Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-07-04
JOHN M. BRIGHT.
BY VIM. III. Barnes, of New York.

d6 Il JSbtSNlllc, 1eAuSSScS, y duud
ry 20, 1917. His parents wer
the pioneer stock OH both sides
his father, James Bright, was borl
in Virginia, and removed to Ken
lucky at ten years of age. In {
few years thereafter, he removed
to Middle Tennessee, where h'
spent long life of usefulness ant
honor. His mother was a daugh
ter of Captain Morgan, who re
moved at an early age to Sumnel
county, Tennessee.
MIR. Bright's education was com
menced at Fayetteville, whence
he was sent to Bingham's school
HilIsboro, North Carolina, which
then enjoyed a high reputation
His literary course was finished a
the Nashville University, then un
der the presidency of Dr.. Philip
Lindsey, where he graduated in the
fall of 1889. During his collegi
ate term, be made considerable
reputation as a scholar and a
speaker. His collegiate grafton,
"On the Classics" was spoken of
by DR.. Lindsey as one Of the
finest efforts he had ever heard
from a student.
He selected the law as his pro.
fession, and went from the uni
versity into the Office Of Colo
mel James Fulton, Fayetteville,
who was lawyer Of eminence.-
After reading about twelve months
and learning much in private by
drafting declarations and other
legal papers for Colonel Fulton,
be entered the law department OF
Pennsylvania University, Ken
tuky, in the fall of 1910, and
graduated in the spring of l84l.
He here took high position as a
speaker and debater in the socie-
ties, and at the close of the term
had the honor of delivering the
valedictory. Judge Bland Bal
lard and General John c. Breckin-
ridge were at the university at
the same time, the former being a
classmate of Mr.. Bright's.
After graduating in the law
school, he returned to Fayetteville,
and continued his reading until
the fall of 1S41 before he applied
for license. In November, 1841,
oe was married to Miss Judith c.,
the beautiful and accomplished
daughter OF Governor Clark, of
Kentucky, whom he had the mis-
fortune to lose in 1855. In 1857,
he contracted a second marriage,
with Miss Zurilda B., daughter
Of Mr.. Anthony Buckner, of Mau-
ry county, Tennessee, lady of
rare accomplishments, who still
lives to bless and adorn his home.
He selected St. Louis as his thea
ire Of action, and was preparing
to remove thither but through
the influence of his parents, who
were becoming old, he was in
duced to remain at Fayetteville,
where he has continued to prac-
tice his profession ever since.
He has ever been an earnest
and industrious worker in his pro-
fession, and has achieved the sue
cess be merits. His practice has
been verj heavy in all the inferi-
or courts and in the Supreme
Court of Tennessee for many
ears. At the bar. he has always
been generous, taking no mere
technical advantage of his broth
er attorneys, and always assisting
young lawyers, when called on,
to prepare their pleadings, even
when opposed to him. He has al
ways had number of law stu
dents with him, some coming from
long distances. These have ex-
perienced the same liberal and
generous spirit. His character as
lawyer is formed on the model
of the past, when lawyers were
not suffered to "grow up as mush-
rooms, in a night" but were re-
quired to lay a foundation, broad
and deep, of legal principles and
reasoning. Hence, he is a law
yer in the highest and best sense
of the term. His legal arguments
are always regular, systematic,
and powerful; possessing the
charm of eloquence and the keen
edge OF reason.
In politics he has always been a
Democrat. In 1914, he made a
canvass for Polk in the Presiden-
tial race, as a volunteer. In this
canvass occurred his first public
debate. Major G. A. Henry, the
"Eagle Orator" of Tennessee, the
Whig elector for the State at large,
and a man of great reputation as
a political orator, and Colonel l..