William H. Bright

William H. Bright was an American politician who represented Cape May County in the New Jersey Senate from 1919 to 1927 and served as president of the Senate in 1925.

Personal life

William H. Bright was born on October 21, 1863 in Bridgehampton, Michigan to Henry and Mary Bright, immigrants from the British Isles. His father came from Liverpool when he was twenty years old, and his mother immigrated with her parents from County Tyrone as a young child.
Bright attended public schools in Philadelphia. In 1882, Bright came to Wildwood, New Jersey, and started in the real estate business.

In 1905, Bright helped organize the First National Bank at Cape May Court House and was elected president, retaining the office until his death. He was also a director of the Marine National Bank of Wildwood.

Bright held a number of municipal, county and state positions, including being elected treasurer and tax collector of Holly Beach, sheriff of Cape May County from 1904 to 1907, and State Senator from 1919 to 1927, including Senate President in 1925. As sheriff, he focused on municipal government.
Bright was a delegate to the 1912 Republican National Convention, where he supported Theodore Roosevelt and was one of the delegates who left the convention hall to establish the rival 1912 Progressive National Convention. He was also a delegate at-large to the 1916 Progressive National Convention. He was also a delegate to the Republican conventions of 1916 and 1920.
Bright also served as Mayor of Wildwood until his death.

Bright married Priscilla F. Buck on December 27, 1892 in Stony Run, Pennsylvania. They had six children, including Joy Bright Hancock, one of the first women commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy.
He died on August 5, 1933 in Wildwood.