George G. Wright
Encyclopedia
George Grover Wright was a pioneer lawyer, Iowa Supreme Court
justice, law professor, and Republican United States Senator from Iowa
.
Born in Bloomington, Indiana
, he attended private schools and graduated from Indiana University
at Bloomington in 1839. He studied law in Rockville, Indiana
and was admitted to the bar
in 1840, commencing practice in Keosauqua, Iowa Territory (now Keosauqua, Iowa)
.
He was prosecuting attorney of Van Buren County, Iowa in 1847-1848 and was a member of the Iowa Senate
from 1849 to 1851. He was a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
from January 1854 to January 1860, and June 1860 to September 1870. He was the Court's chief justice for seven of those years. He also served as president of the Iowa Agricultural Society from 1860 to 1865.
Wright moved to Des Moines in 1865. In collaboration with Justice C. C. Cole, he established at Des Moines the first law school west of the Mississippi River
. This school later became the University of Iowa College of Law
. He served as one of its professors from 1865 to 1871.
In 1870, the Iowa General Assembly
chose Wright (over William Boyd Allison and others) to serve a six-year term in the United States Senate. He served in the Senate from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1877. He was not a candidate for reelection. While in the Senate, he was a member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (in the Forty-second Congress), a member of the Committee on Civil Service
and Retrenchment
(in the Forty-third Congress) and Committee on Claims (in the Forty-fourth Congress).
After leaving the Senate, he resumed the practice of his profession in Des Moines and also engaged in banking as the president of the Polk County Savings Bank. From 1887 to 1888 he was president of the American Bar Association
. He died in Des Moines in 1896, aged 75, and was interred in Woodland Cemetery.
Wright's brother, Joseph Albert Wright, was a Governor and Senator from Indiana
.
Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
justice, law professor, and Republican United States Senator from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Born in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
, he attended private schools and graduated from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
at Bloomington in 1839. He studied law in Rockville, Indiana
Rockville, Indiana
Rockville is a town in Adams Township, Parke County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,607 at the 2010 census. The town is the county seat of Parke County. It is known as "The Covered Bridge Capital of the World".-Geography:...
and was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
in 1840, commencing practice in Keosauqua, Iowa Territory (now Keosauqua, Iowa)
Keosauqua, Iowa
Keosauqua is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 1,066 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Van Buren County.-History:...
.
He was prosecuting attorney of Van Buren County, Iowa in 1847-1848 and was a member of the Iowa Senate
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly. There are 50 members of the Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state with populations of approximately 59,500 per constituency. Each Senate district is composed of two House districts...
from 1849 to 1851. He was a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Iowa. As constitutional head of the Iowa Judicial Branch, the Court is composed of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices....
from January 1854 to January 1860, and June 1860 to September 1870. He was the Court's chief justice for seven of those years. He also served as president of the Iowa Agricultural Society from 1860 to 1865.
Wright moved to Des Moines in 1865. In collaboration with Justice C. C. Cole, he established at Des Moines the first law school west of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. This school later became the University of Iowa College of Law
University of Iowa College of Law
The University of Iowa College of Law is one of the eleven professional graduate schools at the University of Iowa, located in Iowa City, Iowa. Founded in 1865, it is the oldest law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi River. The law school was ranked as the 27th best law school...
. He served as one of its professors from 1865 to 1871.
In 1870, the Iowa General Assembly
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
chose Wright (over William Boyd Allison and others) to serve a six-year term in the United States Senate. He served in the Senate from March 4, 1871, to March 3, 1877. He was not a candidate for reelection. While in the Senate, he was a member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary (in the Forty-second Congress), a member of the Committee on Civil Service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
and Retrenchment
Retrenchment
Retrenchment is an act of cutting down or reduction, particularly of public expenditure.-Political usage:The word is familiar in this, its most general sense, from the motto of the Gladstonian Liberal party in British politics, "Peace, Retrenchment and Reform."The manifesto for 1906 Liberal...
(in the Forty-third Congress) and Committee on Claims (in the Forty-fourth Congress).
After leaving the Senate, he resumed the practice of his profession in Des Moines and also engaged in banking as the president of the Polk County Savings Bank. From 1887 to 1888 he was president of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
. He died in Des Moines in 1896, aged 75, and was interred in Woodland Cemetery.
Wright's brother, Joseph Albert Wright, was a Governor and Senator from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.