Virgil, Norvin and Vonnie, to the marriage before Fay Wright passed away after the birth of her youngest daughter.

After Fay’s death in 1927, Claude remarried Ella Vick Wright. Together, they added three more children to the family: Louise, Waymon and Harold Ray. Waymon Wright served as Parker County Commissioner for Precinct 1. All of Claude’s sons became Parker County dairy farmers in addition to other jobs they held. At 88 years old, Harold Ray is the last surviving child of Claude Wright.

Claude Wright enjoyed farming and had a deep appreciation for the land and its value as a source of family history. In addition to his dairy cattle, Claude Wright raised goats, horses and chickens, and produced wheat, oats, corn, hay and a large family garden.

Today, the farm produces stocker cattle, coastal bermudagrass, alfalfa, pecans and bees.

“My daddy — Harold Ray Wright — is so pleased that our family was granted the commemoration,” Schlueter said in an email to the Tri-County Reporter. “He was born on this farm in 1936 — the last of my grandfather Claude’s eight children and the only surviving child. My daddy is a proud Azle FFA American Farmer (see Jack DeShazo article in Oct. 10 edition of the Tri-County Reporter) and has farmed and run a dairy or cattle farm his entire life. He and my mother have been married 68 years and still have cattle. My parents live in the original homestead spot of the first part of the farm my grandad Claude Wright purchased in 1922 from his father-in-law Virg Tucker (Tucker Road). Virg Tucker acquired the land from Joseph L. Walker — a Texas veteran who was given the land by the state of Texas for his service in the Texas army. In my grandfather Claude Wright’s will — he requested as his dying wish that his children keep the land in the family and my daddy has done just that. I began work on this farm heritage a year ago. I was in Europe on vacation when the designation award was presented in New Braunfels at the Chandelier Room by Sid Miller. As my parents and I were unable to attend — four of my cousins went to accept the award for me.”