Robert Smith (Illinois politician)

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 U.S. House of Representatives.

Career

Robert Smith was the nephew of Congressman Jeremiah Smith (1759-1842) and Samuel Smith (1765-1842), with Jeremiah Smith also was still governor of New Hampshire. He attended the common schools and the New Ipswich Academy. After that, he taught for some time as a teacher. Since 1823 he has worked in Northfield in the trade and the textile industry. After a subsequent study of law and qualifying as a lawyer, he started in Alton, Illinois, where he lived since 1832, to practice in this profession. He also continued to work in the trade. Also in 1832 he was captain of the state militia of Illinois. Smith became the owner of large estates and also began in the real estate industry to operate. Politically, he was a member of the Democratic Party. Between 1836 and 1840 he sat in the House of Representatives from Illinois.

In the congressional elections of 1842, Smith was the first electoral district of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington DC chosen, where he became the successor of John Reynolds on March 4, 1843. After two re- election he was able to complete in Congress until March 3, 1849 three legislative periods. These were shaped by the events of the Mexican-American War. Since 1847 he represented his district as an independent Democrat. From 1845 to 1847 he was chairman of the Committee on roads and canals.

In 1856, Smith was elected as a Democrat in the eighth district of his state again in Congress, where he replaced James Morrison on March 4, 1857. Until March 3, 1859, he completed a further term 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 served as paymaster of the Union forces. He died on December 21, 1867 in Alton, where he was also buried.