Wright, Richard H

Date of birth
7-13-1851
Place of birth
Franklin County, North Carolina
Date of death
3-4-1929
Place of death
Durham, North Carolina
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Richard H. Wright, born July 13, 1851, died March 4, 1929. 

Per "Durham and Her People," 1951:

Was once associated with the Dukes but sold out in 1885. Travelled all over the world in interest of automatic cigarette machine, of which he was a large owner. Traveled across the Atlantic 94 times, Pacific 14 times and made a world wide trip 8 times. Equipped first cigarette factory in China. Returned to Durham and became utility magnate: telephone, electric power, and street car. Established Wright's Refuge and donated to Louisburg College. Founded Wright's Automatic Machinery Company, and pioneered in automatic packing machines.

Related Businesses / Organizations

Wright Automatic Tobacco Packing Machine Company

Richard H. Wright, at one time associated with the Dukes' ambitions to monopolize the tobacco industry before the relationship soured, had continued to work to secure control of tobacco production and packaging machinery, even after dissolution of the partnership with the Dukes. After working to secure the rights to the Bonsack cigarette machine...
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Related as a builder

Related as an architect

Related buildings

Wright Factory / First Graded School

Wright Factory repurposed as Durham's first Graded School, 1880s. (Courtesy Duke RBMC - Wyatt Dixon Collection)
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Bonnie Brae

Bonnie Brae was the country house of Durham business magnate Richard H. Wright. From 1898 until 1916, Wright lived in the former EJ Parrish house at East Main and North Dillard Street, but built Bonnie Brae farm, a 9000 square foot colonial revival mansion, as a country estate for himself, his sisters, and his deceased brother's large family in...
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The Wright Refuge

Wright Refuge, looking northwest, 1920s. (Courtesy Duke Rare Book and Manuscript Collection / Chamber of Commerce Collection)
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Yarbrough Mills / Wright Machinery Company

Yarbrough Mill, ~1925 - looking northwest from Calvin St. (Courtesy Durham County Library / North Carolina Collection) The Yarbrough Mill, a hosiery mill, was established on Calvin St., near Holloway St. around 1925. There is very little extant detail about the origin or operation of the mill. Yarbrough Mills interior, undated, but mid to late...
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Lakewood Amusement Park

Durham's grandest attraction of the early 20th century, Lakewood Park, at the southwest end of the streetcar line, offered dancing, rides (including a roller coaster,) swimming, and theater. With the demise of the streetcar in the 1920s, Lakewood Park struggled, and finally closed for good in 1932
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213 East Main Street / Shevel Building

Shevel Building, 213 East Main Street. It appears that the building at 213 East Main Street, known as the "Shevel Building" was constructed in ~1913. With the construction of the Hotel Malbourne that same year, the formerly residential/frame structure eastern end of the 200 block of East Main converted to commercial use. My assumption is that Max...
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The Wright Corner / Main And Corcoran - Sw

One of the earliest mixed-purpose office buildings in Durham, Richard Wright's "Wright's Corner" survived in modified form until 1961.
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Ej Parrish House/ Richard H. Wright House

On the northeast corner of Main and Dillard streets is the below imposing structure. Looking northeast, July 2006.
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Submitted by RH Michael (not verified) on Sat, 11/26/2011 - 5:34pm

We have photos from land behind our neighborhood of several buildings... One that says RH Wright 1895. Trying to research to see what the buildings were once used for and if there was a homestead located close by.

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