Silas Wright

Silas Wright
14th Governor of New York
In office January 1, 1845 – December 31, 1846
Lieutenant	Addison Gardiner
Preceded by	William C. Bouck
Succeeded by	John Young
United States Senator from New York
In office January 4, 1833 – November 26, 1844
Preceded by	William L. Marcy
Succeeded by	Henry A. Foster
8th Comptroller of New York
In office January 21, 1829 – January 7, 1833
Governor	Martin Van Buren Enos T. Throop William L. Marcy
Preceded by	William L. Marcy
Succeeded by	Azariah Flagg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 20th district
In office March 4, 1827 – February 16, 1829
Preceded by	Daniel Hugunin Jr.
Succeeded by	George Fisher
Member of the New York State Senate
In office 1824–1827 Serving with Melancton Wheeler (1824), John Cramer, Archibald McIntyre, John Crary (1825), John L. Viele (1826), Duncan McMartin Jr. (1827)
Preceded by	David Erwin, Melancton Wheeler, John Cramer, Archibald McIntyre
Succeeded by	John Crary, John L. Viele, Duncan McMartin Jr., Reuben Sanford
Constituency	4th District
Personal details
Born	(1795-05-24)May 24, 1795 Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	August 27, 1847(1847-08-27) (aged 52) Canton, New York, U.S.
Resting place	Old Canton Cemetery
Political party	Democratic-Republican (Before 1825) Jacksonian (1825–1828) Democratic (1828–1847)
Spouse	Clarissa Moody (1833–1847)
Education	Middlebury College (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1822–1829
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	New York State Militia, 12th Division
Commands	7th Regiment, NYSM 49th Brigade, NYSM

Silas Wright Jr. (May 24, 1795 – August 27, 1847) was an American attorney and Democratic politician. A member of the Albany Regency, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, New York State Comptroller, United States Senator, and Governor of New York.

Born in Amherst, Massachusetts and raised in Weybridge, Vermont, Wright graduated from Middlebury College in 1815, studied law, attained admission to the bar, and began a practice in Canton, New York. He soon began a career in politics and government, serving as St. Lawrence County's surrogate judge, a member of the New York State Senate, and a brigadier general in the state militia.

Wright became a member of the Albany Regency, the coterie of friends and supporters of Martin Van Buren who led New York's Democratic Party beginning in the 1820s. As his career progressed, he served in the United States House of Representatives (1827–1829), as State Comptroller (1829–1833), and U.S. Senator (1833–1844). In the Senate, Wright became chairman of the Finance Committee, a post he held from 1836 to 1841. In 1844, Van Buren lost the Democratic presidential nomination to James K. Polk; Polk supporters nominated Wright for vice president as a way to attract Van Buren's support to the ticket, but Wright declined. Later that year he was elected governor, and he served one two-year term. Defeated for reelection in 1846, he retired to his home in Canton. He died in Canton in 1847, and was buried at Old Canton Cemetery.