Luke Edward Wright (1846 - 1922)

Born 29 Aug 1846 in Pulaski, Giles, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Died 17 Nov 1922 at age 76 in Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, United States

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Preceded by 42nd Secretary William Howard Taft

Luke Edward Wright 43rd United States Secretary of War 1908—1909

Succeeded by 44th Secretary Jacob McGavock Dickinson

Biography

Luke Wright is Notable.

LUKE EDWARD WRIGHT. The consensus of public opinion accorded General Luke Edward Wright the foremost position among the citizens of Memphis and many there are who regarded him as first among the citizens of the state of Tennessee. A lawyer of pronounced ability, exgovernor of the Philippine Islands, ambassador to Japan, secretary of war in President Roosevelt's cabinet, builder and promoter of the growth and greatness of Memphis, he left the impress of his individuality and ability upon the history of city, state and country in a manner that time cannot efface. He was born in the town of Pulaski, Giles county, Tennessee, on the 29th of August, 1846, a son of Judge Archibald Wright, who was also a distinguished member of the Tennessee bar and at one time a member of the supreme court of the state. He was born in Maury county, Tennessee, in 1809, his father being John Wright, a farmer by occupation, who was a native of North Carolina and represented an old family of Scotch lineage. John Wright removed from the Old North state to Maury county, Tennessee, where he became a well-to-do farmer as well as an honored pioneer settler of the state. After a time he took up his abode in Giles county, where he lived to an advanced age, lacking only a few months of being a centenarian at the time of his death. His son, Judge Archibald Wright, removed to Memphis in 1850 and for many years was recognized as one of the leaders of the bar of this city, both prior to and subsequent to the Civil war. In young manhood he wedded Mary Elizabeth Eldridge, who was born in Giles county and was ten years his junior. She was a daughter of Dr. Elisha Eldridge, a practicing physician, who was graduated from Dartmouth College. He was a native of New Hampshire and of English lineage and he wedded a Miss Dillon, who was of Irish descent. Their daughter, Mrs. Wright, was seventy-seven years of age when she passed away in Memphis, while the death of her husband, Judge Archibald Wright, occurred in this city in 1884, when he was seventy-six years of age.^[1]

Birth

Luke was born 29 Aug 1846 at Pulaski, Tennessee. ^[2]

Residences

• Luke was living at Pulaski, Giles, Tennessee during the 1850 census.^[3]
• Luke was living at Chickasaw, Shelby, Tennessee during the 1860 census.^[4]
• Luke was living at Memphis Ward 10, Shelby, Tennessee during the 1870 census.^[5]

Marriage

Occupation

Death

Luke died 12 Nov 1922 at Memphis, Tennessee. ^[6]

Burial

Forest Hill Cemetery Midtown^[7]

Memphis

Shelby County

Tennessee USA

Obituary

Sources

1. ↑ Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1769-1923, Vol. 2, John Trotwood Moore and Austin P. Foster, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1923, p. 5
2. ↑ Find A Grave (see below)
3. ↑ 1850; Census Place: Pulaski, Giles, Tennessee; Roll: M432_879; Page: 335A; Image: 60 Ancestry Record 8054 #6131203
4. ↑ 1860; Census Place: Chickasaw, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: M653_1273; Page: 404; Family History Library Film: 805273 Ancestry Record 7667 #19535901
5. ↑ 1870; Census Place: Memphis Ward 10, Shelby, Tennessee; Roll: M593_1563; Page: 473A; Family History Library Film: 553062 Ancestry Record 7163 #7464335
6. ↑ Find A Grave (see below)
7. ↑ Find A Grave (see below)

• Find A Grave - Luke Edward Wright