Esther Clark Wright
Encyclopedia
Esther Isabelle Clark Wright, (1895 – June 17, 1990) was a notable Atlantic Canadian historian
who at the end of her life received the Order of Canada
for her lifetime contributions to Canadian scholarship. She published many works in relation to her historic and genealogical research and was best known for her pioneer and genealogy studies of Nova Scotia
& New Brunswick
, Canada.
in 1895, daughter of a former alderman of that city, W. G. Clark. She graduated from Acadia University
in Wolfville, Nova Scotia
with an Honours degree in Economics (1916). In 1919, she was granted a pastorage from the Baptist Church (Fredericton) and accepted a posting as pastor to Grangeville, Kent County, New Brunswick
. She thus became the first female pastor in the province. She later undertook further academic study at the University of Toronto
, Oxford University and Stanford University
, and graduated from Radcliffe/Harvard University
with a PhD in Economic History in 1931. Esther Clark married Conrad Payling Wright on July 31, 1924, on a farm outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick. She lectured on sociology at Acadia University from 1943 to 1947.
Esther began her writing career as a young woman with Public Opinion (1916) and The Challenge to Canadian Womanhood (1918), her first published works. She eventually authored fifteen books and numerous articles on a wide range of subjects including regional histories, family histories and autobiography, though she is best known for her studies of pioneering groups in Maritime Canada. In 1988, Acadiensis published an extensive bibliography of Esther Clark Wright's publications.
Wright held office in many organizations. She served as President of the New Brunswick Association of Consumers, 1950–1952; Vice-President of the National Council of Women of Canada, 1950–1953; and Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of University Women, 1952-1955.
and were compelled to leave New England. It includes a description of the harsh conditions the Loyalists faced and its appendix has a list of names including their origins, their service during the war, and where they later settled in New Brunswick.
descent. In this work, Wright traced thousands of descendents of the founder of the Steeves line, Heinrich Stief down to the 10th generation.
.
and Miramichi
rivers over several years. After completing studies of shipbuilding in Saint John and St. Martins
in the mid-1970s, she intended to write a book about the Bay of Fundy
. That work was never completed. When she published her last book, Back a Long Way she wrote, "[This book] was fun to put together, and a partial consolation for not being able, because of various contretemps, to complete the book on the Bay of Fundy."
at a ceremony held in the Wolfville Town Hall. Her pioneering work on the New England Planters was recognized in 1987 when Dr. Wright was proclaimed the first Planter Scholar during the New England Planters Maritime Canada conference. She died in July 1990. Following her passing, Acadia University named its Archives in her honour - The Esther Clark Wright Archives.
She held honorary degrees from Acadia University, Dalhousie University
and the University of New Brunswick
. In 1975 she was awarded a D. Litt. from Acadia University, and in 1981 an LI.D from Dalhousie University.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who at the end of her life received the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
for her lifetime contributions to Canadian scholarship. She published many works in relation to her historic and genealogical research and was best known for her pioneer and genealogy studies of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
& New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada.
Life and work
Esther Clark was born in Fredericton, New BrunswickFredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
in 1895, daughter of a former alderman of that city, W. G. Clark. She graduated from Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
in Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville, Nova Scotia
Wolfville is a small town in the Annapolis Valley, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada, located about northwest of the provincial capital, Halifax. As of 2006, the population was 3,772....
with an Honours degree in Economics (1916). In 1919, she was granted a pastorage from the Baptist Church (Fredericton) and accepted a posting as pastor to Grangeville, Kent County, New Brunswick
Kent County, New Brunswick
Kent County is located in east-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county features a unique blend of cultures including Mi'kmaq, Acadian and English Speaking Settlers...
. She thus became the first female pastor in the province. She later undertook further academic study at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Oxford University and Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, and graduated from Radcliffe/Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
with a PhD in Economic History in 1931. Esther Clark married Conrad Payling Wright on July 31, 1924, on a farm outside of Fredericton, New Brunswick. She lectured on sociology at Acadia University from 1943 to 1947.
Esther began her writing career as a young woman with Public Opinion (1916) and The Challenge to Canadian Womanhood (1918), her first published works. She eventually authored fifteen books and numerous articles on a wide range of subjects including regional histories, family histories and autobiography, though she is best known for her studies of pioneering groups in Maritime Canada. In 1988, Acadiensis published an extensive bibliography of Esther Clark Wright's publications.
Wright held office in many organizations. She served as President of the New Brunswick Association of Consumers, 1950–1952; Vice-President of the National Council of Women of Canada, 1950–1953; and Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of University Women, 1952-1955.
The Loyalists of New Brunswick
Among the best known of her many written works is The Loyalists of New Brunswick (1955), which has been referred to as the "red Loyalist Bible" due to its extensive information about New Brunswick Loyalists, or people who remained loyal to Britain after the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
and were compelled to leave New England. It includes a description of the harsh conditions the Loyalists faced and its appendix has a list of names including their origins, their service during the war, and where they later settled in New Brunswick.
Planters and Pioneers, Nova Scotia, 1749-1775
Planters and Pioneers, Nova Scotia, 1749-1775 (1978, revised 1982) was another important work. Planters and Pioneers is an index of New England and European settlers who came to Nova Scotia (and what later became New Brunswick) ten to fifteen years before the American Revolution. It also includes names of settlers who already lived in the area during the period of 1749-1775. Dr. Wright believed that "pre-Loyalist" immigrants to Nova Scotia had a much more significant contribution to Canadian and American history that had been previously thought or known, and she created the index with the hope of bringing their contribution to light. A limited edition of Planters and Pioneers was reprinted in 2007.Samphire Greens
Samphire Greens: The story of the Steeves (1961) and The Steeves Descendents (1965) together provided a monumental (1,000 page) genealogical study of a pioneering New Brunswick family Pennsylvania GermanPennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
descent. In this work, Wright traced thousands of descendents of the founder of the Steeves line, Heinrich Stief down to the 10th generation.
Blomidon Rose
This is an autobiographical story (published in 1957) of the people and land in and around Wolfville, Nova Scotia. In her book she describes the community in the pre-war years while she was still a student there through to the decline of the railway in the mid-1950s. The title comes from a line in Longfellow's EvangelineEvangeline
Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie, is an epic poem published in 1847 by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during the time of the Expulsion of the Acadians.The idea for the poem came from...
.
Back a Long Way
When she was 91 years old, Wright published a collection of random reminiscences called Back a Long Way (1986). The book includes short fictional stories.Unfinished project
She wrote books on the Saint John, PetitcodiacPetitcodiac River
The Petitcodiac River is a Canadian river in south-eastern New Brunswick. The river runs about through the province's Westmorland, Albert, and Kings counties, draining a watershed area of about . The region around the river features valleys, ridges, and rolling hills, and is home to a diverse...
and Miramichi
Miramichi River
The Miramichi River is a Canadian river located in the east-central part of New Brunswick. The river drains into Miramichi Bay in the Gulf of St. Lawrence...
rivers over several years. After completing studies of shipbuilding in Saint John and St. Martins
St. Martins, New Brunswick
St. Martins is a Canadian village in Saint John County, New Brunswick.The picturesque community is 40 km east of Saint John and is situated on the Bay of Fundy. St. Martins was incorporated in 1967....
in the mid-1970s, she intended to write a book about the Bay of Fundy
Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine...
. That work was never completed. When she published her last book, Back a Long Way she wrote, "[This book] was fun to put together, and a partial consolation for not being able, because of various contretemps, to complete the book on the Bay of Fundy."
Awards and recognition
In 1990, her husband, Conrad Wright, accepted the Order of Canada on her behalf from the Governor General of Canada, Ray HnatyshynRay Hnatyshyn
Ramon John Hnatyshyn , commonly known as Ray Hnatyshyn, was a Canadian politician and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 24th since Canadian Confederation....
at a ceremony held in the Wolfville Town Hall. Her pioneering work on the New England Planters was recognized in 1987 when Dr. Wright was proclaimed the first Planter Scholar during the New England Planters Maritime Canada conference. She died in July 1990. Following her passing, Acadia University named its Archives in her honour - The Esther Clark Wright Archives.
She held honorary degrees from Acadia University, Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
and the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
. In 1975 she was awarded a D. Litt. from Acadia University, and in 1981 an LI.D from Dalhousie University.