Carroll D. Wright
Encyclopedia
Carroll Davidson Wright (July 25, 1840 – February 20, 1909) was an American statistician.
Wright was born at Dunbarton, New Hampshire
. He began to study law in 1860, but in 1862 enlisted as a private in the 14th New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment
to fight the American Civil War
. He became colonel in 1864, and served as assistant-adjutant general of a brigade in the Shenandoah Valley
campaign under General Philip Sheridan
.
After the war, he was admitted to the New Hampshire bar, and in 1867 became a member of the Massachusetts
and United States
' bars. From 1872 to 1873 he served in the Massachusetts Senate
, and from 1873 to 1878 he was chief of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor. He was U.S. Commissioner of Labor from 1885 to 1905, and in 1893 was placed in charge of the Eleventh Census
. In 1894 he was chairman of the commission which investigated the Pullman Strike
of Chicago
, and in 1902 was a member of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission
. He was honorary professor of social economics in the Catholic University of America from 1895 to 1904; in 1900, he became professor of statistics and social economics in Columbian University (now George Washington University
). From 1900 to 1901, he was university lecturer on wage statistics
at Harvard, and in 1903 he was a member of the Douglas Commission to investigate and recommend a program of vocational education
for Massachusetts. In 1902, he was chosen president of Clark College (the undergraduate school at Clark University
), Worcester, Mass.
, where he was also professor of statistics and social economics from 1904 until his death. Dr Wright was President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
in 1903, and in 1907 received the Cross of the Legion of Honor for his work in improving industrial conditions, a similar honor having been conferred upon him in 1906 by the Italian government. In 1907, he was elected the second president of the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education. He died on February 20, 1909.
His publications include The Factory System of the United States (1880); Relation of Political Economy to the Labor Question (1882); History of Wages and Prices in Massachusetts, 1752-1883 (1885); The Industrial Evolution of the United States (1887); Outline of Practical Sociology (1899); Some Ethical Phases of the Labor Question (1902); Battles of Labor (1906); and numerous pamphlets and monographs on social and economic topics.
Wright was born at Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, New Hampshire
Dunbarton, is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,758 at the 2010 census.- History :Originally granted as Gorham's-town in 1735, and re-granted as Starkstown in 1748, the town was incorporated in 1765 as Dunbarton...
. He began to study law in 1860, but in 1862 enlisted as a private in the 14th New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment
14th New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment
14th New Hampshire Volunteer Regiment was an infantry regiment that participated in the American Civil War. It was the last three-year regiment raised in New Hampshire, serving from September 24, 1862 to July 8, 1865. Carroll Davidson Wright was one of its regimental leaders...
to fight the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He became colonel in 1864, and served as assistant-adjutant general of a brigade in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
campaign under General Philip Sheridan
Philip Sheridan
Philip Henry Sheridan was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War. His career was noted for his rapid rise to major general and his close association with Lt. Gen. Ulysses S...
.
After the war, he was admitted to the New Hampshire bar, and in 1867 became a member of the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' bars. From 1872 to 1873 he served in the Massachusetts Senate
Massachusetts Senate
The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Senate comprises 40 elected members from 40 single-member senatorial districts in the state...
, and from 1873 to 1878 he was chief of the Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor. He was U.S. Commissioner of Labor from 1885 to 1905, and in 1893 was placed in charge of the Eleventh Census
United States Census, 1890
The Eleventh United States Census was taken June 2, 1890. The data was tabulated by machine for the first time. The data reported that the distribution of the population had resulted in the disappearance of the American frontier...
. In 1894 he was chairman of the commission which investigated the Pullman Strike
Pullman Strike
The Pullman Strike was a nationwide conflict between labor unions and railroads that occurred in the United States in 1894. The conflict began in the town of Pullman, Illinois on May 11 when approximately 3,000 employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company began a wildcat strike in response to recent...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and in 1902 was a member of the Anthracite Coal Strike Commission
Coal Strike of 1902
The Coal Strike of 1902 was a strike by the United Mine Workers of America in the anthracite coal fields of eastern Pennsylvania. Miners were on strike asking for higher wages, shorter workdays, and the recognition of their union...
. He was honorary professor of social economics in the Catholic University of America from 1895 to 1904; in 1900, he became professor of statistics and social economics in Columbian University (now George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
). From 1900 to 1901, he was university lecturer on wage statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
at Harvard, and in 1903 he was a member of the Douglas Commission to investigate and recommend a program of vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
for Massachusetts. In 1902, he was chosen president of Clark College (the undergraduate school at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
), Worcester, Mass.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, where he was also professor of statistics and social economics from 1904 until his death. Dr Wright was President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science , founded in 1848, is the world's largest general scientific society. It serves 262 affiliated societies and academies of science and engineering, representing 10 million individuals worldwide...
in 1903, and in 1907 received the Cross of the Legion of Honor for his work in improving industrial conditions, a similar honor having been conferred upon him in 1906 by the Italian government. In 1907, he was elected the second president of the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education. He died on February 20, 1909.
His publications include The Factory System of the United States (1880); Relation of Political Economy to the Labor Question (1882); History of Wages and Prices in Massachusetts, 1752-1883 (1885); The Industrial Evolution of the United States (1887); Outline of Practical Sociology (1899); Some Ethical Phases of the Labor Question (1902); Battles of Labor (1906); and numerous pamphlets and monographs on social and economic topics.
External links
- Carroll Wright page including links to fully digitized copies of many of his books. From the Immigration to the United States, 1789-1930 collection, Harvard University Library Open Collections Program