Benjamin D. Wright
Encyclopedia
Benjamin D. Wright was a Florida Lawyer, journalist, and Whig politician
who served in Territorial Legislature, the State Senate, and as a Florida Supreme Court
justice in 1853, succeeding Walker Anderson
. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
on January 23, 1799, the son of William and Sarah Ann Wright. He married Josephine De La Rua on February 23, 1826. He owned the Pensacola Gazette from 1834 to 1839 and edited the paper till 1846. He opposed secession and refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy.
He died on April 28, 1874.
Wright was admitted to the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania bar
on April 7, 1820. When he was twenty-four, he moved to the Pensacola area. He became friends with and went to work for Richard K. Call
, a protégé of Andrew Jackson
. In April 1824 he was appointed to the territorial council. In May, the president appointed him United States Attorney
for Middle Florida, and then for West Florida in February 1826.
His political career encountered difficulties after he accused Judge Henry Marie Brackenridge of malfeasance in November 1827. The judge retaliated by seeking Wright's replacement through a letter writing campaign and his political connections. As a result, another man was appointed in his place when his term expired in 1830. He represented Escambia County
in the territorial council from 1831 to 1833 and again in 1837. He served as a member of the 1838 constitutional convention till January 5, 1839. That year, he became a member of the Territorial Senate.
He left office to work behind the scenes politically. He served in the Florida Senate
in 1845, and again returned to his law practice. In 1850 he became an Alabama and Florida Railroad commissioner. The governor appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1853 to replace Walker Anderson
. He was replaced in turn when the voters elected Thomas Baltzell
, the first Florida Justice chosen by popular election.
He again returned to his Pensacola business interests and law practice. He became president of the Alabama and Florida Railroad in 1856. He served on the 1865 constitutional convention, but never again served as an elected official. He died on April 28, 1874.
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
who served in Territorial Legislature, the State Senate, and as a Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
justice in 1853, succeeding Walker Anderson
Walker Anderson
Walker Anderson was a Florida lawyer and Democratic politician who served on the Florida Supreme Court from 1851 to 1853.He was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on July 18, 1801. He studied law at Raleigh, North Carolina and married Phoebe Hawks. He practiced law and was a professor of English and of...
. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
on January 23, 1799, the son of William and Sarah Ann Wright. He married Josephine De La Rua on February 23, 1826. He owned the Pensacola Gazette from 1834 to 1839 and edited the paper till 1846. He opposed secession and refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy.
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
He died on April 28, 1874.
Wright was admitted to the Luzerne County, Pennsylvania bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
on April 7, 1820. When he was twenty-four, he moved to the Pensacola area. He became friends with and went to work for Richard K. Call
Richard K. Call
Richard Keith Call was the third and fifth territorial governor of Florida.Named after his uncle, a Revolutionary War hero, he was born in Pittsfield, Prince George County, Virginia. In 1813 he left school to take part in the Creek War. He came favorably to the attention of General Andrew Jackson,...
, a protégé of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. In April 1824 he was appointed to the territorial council. In May, the president appointed him United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for Middle Florida, and then for West Florida in February 1826.
His political career encountered difficulties after he accused Judge Henry Marie Brackenridge of malfeasance in November 1827. The judge retaliated by seeking Wright's replacement through a letter writing campaign and his political connections. As a result, another man was appointed in his place when his term expired in 1830. He represented Escambia County
Escambia County, Florida
Escambia County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2010 population was 297,619. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 296,772. Its county seat is Pensacola.- History :...
in the territorial council from 1831 to 1833 and again in 1837. He served as a member of the 1838 constitutional convention till January 5, 1839. That year, he became a member of the Territorial Senate.
He left office to work behind the scenes politically. He served in the Florida Senate
Florida Senate
The Florida Senate is the upper house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida. The Senate is composed of 40 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 470,032....
in 1845, and again returned to his law practice. In 1850 he became an Alabama and Florida Railroad commissioner. The governor appointed him to the Supreme Court in 1853 to replace Walker Anderson
Walker Anderson
Walker Anderson was a Florida lawyer and Democratic politician who served on the Florida Supreme Court from 1851 to 1853.He was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on July 18, 1801. He studied law at Raleigh, North Carolina and married Phoebe Hawks. He practiced law and was a professor of English and of...
. He was replaced in turn when the voters elected Thomas Baltzell
Thomas Baltzell
Thomas Baltzell was an American lawyer and politician who was the first popularly elected chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court...
, the first Florida Justice chosen by popular election.
He again returned to his Pensacola business interests and law practice. He became president of the Alabama and Florida Railroad in 1856. He served on the 1865 constitutional convention, but never again served as an elected official. He died on April 28, 1874.