John Morgan Bright (January 20, 1817 – October 2, 1911) was an American politician that served as an U.S. Representative from Tennessee.

John Morgan Bright
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 5th district
In office
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881
Preceded byHorace Harrison
Succeeded byRichard Warner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 4th district
In office
March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875
Preceded byLewis Tillman
Succeeded bySamuel M. Fite
Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
In office
1847-1848
Personal details
Born(1817-01-20)January 20, 1817
Fayetteville, Tennessee
DiedOctober 3, 1911(1911-10-03) (aged 94)
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJudith C. Clark Bright

Zerilda B Buckner Bright

Isabella Buckner Bright
ChildrenJames 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 materNashville University Transylvania University
Professionlawyer politician

Biography edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

  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). October 30, 2012. 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 edit


  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 4th congressional district

March 4, 1871 - March 3, 1875
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Tennessee's 5th congressional district

March 4, 1875 - March 3, 1881
Succeeded by