6 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁Wright ▁moved ▁to ▁Des ▁Mo ines ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁In ▁collaboration ▁with ▁Justice ▁C . ▁C . ▁Cole , ▁he ▁established ▁at ▁Des ▁Mo ines ▁the ▁first ▁law ▁school ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁This ▁school ▁later ▁became ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Iowa ▁College ▁of ▁Law . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁profess ors ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁the ▁Iowa ▁General ▁Assembly ▁chose ▁Wright ▁( over ▁William ▁Bo yd ▁All ison ▁and ▁others ) ▁to ▁serve ▁a ▁six - year ▁term ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Senate . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁from ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁to ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 7 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁re e lection . ▁While ▁in ▁the ▁Senate , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Senate ▁Committee ▁on ▁the ▁Jud ici ary ▁( in ▁the ▁Fort y - second ▁Congress ), ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Committee ▁on ▁Civil ▁Service ▁and ▁Ret rench ment ▁( in ▁the ▁Fort y - third ▁Congress ) ▁and ▁Committee ▁on ▁Cla ims ▁( in ▁the ▁Fort y - four th ▁Congress ). ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁the ▁Senate , ▁he ▁res umed ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁his ▁profession ▁in ▁Des ▁Mo ines ▁and ▁also ▁engaged ▁in ▁bank ing ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Pol k ▁County ▁Sav