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Norris Wright Cuney LbNA #68268

Owner:Baby Bear
Plant date:Apr 4, 2015
Location: Sunny Side Cemetery
City:Sunny Side
County:Waller
State:Texas
Boxes:1
Found by: Nomad
Last found:Jan 29, 2017
Status:FFFFFFFF
Last edited:Oct 16, 2015
Distance to Letterbox: 50 yards
Difficulty: Easy

Here is the incredible story behind the box from the Historical marker: (May 12, 1846 - March 3, 1898) Born in the slave quarters of Sunnyside Plantation (3.2 mi.SE), Cuney displayed such intelligence as a boy that in 1859 he was sent to Wiley Street School for Negroes in Pittsburgh, PA. On returning to Texas after the Civil War, he studied law and began operating a wharf contracting company in Galveston. Cuney soon became an active member of the Texas Union League, which urged black political activity and Republican Party loyalty. In 1870 he organized the Negro Longshoremen's Association. In later years he served Galveston as a city alderman, school board member, and U.S. Customs collector, and ran twice without success for the state legislature. On July 5, 1871, he married Adelina Dowdie; they had two children. After 1872 he emerged as leader of the Republican Party in Texas, attending national party conventions as chairman of the Texas delegation. He served on the Republican National Executive Committee in 1891-92. The party broke his power in Texas in 1896 by refusing to seat his delegation--an action which deprived blacks of a voice in Texas politics until the 1960s. Cuney, one of the most prominent blacks in Texas history, died in San Antonio, where he had moved for his health. He was buried in Galveston.

Directions: (To marker, then to cemetery which is near the Plantation he was born at):
From FM 529 and FM 359 intersection, go west a few miles to marker on the left. Once view, turn around and go back to Sunny side road and turn right and continue around curves until it dead ends with cemetery straight ahead. Pull in and park near entry.

To the Letterbox:
Walk along inside fence to far corner along road, turn right and find "Wright" stone. Now find the stone with tree growing off it for "Hazel". Box is in middle of that tree under stuff.