Benjamin D. Wright
Who was Benjamin D. Wright?
American politician (1799-1874)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Benjamin D. Wright (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Benjamin Drake Wright was born on January 23, 1799, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to William and Sarah Ann Wright. He was admitted to the Luzerne County bar on April 7, 1820. By the time he was twenty-four, he had moved to the Pensacola area of Florida, which was newly acquired from Spain. He quickly made a name for himself in the local legal and political scene and formed a close friendship with Richard K. Call, who was a protégé of Andrew Jackson. Wright worked under Call during his early years in Florida. In February 1826, he married Josephine De La Rua and joined one of Pensacola's influential Creole families.
Wright's public career took off in the 1820s. In April 1824, he was appointed to the Florida Territorial Council, and in May, President Monroe made him United States Attorney for Middle Florida, which included the new capital, Tallahassee. In February 1826, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for West Florida. He also served as mayor of Pensacola in 1828 and 1829, while still holding his federal post. However, his career hit a snag when he accused Judge Henry Marie Brackenridge of wrongdoing in November 1827. Brackenridge fought back through letters and political ties, and when Wright's term as U.S. Attorney ended in 1830, someone else took his place.
Despite this setback, Wright stayed active in Florida's territorial politics. He represented Escambia County in the territorial council from 1831 to 1833 and again in 1837. He was a delegate at the 1838 Florida constitutional convention until January 5, 1839, and joined the Territorial Senate that same year. Between 1834 and 1839, he owned the Pensacola Gazette, a key newspaper in the region, and edited it until 1846, giving him significant influence during the years around Florida's statehood in 1845. He was Pensacola's mayor again in 1841 and 1842 and served in the Florida State Senate in 1845.
In 1850, he became a commissioner for the Alabama and Florida Railroad during a time of great interest in connecting the Gulf Coast to larger markets. His judicial career peaked in 1853 when the governor appointed him to the Florida Supreme Court, succeeding Walker Anderson. This was the highest position he ever held, and he became part of a small group shaping Florida's early legal framework. During the Civil War, Wright stood against the popular opinion in his area. He opposed Florida leaving the Union and wouldn't pledge allegiance to the Confederacy, a brave move that risked much personally and professionally in a state that seceded in January 1861. Benjamin Drake Wright died on April 28, 1874, having seen Florida change from a Spanish-ruled territory to a post-Civil War state.
Before Fame
Benjamin Drake Wright grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, during the early days of the American republic, when being a lawyer was a top choice for ambitious young men looking to make a name for themselves. He studied law and joined the Luzerne County bar in April 1820, finishing his legal training when law schools were rare, and learning under practicing attorneys was the usual path. At twenty-four, he decided to move to Pensacola, a city recently transferred from Spanish to American control, where there were few trained lawyers and many opportunities to succeed.
His early years in Florida happened to be when Andrew Jackson was the territorial governor, and America was working to organize a new territory from a former colony. By teaming up with Richard K. Call and getting involved with the Jacksonian political group, Wright placed himself at the heart of territorial governance during this important time. Being appointed as U.S. Attorney for two different Florida districts before turning thirty showed how fast a skilled, well-connected lawyer could advance in a newly organized frontier territory.
Key Achievements
- Appointed United States Attorney for Middle Florida and subsequently for West Florida during the 1820s, among the earliest federal legal officers in the territory
- Served as a delegate to Florida's 1838 constitutional convention, helping draft the framework for the state's eventual admission to the Union in 1845
- Owned and edited the Pensacola Gazette between 1834 and 1846, shaping public discourse during Florida's transition from territory to state
- Appointed as a justice of the Florida Supreme Court in 1853, succeeding Walker Anderson
- Refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy, maintaining his Unionist principles despite secession in Florida
Did You Know?
- 01.Wright held two public offices simultaneously in the late 1820s, serving as both mayor of Pensacola and United States Attorney for West Florida at the same time.
- 02.He owned the Pensacola Gazette for five years and continued editing the newspaper for seven more years after selling ownership, maintaining editorial influence from 1834 to 1846.
- 03.His accusation of malfeasance against Judge Henry Marie Brackenridge in 1827 effectively ended his career as a federal attorney, as the judge's political connections secured his removal when his term expired.
- 04.Wright refused to swear allegiance to the Confederacy during the Civil War, a stance of open resistance to the new government in a state that had seceded in January 1861.
- 05.He was appointed U.S. Attorney for Middle Florida in May 1824, a district centered on Tallahassee, which had only just been selected as Florida's territorial capital that same year.