Background
Wright, Elizur was born on February 12, 1804 in South Canaan, Connecticut, United States. Son of Elizur Wright.
Wright, Elizur was born on February 12, 1804 in South Canaan, Connecticut, United States. Son of Elizur Wright.
Graduated from Yale, 1826.
Professor mathematics Western Reserve College, Hudson, O., 1829-1833. Became interested in abolition movement, 1832, appointed secretary New York Anti-Slavery Society, 1833, correspondent secretary American Anti-Slavery Society, 1833. Edited Quarterly Anti-Slavery Magazine, 1835-1837, Massachusetts Abolitionist, 1839.
Began newspaper Weekly Chronotype, Boston, 1846, opposed life insurance firms as well as slavery and tariff, sold paper to Free Soil Party paper Weekly Commonwealth, 1850, continued as editor until dismissed, 1852. Began lobbying in Massachusetts Legislature for law to require all life insurance companies operating in Massachusetts to maintain adequate reserves, 1853, law passed, 1858. Appointed Massachusetts commissioner of insurance, 1858-1866, obtained passage of non-forfeiture law by which companies were forbidden to appropriate reserves for their own use, 1861, instrumental in passage of legislation which compelled insurance companies to pay policy holders cash value of lapsed policies, 1880.
Published his findings of fraud, theft, perjury and bribery in insurance company practice especially in New York Author Life Insurance Valuation Tables, 1853. Politics and Mysteries of Life Insurance, 1873.
Married Susan Clark, September 13, 1829, 18 children.