Silas Wright

Silas Wright
Brady-Handy photo, c. 1845
14th Governor of New York
In office
January 1, 1845 – December 31, 1846
LieutenantAddison Gardiner
Preceded byWilliam C. Bouck
Succeeded byJohn Young
United States Senator
from New York
In office
January 4, 1833 – November 26, 1844
Preceded byWilliam L. Marcy
Succeeded byHenry A. Foster
8th Comptroller of New York
In office
January 21, 1829 – January 7, 1833
GovernorMartin Van Buren
Enos T. Throop
William L. Marcy
Preceded byWilliam L. Marcy
Succeeded byAzariah Flagg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New York's 20th district
In office
March 4, 1827 – February 16, 1829
Preceded byDaniel Hugunin Jr.
Succeeded byGeorge 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 byDavid Erwin, Melancton Wheeler, John Cramer, Archibald McIntyre
Succeeded byJohn Crary, John L. Viele, Duncan McMartin Jr., Reuben Sanford
Constituency4th District
Personal details
Born(1795-05-24)May 24, 1795
Amherst, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedAugust 27, 1847(1847-08-27) (aged 52)
Canton, New York, U.S.
Resting placeOld Canton Cemetery
Political partyDemocratic-Republican (Before 1825)
Jacksonian (1825–1828)
Democratic (1828–1847)
SpouseClarissa Moody (1833–1847)
EducationMiddlebury College (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1822–1829
RankBrigadier General
UnitNew York State Militia, 12th Division
Commands7th 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.