Joseph A. Wright

Joseph Albert Wright ( born April 17, 1810 in Washington, Pennsylvania, † May 11, 1867 in Berlin) was an American politician and 1849-1857 the 10th Governor of Indiana. He also represented this state in both chambers of Congress and was the United States ambassador in Prussia.

Early years

Already in 1820 Joseph Wright came with his family to Bloomington, Indiana. After the death of his father, he had to earn his living and his studies as a laborer in various fields. Finally, he was able to successfully study at Indiana University until 1825. He then studied law. After his successful exams and qualifying as a lawyer in 1829, he began practicing in Rockville. Between 1833 and 1838, Wright was a deputy in the House of Representatives from Indiana, from 1839 to 1842 he was State Senator. There followed a two -year term as a deputy in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington. He was 1843-1845. On 6 August 1849, he was elected as a candidate of the Democratic Party as the new governor of Indiana, where he prevailed with 52 percent of the vote against the Whig John A. Matson.

Governor of Indiana

Wright stepped up his new post on December 5, 1849. During his tenure, the Constitution was amended and extended the term of office of the governor for four years. Wright has been elected under the terms of the new constitution in a second term, where this time he achieved an even greater majority with 54.6 percent over his Whig opponent Nicholas McCarty, and could thus serve until January 12, 1857. That was the then longest serving governor of Indiana. During his reign the first State of Indiana exhibition took place in 1851. At that time an agricultural commission was set up (Board of Agriculture). The education system was restructured and, as in agriculture, a school committee ( School Board of Education) was founded. The schools were handed over to local and curators. The taxes were increased to finance these reforms.

Further CV

After the end of his tenure, Wright was sent by President James Buchanan as the Special Envoy to the Prussian court in Berlin. He was 1857-1861. Between 1862 and 1863 he was for a short time in the U.S. Senate. In 1865 he was again sent as ambassador to Berlin, where he died in 1867. Joseph Wright was married twice and had four children.