Robert Smith (politician, 1802)

Robert Smith (1859)

Robert Smith (born June 12, 1802 in Peterborough , New Hampshire , † December 21, 1867 in Alton , Illinois ) was an American politician . Between 1843 and 1849 and again from 1857 to 1859 he represented the state of Illinois in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Robert Smith was the nephew of Congressmen Jeremiah Smith (1759-1842) and Samuel Smith (1765-1842), with Jeremiah Smith also being Governor of New Hampshire. He attended the public schools in his home country and the New Ipswich Academy . After that he taught as a teacher for some time. From 1823 he worked in Northfield in the trade and textile industry. After a subsequent law degree and his license to practice law, he began in Alton, Illinois, where he lived since 1832, to practice in this profession. He also continued to work in retail. Also in 1832 he became captain of the Illinois State Militia. Smith owned large estates and began working in the real estate business. Politically, he became a member of the Democratic Party . Between 1836 and 1840 he was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives .

In the 1842 congressional election , Smith was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the first constituency of Illinois , where he succeeded John Reynolds on March 4, 1843 . After two re-elections, he was able to complete three legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1849 . These were shaped by the events of the Mexican-American War . Since 1847 he represented his district as an independent democrat. Between 1845 and 1847 he was chairman of the Committee on Roads and Canals.

In 1856 Smith was re-elected to Congress as a Democrat in the eighth district of his state, where he succeeded James Morrison on March 4, 1857 . By March 3, 1859, he completed a further legislative period in parliament, which was determined by the events leading up to the civil war . During this time he was chairman of the Committee on Mileage . During the civil war he was the paymaster of the Union armed forces. He died on December 21, 1867 in Alton, where he was also buried.

Web links

• Robert Smith in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Robert Smith in the database of Find a Grave (English)