Robert Wright

Who was Robert Wright?

Robert Wright was an American politician.

Wright was born at Narborough, near Chestertown, Maryland, attended the common schools, and the Kent Free School of Chestertown. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1773, and commenced practice in Chestertown. He served in the Maryland militia during 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 elected the 12th 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.