Two boxes (Box 11-12) of privacy protected records are closed for 75 years from date of creation (includes confidential case histories, employment, and medical records).
There are no restrictions.
Wright Family papers, 1878-1987. Accession 43567. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA 23219.
Gift of Robert A.S. Wright on December 2007 and November 2008, Blacksburg.
The Wright family were residents of Manchester, (South) Richmond, Virginia, and had several family members serve with the Richmond Police Department. Alexander Steel Wright was born 1 July 1868 in Manchester, Virginia. He was first appointed a police officer with the Manchester Police Commission in 1894, rising to the rank of Captain of Detectives in 1917. He was married to Roberta Gertrude Turner and died in 1945.
John M. Wright Jr. was born 25 April 1901 in Manchester, Virginia, to Alexander Steel Wright and Roberta Gertrude Turner Wright. He married Mary Beatrice Tuma in Washington, D.C., on 27 June 1922. Wright started with the Richmond Police Department February 1920, named Acting Chief March 1960, and became Chief of Police in February 1961. He served until December 1967 and died in 1968. His son, Frank A.S. Wright (1924-1996) was a Circuit Court judge in Richmond.
Papers, 1878-1987, of the Wright family of Richmond, Virginia. Included are certificates, clippings, correspondence, photographs, programs, and publications documenting their lives and work for the Richmond Police Department. The bulk of the collection relate to Captain Alexander S. Wright, Chief of Detectives, John M. Wright, Chief of Police, and Frank A.S. Wright, Circuit Court judge, all of Richmond.
Included are Annual Reports of the Dept. of Public Safety for the City of Richmond, 1907-1955; Roster and Description of the Police Force City of Richmond, 1878-1885; and memoranda from the City of Richmond Police Department. Also included are congratulatory, recommendation, and condolence letters to John M. Wright from Thomas P. Bryan, J. Edgar Hoover, Charles G. Thalhimer, and George C. Wallace. Of note are the numerous photographs, ca. 1900-1960, from the Richmond Police Department of Alexander S. and John M. Wright, street scenes, panoramic group photographs of policemen, and dedications and banquets.
This collection is arranged into the following series:
This series, 1878-1987, including birth and wedding announcements, certificates, clippings, correspondence, programs, and publications documenting the Wright family of Richmond, Virginia. The bulk of the collection relate to Captain Alexander S. Wright, Chief of Detectives, and John M. Wright, Chief of Police in Richmond. Also included are papers relating to Frank A.S. Wright, Circuit Court judge in Richmond.
The papers of Alexander S. Wright and John M. Wright mainly relate to their careers with the Richmond Police Department. Included are blank police department applications, job appointments and certificates, identification cards, curriculum of the Police Academy training school, training manual for the Department of Safety Bureau of Fire, and memoranda from the City of Richmond. Of note are biographies of Alexander and John Wright. Newspaper clippings are included for Alexander, Frank, and John Wright documenting their legal and police careers.
Topics of Alexander S. Wright's correspondence, 1917-1943, include clarification of laws, letters of appraisal of Wright's work, birthday greetings, and establishment of a victory garden, 1943. John M. Wright's correspondence, 1946-1968, includes congratulatory, retirement, and condolence letters, invitations, and letters of recommendation. Included are letters of recommendation for the Chief of Police job and letters of congratulations when Wright got the job. Correspondents include Mayor Thomas P. Bryan, J. Edgar Hoover, Walter B. Gentry, R. Westwood Winfree, Archer A. Page, W.W. Satterwhite, George C. Wallace, Frank Soden, John B. Tansey, Henry Schwarzschild, James J. Kilpatrick, Thomas J. Bliley, Edward E. Haddock, Charles G. Thalhimer, and James J. Rowley.
Included are programs and articles relating to Manchester; memorial books from the funerals of Alan S. Wright (1977) and Robert T. Wright (1954); newsletters from The Richmond Employees Bulletin (1955) and Henrico Herald (1967); and obituaries. Also included are programs from the Virginia Police Association convention (1939), Basic Police School graduation program (1966), John M. Wright retirement dinner (1968), and the Police-Fireman baseball game (1969). Of note is the Roster and Description of the Police Force City of Richmond, 1878-1885. Included are names of policemen, rank, age, height, date, married status, where born, former occupation, residence, first appointment, when promoted, and remarks. Also includes lists of policemen first and second class.
Publications include The National Police Journal, Virginia Police Journal, and The Richchap. Also included is the Annual Report of the Chief of Police Richmond (1907), Classification in the Virginia Penal System (1950), and Annual Reports from the Dept. of Safety of the City of Richmond (1919-1955).
Arranged alphabetically by folder title with publications arranged to the rear.
The Richmond News Leader Bicentennial Issue (1737-1937), Richmond Times Dispatch (9/8/1937, 5/7/1945, 5/8/1945)
14th Annual Convention of the Virginia Police Executives Association. Includes oversize panoramic photograph of Virginia Police Executives Association, Hotel Chamberlin, 20-21 September 1939 (Photograph is located in oversize cabinet [LVA Lab# 10_1041_001]).
Inaugural Ball in Honor of Harry S. Truman
Graduation Basic Police School (1966), Retirement Dinner in Honor of John M. Wright (1968), Program 14th Annual Police-Firemen Baseball Game (1969)
This series, 1865, ca. 1880-1986, includes numerous photographs of the Richmond Police Department, Alexander S. Wright, John M. Wright, and family and friends. Included are panoramic photographs of groups of policemen, dedication of the Richmond city building and Richmond Public Safety building, memorial service for fallen policemen, conventions and banquets, and various street scenes. Included are numerous publicity and portrait photographs of Alexander S. and John M. Wright. Also included are images of family, friends, vacations, and personal photographs.
Arranged into two subseries: 1. Richmond Police Department Photographs; 2. Family Photographs.
(see also oversize photographs)
Panoramic photograph.
(Library of Congress reprints- duplication restricted)
Panoramic photograph [LVA Lab# 10_1041_002]
Panoramic photograph.
(see also oversize photographs)
This series, ca. 1968, includes an audio CD of the retirement dinner for Colonel John M. Wright at the Hotel Jefferson, 12 January 1968. Also includes an unidentified film of Colonel John M. Wright at a police event.