| Order 1 | 3rd |
|---|---|
| Office 1 | Governor of Michigan |
| Term start 1 | February 23, 1841 |
| Term end 1 | January 3, 1842 |
| Lieutenant 1 | Thomas J. Drake |
| Predecessor 1 | William Woodbridge |
| Successor 1 | John S. Barry |
| Order 2 | 2nd |
| Office 2 | Lieutenant Governor of Michigan |
| Term start 2 | January 7, 1840 |
| Term end 2 | February 23, 1841 |
| Governor 2 | William Woodbridge |
| Predecessor 2 | Edward Mundy |
| Successor 2 | Thomas J. Drake |
| State senate 3 | Michigan |
| District 3 | 6th |
| Term 3 | 1839 |
| Successor 3 | Henry P. Bridge |
| Birth date | 1809 |
| Birth place | Plainfield, Connecticut, US |
| Death date | December 23, 1853 (aged 43–44) |
| Death place | Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Party | Whig |
James Wright Gordon (1809 – December 23, 1853), usually referred to as J. Wright Gordon, was a Whig politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.
Life and politics in Michigan
Gordon was born in Plainfield, Connecticut and studied law at Harvard University.[1]
He later moved to Michigan, establishing a practice in Marshall, and also lived for a time in Battle Creek. He was a member of the Michigan State Senate (6th district) in 1839 and served as the second lieutenant governor of Michigan from 1840 to 1841.
Gordon became the third governor of Michigan ex officio, when William Woodbridge resigned on February 23, 1841, to become a U.S. Senator. He completed the remainder of Woodbridge's term until January 3, 1842.
He ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Representative from Michigan's 2nd congressional district in 1846 and 1847, defeated by John Smith Chipman.
Death in Brazil
Gordon was appointed the U.S. consul in Pernambuco, Brazil, in January 1850 by President Zachary Taylor.[2] At the time of his appointment, his health was failing, and it was thought the climate in Brazil could restore it.[3] He served as consul until his death on December 23, 1853, when he accidentally fell to his death from a balcony.[3][4]
References
- ^ "James Wright Gordon". January 2011.
- ^ "Official". Daily National Intelligencer and Washington Express. January 21, 1850. p. 3. Retrieved January 18, 2026. – via Newspapers.com
- ^ Michigan Historical Commission (1924). Michigan Biographies: Including Members of Congress, Elective State Officers, Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of the Michigan Legislature, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, State Board of Agriculture and State Board of Education, Volume 1. pp. 338–339.
- ^ "Death of a Consul". Boston Evening Transcript. January 27, 1854. p. 2. Retrieved January 18, 2026. – via Newspapers.com