Robert P. Dunlap

Robert P. Dunlap, around 1831

Robert Pinckney Dunlap (born August 17, 1794 in Brunswick , Maine , † October 20, 1859 ibid) was an American politician and from 1834 to 1838 governor of the state of Maine.

Early years and political advancement

Robert Dunlap attended Bowdoin College until 1815 . After completing a law degree, he was admitted to the bar in 1818. He then began practicing in his hometown of Brunswick. From 1821 to 1822 he was a member of the House of Representatives from Maine . He was a member of the Maine Senate between 1824 and 1828 and again from 1830 to 1833 . In 1829 he was also a member of the governor's advisory board. In 1833 he was elected as the Democratic Party candidate for the new governor of Maine.

Governor and Congressman

After Dunlap was confirmed by the voters in 1834, 1835 and 1836, he was able to remain in office until January 3, 1838. His first years in office went very well and he was very popular, which was confirmed by his re-elections. With the economic crisis of 1837, the state of Maine also got into financial difficulties, which Dunlap now had to grapple with.

After the end of his governorship, Dunlap temporarily withdrew from politics. In 1843 he returned to the political scene with his election to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC . He stayed in the federal capital until 1847. Between 1848 and 1849 he was the head of customs in the Port of Portland and between 1853 and 1857 he was in charge of the Brunswick post office. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Bowdoin College. Robert Dunlap died on October 20, 1859 and was buried in his hometown of Brunswick. He was married to Lydia Chapman, with whom he had four children.

Web links

• Robert Dunlap in the National Governors Association (English)
• Robert P. Dunlap in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)
• The governors of Maine (English)
• Robert P. Dunlap in the database of Find a Grave (English)