The Supreme Court of Tennessee.

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the State. He named Archibald Wright of tice of law at Memphis, and they are gen Memphis, the third native Tennessean to erally esteemed as the ablest firm of lawyers reach the Supreme Bench. in the State. Judge Wright did not solicit Judge Wright was born in Maury County, the position, but his reputation caused Gov Term., on Nov. 29, 1809, of very poor par ernor Harris to bestow on him the office ents. His father, John Wright, a native of of Supreme Judge on the occurring of the North Carolina, was the son of Duncan vacancy in 1857. In August, 1858, he was Wright, a Scottish Highlander. The mother elected by the people; but because of the of Judge Wright was of the same sturdy interruption of business by the Civil War, stock. Shortly after

he did not serve out his birth his family his term. On the removed to the adjoin breaking out of the ing county of Giles. war he ardently es Here he grew to man poused the cause of hood. A scanty edu the Confederacy. His cation was received at only two sons, then striplings, enlisted in Mount Pleasant Acad its army. Too old for emy and Giles College. active service himself, He was conspicuous he followed the army there for the diligent so as always to be by habits of study that af his boys when danger terwards characterized was near. One of him. An awkward them fell on the fatal and uncouth country field of Murfreesboro; youth, he sought the but the other was office of Judge Bramspared to him. blette, at Pulaski, to At the end of the study law. The first war he found himself impression he made on the tutor he sought largely in debt because was not a favorable of obligations incurred one; but there was in extensive purchases of plantations and that about him that WILLIAM R. HARRIS. slaves in Louisiana finally attracted Judge before the war. His Bramblette to him, and he accepted him as a student. He property was dissipated by the war, but the was licensed to practice in 1832, and opened debts remained. He scorned to take advan an office in Pulaski. The Florida war soon tage either of the law of Louisiana excusing followed. On the call for volunteers he en payment of obligations incurred in the pur listed and served throughout the war. He chase of slaves, or of the bankrupt law. He returned to his practice at Pulaski, and con set himself to work to pay his debts. It tinued to live there until 1851. His fame as was a grievous burden, but his soul knew no a lawyer had grown, and he determined to tiring. He steadily refused all offers of seek a larger field. He removed in 1851.10 official position, and labored incessantly at Memphis, a city then rapidly developing. his profession until within a few weeks of his He found a partnership with the Hon. death, which took place Sept. 13, 1884, at Thomas J. Turley. The sons of these two the advanced age of seventy-four. The spectacle of a man devoting his life partners are to-day associated in the prac-