Luke Edward Wright Sits As Governor-General

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

FEBRUARY 1, 1904

Luke Edward Wright (August 29, 1846 - November 17, 1922), was inaugurated as Civil Governor of the Philippines replacing William Howard Taft. He sat as governor-general from 1904 to 1906. 

Wright was born in Giles County, Tennessee. He was enrolled in public schools and at the age of 15, he enlisted in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. 

After the war, he attended the University of Mississippi from 1867 to 1868 and married Katherine Middleton Semmes, the daughter of Admiral Raphael Semmes of the Confederate States Navy. 

Wright studied law and was admitted to the bar and later took the job as Tennessee Attorney General for eight years. 

In 1900, he was a member of the Second Philippine Commission and was Vice Governor of the Philippines the following year. 

After serving as Civil Governor of the Philippines, he was assigned as United States Ambassador to Japan. 

President Theodore Roosevelt appointed him as Secretary of War from July 1, 1908 to March 1, 1909. 

Luke Edward Wright died as a private citizen in 1922. 

The “Pool of Pines”, also known as Wright Park in Baguio City was named after him, along with a street in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org