Samuel K. Robbins
Encyclopedia
Samuel Kirkbride Robbins (May 9, 1853 – December 26, 1926) was a Republican Party
politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
and President of the New Jersey Senate
.
, New Jersey
in 1853, the son of Barzillai W. Robbins and Anne Wilson, his wife. He was educated at Fort Edward Institute in Fort Edward
, New York
and at Andalusia College in Andalusia
, Pennsylvania
. He entered Princeton College
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1874 and a Master of Arts
degree in 1877. After reading law
, was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1880. Later that year he opened law offices in Moorestown
and Camden
.
On October 4, 1882, he married Edith E. Shreve of Pemberton
. They had two daughters: Agnes Murrell Robbins and Edith Coate Robbins.
In 1897, Robbins was elected to the Board of Education of Chester Township (now Moorestown Township) in Burlington County
, serving until 1903. He served on the Burlington County Board of Election from 1900 to 1903. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
as a Republican in 1903, serving until 1906. He was chosen as Speaker of the Assembly in 1906.
In 1906 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate
, serving until 1909. He was selected Senate President in 1909. On the last day of the 1909 legislative session he was appointed by Governor John Franklin Fort
to be Clerk of the Court of Chancery (an office now known as Clerk of the Superior Court
), following the resignation of Vivian M. Lewis
. He resigned from the Senate and his nomination was confirmed.
Robbins served as Clerk of the Court of Chancery until 1914. On December 6, 1926, he died at the age of 73 at his home in Moorestown, New Jersey from a heart attack
and was to be buried at his birthplace in Mount Holly Township.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
and President of the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
.
Biography
Robbins was born in Mount Holly TownshipMount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1853, the son of Barzillai W. Robbins and Anne Wilson, his wife. He was educated at Fort Edward Institute in Fort Edward
Fort Edward (town), New York
Fort Edward is a town in and the county seat of Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 5,892 at the 2000 census....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and at Andalusia College in Andalusia
Andalusia, Pennsylvania
Andalusia is a historic neighborhood in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, bordering Philadelphia. The ZIP code is 19020. The area is the southernmost part of the township and of the county. Its boundaries are: Woodhaven Road to the northeast, the Delaware River to the east and south,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He entered Princeton College
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1874 and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in 1877. After reading law
Reading law
Reading law is the method by which persons in common law countries, particularly the United States, entered the legal profession before the advent of law schools. This usage specifically refers to a means of entering the profession . A small number of U.S...
, was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1880. Later that year he opened law offices in Moorestown
Moorestown Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 19,017 people, 6,971 households, and 5,270 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,287.3 per square mile . There were 7,211 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile...
and Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
.
On October 4, 1882, he married Edith E. Shreve of Pemberton
Pemberton, New Jersey
Pemberton, formerly New Mills, is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,210....
. They had two daughters: Agnes Murrell Robbins and Edith Coate Robbins.
In 1897, Robbins was elected to the Board of Education of Chester Township (now Moorestown Township) in Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, serving until 1903. He served on the Burlington County Board of Election from 1900 to 1903. He was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
as a Republican in 1903, serving until 1906. He was chosen as Speaker of the Assembly in 1906.
In 1906 he was elected to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, serving until 1909. He was selected Senate President in 1909. On the last day of the 1909 legislative session he was appointed by Governor John Franklin Fort
John Franklin Fort
John Franklin Fort was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 33rd Governor of New Jersey, from 1908–1911. His uncle, George Franklin Fort, was a Democratic Governor of New Jersey from 1851–1854....
to be Clerk of the Court of Chancery (an office now known as Clerk of the Superior Court
New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with state-wide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The Superior Court has three divisions: the Appellate Division is essentially an intermediate appellate court while the Law and Chancery Divisions function as trial courts...
), following the resignation of Vivian M. Lewis
Vivian M. Lewis
Vivian M. Lewis was an American jurist and politician who was the Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1910 against Woodrow Wilson....
. He resigned from the Senate and his nomination was confirmed.
Robbins served as Clerk of the Court of Chancery until 1914. On December 6, 1926, he died at the age of 73 at his home in Moorestown, New Jersey from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and was to be buried at his birthplace in Mount Holly Township.
External links
- Samuel K. Robbins at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- "Minute as to the death of Samuel Kirkbride Robbins" by William D. Lipponcott and V. Claude Palmer