John Morgan Bright

John Morgan Bright (January 20, 1817 – October 3, 1911) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from Tennessee.

John Morgan Bright
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 4th district
In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875
Preceded by	Lewis Tillman
Succeeded by	Samuel M. Fite
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 5th district
In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881
Preceded by	Horace Harrison
Succeeded by	Richard Warner
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
In office 1847-1848
Personal details
Born	January 20, 1817 Fayetteville, Tennessee
Died	October 3, 1911 (aged 94) Fayetteville, Tennessee
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Judith C. Clark Bright Zerilda B Buckner Bright Isabella Buckner Bright
Children	James Clark Bright Golding Bright W. C. Bright Robert Lucius Bright John Morgan Bright Anna Mary Bright Susan Catherine Bright Judith Margaret Bright Becham Bright Anthoney Buckner Bright David Mitchel Bright Mathew M Bright Samuel Bright
Alma mater	Nashville University Transylvania University
Profession	lawyer politician

Biography

Born in Fayetteville, Tennessee, Bright was the son of James and Nancy Morgan Bright. He attended the schools of Fayetteville and Bingham's School in Hillsboro, North Carolina. He graduated from Nashville University in September 1839. In March 1841 he graduated from the law department of Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky.[1]

Bright first married Judith C. Clark and they had nine children, James Clark Bright, Golding Bright, W. C. Bright, Robert Lucius Bright, John Morgan Bright, Anna Mary Bright, Susan Catherine Bright, Judith Margaret Bright, and Samual A.Bright. He next married Zerilda B Buckner and they had four children, Anthoney Buckner Bright, David Mitchel Bright, Becham Bright and Mathew M Bright. His third marriage was to Isabella Buckner.[2]

Career

Upon being admitted to the bar in 1841, Bright began his law practice in Fayetteville. He also served as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1847 and 1848. While in the Legislature he introduced and passed the bill providing for the construction of Tenn., Asylum for the Insane.

During the Civil War, he was Inspector General of Tennessee, with the rank of Brigadier General, and served on the staff of Governor Isham G. Harris from 1861 to 1865.[3]

Elected as a Democrat to the Forty-second for the fourth district of Tennessee, Bright was re-elected to the four succeeding Congresses. The re-districting for the 44th Congress changed his representation to the fifth district. He served from March 4, 1871 to March 3, 1881.[4] His first speech in the U. S. House of Representatives was against the Ku-Klux Bill. He served as chairman of the Committee on Claims (Forty-fourth through Forty-sixth Congresses), Committee on Expenditures in the Department of the Treasury (Forty-fourth Congress). He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress.

After leaving politics, Bright resumed the practice of law in Fayetteville.

Death

Bright died in Fayetteville on October 2, 1911 at the age of 94 years and 256 days. He is interred at the Presbyterian Churchyard, Fayetteville, Tennessee.[5][6]

References

1. "John Morgan Bright". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
2. "John Morgan Bright". Ancestry.com. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
3. "John Morgan Bright". Who's Who In Tennessee (1911). Retrieved April 9, 2013.
4. "John Morgan Bright". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
5. "John Morgan Bright". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
6. Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958; Roll Number: 18

External links

• United States Congress. "John Morgan Bright (id: B000836)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• John Morgan Bright at Find a Grave

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.