Robert Wright (politician)

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For other people named Robert Wright, see the disambiguation page.

Robert Wright (November 20, 1752–September 7, 1826) was an American politician.

Wright was born at "Narborough", near Chestertown, Maryland, attended the common schools, and Washington College of Chestertown. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1773, and commenced practice in Chestertown. He served in the American Revolutionary War as private, lieutenant, and later as captain. After the war, he served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1784 to 1786, and as a member of the Maryland State Senate in 1801.

In 1800, Wright was elected as a Democratic Republican to the United States Senate on November 19, 1801, for the term commencing March 4, 1801. In the Senate, Wright served as delegate to the Farmers’ National Convention in 1803. He resigned from the Senate on November 12, 1806, having been Governor of Maryland, a position he served in from 1806 to 1809.

After his tenure as Governor, Wright served as clerk of Queen Anne's County, Maryland in 1810, and was elected to the Eleventh and Twelfth Congresses to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John Brown. He was reelected to the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Congresses and served from November 29, 1810, to March 3, 1817. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1816 to the Fifteenth Congress, but was successfully elected to the Seventeenth Congress, serving from March 4, 1821 to March 3, 1823. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1822.

In his later life, Wright served as district judge of the lower Eastern Shore district of Maryland from 1823 until his death at "Blakeford" in Queen Anne's County. He is interred in the private burying ground of the DeCourcy family at "Cheston-on-Wye" in Queen Anne's County.

[edit] Reference

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Preceded by William Hindman	United States Senator (Class 3) from Maryland 1801–1806 Served alongside: John E. Howard, Samuel Smith	Succeeded by Philip Reed
Preceded by Robert Bowie	Governor of Maryland 1806–1809	Succeeded by Edward Lloyd
Preceded by John Brown	U.S. Congressman, Maryland's 7th District 1810—1817	Succeeded by Philip Reed
Preceded by Stevenson Archer	U.S. Congressman, Maryland's 7th District 1821—1823	Succeeded by William Hayward, Jr.

Governors of Maryland

Johnson • T. Lee • Paca • Smallwood • J. Howard • Plater • Brice • T. Lee • Stone • Henry • Ogle • Mercer • R. Bowie • Wright • E. Lloyd • R. Bowie • Winder • Ridgely • C. Goldsborough • Sprigg • Stevens • Kent • Martin • T. Carroll • Martin • G. Howard • J. Thomas • Veazey • Grason • F. Thomas • Pratt • P. Thomas • Lowe • Ligon • Hicks • Bradford • Swann • O. Bowie • Whyte • Groome • J. Carroll • Hamilton • McLane • H. Lloyd • Jackson • Brown • Lowndes • Smith • Warfield • Crothers • P. Goldsborough • Harrington • Ritchie • Nice • O'Conor • Lane • McKeldin • Tawes • Agnew • Mandel • B. Lee • Mandel • Hughes • Schaefer • Glendening • Ehrlich • O'Malley