James Wright (8 May 1716 – 20 November 1785) was an English jurist and colonial administrator who served as the last Royal governor of Georgia from 1760 till July 1782, with a brief exception in 1777 when the state was under rebel control.

On one of his England visits, or on all of them, he stayed with his cousin William Rugge, the ancestor of the Rugge-Price baronets, on Conduit Street.

He sold many of his holdings in South Carolina, acquired land in Georgia, and moved his financial operations as well.

With peace temporarily established with the French and Spanish, he successfully negotiated with the Indians and the Crown to open new lands to development.

But, in spite of efforts by the Sons of Liberty to block its implementation, Georgia was the only colony to import and actually use the revenue stamps.

Then, in early 1776, following the arrival of a small British fleet, rebel forces entered his home and briefly took him prisoner.

Wright escaped on 11 February 1776, via Bonaventure Plantation and with the assistance of two compatriots, colonel John Mullryne and Josiah Tattnall[14] (father of future Governor of Georgia, Josiah Tattnall Jr.), to the safety of HMS Scarborough, and sent a letter to his council.

When the war in the North American theatre was lost, he withdrew on 11 July 1782 and retired to England.