Oscar Pendleton Wright
Oscar Pendleton Wright (5/2/1886 to 1/10/1964 (Riverview)) had – perhaps – the longest professional career of any Charles M. Robinson – or successor – architect. He was born as the youngest of four brothers (Lucius L (born 1873), Marcellus Eugene (born 1881), Harry W (born 1884) and Oscar Pendleton (born 5/2/1886) in Hanover County. The oldest brother was a carpenter and cabinet maker and Marcellus was also a noted architect. The 1900 Census shows his mother as living with her three sons at 824 North 27th Street. A detailed search of Richmond City Directories shows that Mr. Wright was the “Office Boy” for the Richmond Times-Dispatch in 1901 (at age 15). The 1902 directory states that he was a “Clerk” at the architectural firm of Noland & Baskervill. The 1904-16 City Directories state that he was a “draftsman” at Noland & Baskervill. His 9/12/18 WWI draft card states that he was employed as a “draftsman” at Carneal & Johnston and lived at 1610 West Grace Street. The Card states that he was of medium height, slender build and had brown eyes and black hair.
Charles M. Robinson’s signature appears on Mr. Wright’s Architectural License. The License (Number 114) is dated June 2, 1925.
On October 13, 1913, he was married in Petersburg to Ethel Wells of Richmond, who was four years younger. A divorce was granted to Mrs. Wright on November 5, 1936 after a 2+ year separation. His WWII draft card states that his residence was at the Jefferson Hotel and that he was employed by Carneal, Johnston & Wright. He married again – at age 56 – on September 23, 1942 in Richmond to Susie J. Luck (12/27/1892-12/12/1963), seven years his younger, daughter of Cornelius Judson Luck and Susie Gaskins Luck. The couple lived at 1120 West Grace Street.
In 1946, he left Carneal & Johnston and entered into partnership with J. Binford Walford, the firm being known as Walford & Wright until January 1, 1962. He was the first President of the Richmond Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
He died January 10, 1964, only a little over two years after the reorganization of his architectural firm into Wright, Jones & Wilkerson, of Bladder and Prostrate Cancer while employed by Wright, Jones and Wilkerson and is buried at Riverview Cemetery. Susie Luck Wright passed away less than a month before her husband and a daughter, Mrs. John A. Wheatcroft of Richmond, survived him. He is buried in the Wright Family Plot at Riverview Cemetery.
O. Pendleton Wright had an amazing career of 62 years with Richmond four important architectural firms: Noland & Baskervill, Carneal & Johnston, Walford & Wright and Wright, Jones & Wilkerson.