Wright was probably born in Shercock, Cavan Ireland around 1785. He obtained an Ensign's commission in the Buffs in March 1806, and arrived in VDL in May 1822 as senior subaltern in the Regiment. After serving as the second Commandant at Macquarie Harbour, he was transferred to NSW.
Seven months after Wright reached Sydney, Brisbane's replacement, Governor Ralph Darling arrived from England. Darling was another army general but without the management skills of his predecessor: orders were to be obeyed, not debated. Wright and his uncle Frederick Wilkinson would have markedly different relationships with the Governor.
Captain Wright was initially stationed at Newcastle where he commanded a garrison of troops from the 3rd Regiment. Newcastle was reached by '12 hours easy sail' in the cutter Lord Liverpool. Newcastle at the time boasted two government residences, convict barracks, a hospital and two inns. The settlement was administered by a military officer on half pay who was designated a Commandant. Wright and William Ogilvie arrived in Newcastle about the same time and became firm friends.
Darling was concerned at the administration of penal stations and at the beginning of 1826 be instructed Wright to take over command at Port Macquarie on the northern coast of New South Wales. Like Macquarie Harbour this was another place of secondary punishment for 751 twice convicted felons and Wright had command of 88 troops at the site in addition to the civilian staff. Captain Francis Allman of the 48th Regiment, who had established the settlement in 1821, had fought alongside Wright in the Peninsular War and both had been wounded at the Battle of Albuera. Wright had succeeded Allman at Newcastle and, after retirement from the Army, the two were later neighbours in the Hunter Valley. Capt. Gillman succeeded Allman and was in charge of the settlement when Wright arrived. His new command had a reputation for being 'anything but a place of punishment'.
Like MacQuarie Harbour the settlement was dependent on support by ship but the seas were kinder and the climate vastly improved. As with his former post forestry, farming and shipbuilding kept convicts at work. Whilst at this post be initiated some exploration and discovered the major river now called the Macleay. Guided by a native called Mooney and with a party under J.E.B.Wilson he travelled by boat up the Maria river and then carried their boats overland to reach the lovely valley of the Macleay which they followed downstream to Trial Bay and upstream to Belgrave Falls. During his stay the construction of a church (St. Thomas') began, and the first attempt to grow sugar cane in Australia continued.
Wright's command at Port Macquarie was brought to a close by the need to forestall a feared French invasion of southern Australia. Captain Archibald Clunes Innes, another officer of the Buffs took over at Port MacQuarie in November 1826. His father-in-law was the Colonial Secretary, Alexander McLeay, and Innes renamed the major river which had been known as Wright's River in favour of McLeay. Innes returned to the area to live in 1830 and settled on 2560 acres on which he built 'a stately mansion'. He became a rich and influential settler.
During 1826 Wright decided to leave the army rather than travel to India with the regiment, and to settle in Australia like a number of fellow officers. Upon his return to Sydney from Westernport he decided to sell his commission and on February 21st, 1827 he was given authority to search for land. After completing his report on Westernport he remained in service on full pay and returned to Newcastle, this time as Police Magistrate and Superintendent of Police in place of Francis Allman, who retired. On August 3rd he advised the Governor that he had sold his commission and nominated his selected land. The selection of 2560 acres was granted on September 21st on the same basis as free settlers. Very soon his uncle joined him in the Hunter.
He served at Newcastle until January 1831 when he became a magistrate at Parramatta, before finally retiring. After he took up residence at Bengalla he served as a magistrate in the Hunter Region until his death. He never married but two of his nephews came to Sydney in 1842.
Wright's death is a bit of a mystery. At the beginning of March 1852 Captain Samuel Wright boarded the Steamer Rose at Merton for one of his regular trips to Sydney. He carried a carpet bag which held spare clothes and a will that he had written in November 1851. On arriving in Sydney he went to his usual lodgings with Mrs. Garrison in Jamieson Street. It was his intention to have the draft will drawn up in legal form by his lawyer Mr. Holden of Smith and Croft, in George Street. Dr. J W Turner of Hunter History Consultants wrote that whilst in Sydney, Wright attempted to arrange an annuity for himself in his old age. Wright was now over sixty, unmarried, and it seems that he had fallen out with his nephews. He owed William Lawson of Bathurst 2000 pounds on which he was paying 8% interest and which was due to be re-paid in June. He also owed 250 pounds to Elizabeth Boyd of 10 Notting Hill Terrace, Bayswater in London, the widow of the paymaster of the Buffs on which he also paid 8%. It was due for repayment at the beginning of 1854.
He spent nearly three weeks in Sydney but did not get round to having the will formally drafted. On March 22nd he sat in his lodgings and wrote the addenda to his will and had it witnessed by Alexander Chisholm and George Augustus Gordon who were also guests of Mrs. Garrison.
Next day he took the carpet bag to the office of Smith and Croft and gave it to John Street for delivery to Frederick Wilkinson. The following evening he dined with Alexander Chisholm and played some whist. Chisholm had noticed that "at times there appeared to be something troubling him and that his mind did not seem altogether at ease". Wright announced that he was returning home by the steamer and despite the pleading of his friends he refused their offer to accompany him. The Chief Officer of the Rose saw him go aboard and enter his cabin before the ship cast off at 10pm. Also travelling back to Muswellbrook on the Rose was Robert Beames. As the ship left he saw his neighbour Wright on board. The next morning as Beames walked on deck he saw a hat and glove in the sponson. A sailor gave it to the Chief Officer. As the Rose neared Newcastle the Chief Officer collected the fares but Wright was not to be found. The hat found by Beames was examined by Captain Day, the Magistrate at Maitland, and he found the name 'Wright' written in the band.
John Street gave the carpet bag to one of the partners, Thomas Whistler Smith, who took it to his home. It was May 7th before Rev. Wilkinson came to Smith's house and opened the bag to find the clothes of his nephew and a will and and attached list of debts. The Will appointed he and Wright's friend and neighbour Captain William Ogilvie as executors of his estate. It left instructions that the real property be sold within two years of his death and the net proceeds be forwarded to the Rev. Frederick Fitzpatrick of Ballieboro, Co. Cavan, Ireland, who had previously been instructed on its distribution. In June the executors notified the Supreme Court of their intention to execute the Will. The Court investigated the disappearance of Wright and found that Wright had died on 24 March 1852; it granted probate in September. The estate was valued at under 2000 pounds.
This page was created and maintained by John Graham, a member of the Gerringong Historical Society, as part of his Westernport site. The last update was August 24th, 2008.