HON. DEXTER RUSSELL WRIGHT.

     Hon. Dexter Russell Wright, whose death occurred in New Haven July 23, 1886, was a member of the New Haven county bar for nearly foty years and was widely known as an able and reliable corporation and business lawyer, and as a citizen and public man he attained distinction.
     Mr. Wright was born June 27, 1821, at Windsor, Vermont, a son of Alpheus and Anna (Loveland) Wright. The father was engaged in the milling and lumber business and subsequently removed to the state of New York. After Dexter R. Wright was educationally prepared he entered Wesleyan at Middletown, from which he was graduated in 1845. For a brief period he was principal of the Meriden Academy and then entered the law department of Yale, from which he was graduated in 1848. While pursuing his studies he was for a time clerk in the office of E. K. Foster, of New Haven. In 1848 he was admitted to the bar and began the practice oft his profession in Meriden. With the exception of a brief period of business and legal experience with the pioneers of California, in 1850 and 1851, he continued in practice in Meriden until 1862. In November, 1863, Mr. Wright opened an office in New Haven where he followed his professional career the remaining years of his life. Here his abilities as a commercial and business lawyer and counselor became noted and a large and lucrative practice was ready to his hand. The briefs which Mr. Wright submiitted to the supreme court were prepared with great skill and showed remarkable familiarity with the English language. Courteous and affable to all with whom he came in contact, his commanding form and fine carriage, added to his learning and eloquence, gave him much influence with both court and jury.
     Mr. Wright began life as a democrat and was a warm adherent of the principles of that party as they were declared prior to 1861. In 1849 he was elected to the state senate from the sixth district, being supported by both democrats and the free soilers. In the election in 1860 Mr. Wright agreed with those democrats who, under the leadership of the Hartford Times, supported Senator Breckenridge for president. When the secession movement took definite shape and could not be allayed Mr. Wright and his intimate personal and business friend, Charles Parker, of Meriden, without hesitation ranged themselves on the side of the Union and, in company with James T. Pratt, Roger Averill and other democrats, worked with surpassing devotion for its preservation.
     Mr. Wright was made lieutenant colonel of the Fourteenth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, and in August, 1862, was made colonel of a regiment composed of recruits from New Haven county. This was the Fifteenth Connecticut Volunteers which, under Colonel Wright's careful and thorough training, quickly became one of the most promising regiments camped around Washington in the fall of 1862. The Fifteenth Connecticut was brigaded with four other regiments and Colonel Wright became the commander. Early in 1863 he was directed to take his brigade to Fredericksburg, and though he had been seriously injured in the overturning of an ambulance he promptly led his troops to Falmouth and there reported for duty.
     In March, 1863, Colonel Wright, still suffering from the effects of his injury at Alexandria and ill from the effects of exposure during Burnside's futile movements around Fredericksburg, resigned his command and returned home to throw himself into the cause of the Union republican party in the heated campaign then in progress between the democrats with Thomas H. Seymour, on a peace platform, and William A. Buckingham as the ca'ndidate of the Union party. Colonel Wright was elected to the state legislature as the representative from Meriden and during the sessions of May and November, 1863, acted as chairman of the committee on military affairs, at that time perhaps the most important in the house. He was an acknowledged leader in a house that contained some of the brainiest men of the state. He took a brilliant part in the protracted debate over the Vallandigham question and reported the bill for the organization of colored troops from the state. Colonel Wright took an active part in the organization of the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Connecticut Colored Volunteer Infantry, and materially assisted in securing their equipment. In the summer of 1863 he was made a member of the enrollment board for the second congressional district and filled this position with credit to the end of the war.
     Following the advent of peace Colonel Wright allied himself with the republican party and became one of its recognized leaders in the state. He was president of the convention which nominated Joseph R. Hawley for governor in 1866 and manifested unusual gifts as a presiding officer. For several years he was a member of the city council and the board of aldermen of New Haven, and in 1873 was made corporation counsel of New Haven. For four years he was United States district attorney for Connecticut, and in 1878 was elected a representative to the general assembly and was chosen speaker of the house in January, 1879. He was a stanch supporter of James A. Garfield and James G. Blaine. During all these years of public activity no client of his ever suffered from a neglect of his interests, nor would he permit his earnest work in his profession to lag. As a citizen Colonel Wright was always deeply devoted to the growth, prosperity and general improvement of Meriden and New Haven. He had charge of the erection of many of the public buildings in both these places and his abilities were ever at the command of the community which he called home.
     Colonel Wright was married Feb. 3, 1848, to Miss Maria H. Phelps, a daughter of Colonel Epaphras L. Phelps, of East Windsor, Connecticut, and this union was blessed with six children. Dexter R., born in 1852, died young. Maria A., born April 8, 1854, in 1872 married Henry L. Hinton, of New York city. Charles P., born in 1857, died young. Harriet P., born January 31, 1860, was married in 1886 to Elisha Hewitt, of New Haven. Paul, born February 23, 1862, was married to Minnie L. Crawford. Arthur B. is a lawyer. He married Harriet B. Sprague, a native of New York city.

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