Lucius Robinson | |
|---|---|
.png) Gubernatorial portrait of New York Governor Lucius Robinson. | |
| 26th Governor of New York | |
| In office January 1, 1877 – December 31, 1879 | |
| Lieutenant | William Dorsheimer |
| Preceded by | Samuel J. Tilden |
| Succeeded by | Alonzo B. Cornell |
| 21stNew York State Comptroller | |
| In office January 1, 1862 – December 31, 1865 | |
| Governor | Edwin D. Morgan Horatio Seymour Reuben Fenton |
| Preceded by | Robert Denniston |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Hillhouse |
| In office January 1, 1876 – December 31, 1876 | |
| Preceded by | Nelson K. Hopkins |
| Succeeded by | Frederic P. Olcott |
| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the Chemung County district | |
| In office January 1, 1860 – December 31, 1861 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Wintermute |
| Succeeded by | Tracy Beadle |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1810-11-04)November 4, 1810 Windham, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 1891(1891-03-23) (aged 80) Elmira, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Woodlawn Cemetery Elmira, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Signature |  |
Lucius Robinson (November 4, 1810 – March 23, 1891) was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 26thgovernor of New York from 1877 to 1879.
Lucius Robinson was born on November 4, 1810, inWindham, New York, to Mary and Eli P. Robinson. His father was a farmer. He was descended fromJohn Robinson, a Puritan clergyman. He graduated fromDelaware Academy inDelhi, New York. Afterwards hestudied law in the offices ofErastus Root andAmasa J. Parker, and he wasadmitted to the bar in October 1832.[1][2]
Robinson began practicing law inCatskill. He was district attorney ofGreene County from 1837 to 1839.[1][3] Then he moved to New York City and became a member ofTammany Hall. In 1843, he was appointed master in chancery and then entered a law partnership with David Codwise. He was reappointed as master in chancery in 1846 by GovernorSilas Wright and continued until the Courts of Chancery were abolished by the new constitution.[1][2] During this time, he was a contributor to the editorial page ofThe New York Sun.[1] In 1855, he moved toChemung County. He joined theRepublican Party when it was founded, and was a member of theNew York State Assembly (Chemung Co.) in1860 and1861.[1][2]
Robinson wasNew York State Comptroller from 1862 to 1865. In 1861, he was elected on the Union ticket nominated byRepublicans andWar Democrats. He received a majority of 108,201 votes in the election. In 1863 he was defeated for re-nomination at the Union state convention, but the nominated candidate refused to run, and the Republican State Committee put Robinson back on the ticket, and he was re-elected. After the war he joined theDemocratic Party again, and was re-nominated for comptroller on the Democratic ticket, but this time was defeated by the Republican candidateThomas Hillhouse. After his defeat he resumed the practice of law. In 1871–72 he was a member of theNew York State Constitutional Commission.[1][2]
He was a director of theErie Railroad, and was acting president of the company while the president,Peter H. Watson, was travelling about Europe. In 1875, he was again elected state comptroller, defeating the Republican candidate, formerUnited States TreasurerFrancis E. Spinner.[2] Robinson was a delegate to the1876 Democratic National Convention and supportedSamuel J. Tilden for president. While serving as comptroller, he was elected governor, defeating Edwin D. Morgan by nearly a 40,000 majority. He was in office from 1877 to 1879, the first governor to serve a three-year term after the amendment to thestate constitution in 1874. As governor, he opposed Tammany Hall vigorously, which led the Tammany leaderJohn Kelly to have himself nominated for governor by Tammany Hall atthe next election in 1879, with the intention to split the Democratic vote, and so defeat Robinson. This happened, and the Republican candidateAlonzo B. Cornell was elected governor with fewer votes than Robinson and Kelly together.[2][4] He called the newNew York State Capitol "the public calamity".[4]
Robinson married Eunice Osborn, daughter of Bennet Osborn, on October 24, 1833.[1] They had a son, David C.[5] After retiring as governor, he moved toElmira.[4]
Robinson died frompneumonia on March 23, 1891, at his home on Maple Avenue in Elmira.[1][2] He was buried at theWoodlawn Cemetery in Elmira.[6]
In 1883, the park commissioners named an entrance toNiagara Falls State Park after Robinson.[4]
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| Party political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Democratic nominee forGovernor of New York 1876,1879 | Succeeded by |
| New York State Senate | ||
| Preceded by Peter Wintermute | New York State Senate Chemung County 1860–1861 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | New York State Comptroller 1862–1865 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | New York State Comptroller 1876 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor of New York 1877–1879 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
