Thomas B. Robertson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Bolling Robertson (February 27, 1779 – October 5, 1828) was a member of the U. S. House of Representatives representing the state
of Louisiana
, the third Governor and the Attorney General of Louisiana, and a United States federal judge
.
Robertson was born near Petersburg, Virginia
. After graduating from the College of William and Mary
in 1795, he read law to enter the bar in 1806, and was briefly in private practice in Petersburg. He emigrated to Louisiana and was appointed Territorial Attorney General by Governor William C.C. Claiborne
, from 1806-1807. He was then Secretary of the Territory of Orleans from 1807 until 1812, at which time Louisiana became a state. He was the first United States Representative from the State of Louisiana. He served four terms as a Democratic-Republican
until his resignation in 1818. He briefly returned to private practice in Louisiana
in 1818, but was appointed Attorney General of Louisiana from 1819-1820.
He was subsequently elected Governor of Louisiana and served from 1820 until his resignation in 1824. During his term as Governor, factional discord between established Creole
citizens and newly arriving American settlers created a political crisis. Robertson was seen as weak for not acting to resolve the ethnic differences, and when he proposed moving the capital from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, riots broke out in the Crescent City and he was forced to resign. He saved face by accepting a federal judgeship, and on May 24, 1824, he was appointed by President James Monroe
to a seat jointly held on the Eastern
and Western
Districts of Louisiana, both seats having been vacated by John Dick
. Robertson was confirmed by the United States Senate
on May 26, 1824, receiving his commission the same day, and serving thereafter until his death.
He became ill and died while recuperating in White Sulphur Springs
, Virginia
(now West Virginia
).
Robertson had two brothers with political legacies: United States Representative John Robertson and Wyndham Robertson
, a Governor of Virginia
. Robertson Street in New Orleans is named for the former Governor.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, the third Governor and the Attorney General of Louisiana, and a United States federal judge
United States federal judge
In the United States, the title of federal judge usually means a judge appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate in accordance with Article II of the United States Constitution....
.
Robertson was born near Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
. After graduating from the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
in 1795, he read law to enter the bar in 1806, and was briefly in private practice in Petersburg. He emigrated to Louisiana and was appointed Territorial Attorney General by Governor William C.C. Claiborne
William C.C. Claiborne
William Charles Cole Claiborne was a United States politician, best known as the first Governor of Louisiana. He also has the distinction of possibly being the youngest Congressman in U.S...
, from 1806-1807. He was then Secretary of the Territory of Orleans from 1807 until 1812, at which time Louisiana became a state. He was the first United States Representative from the State of Louisiana. He served four terms as a Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
until his resignation in 1818. He briefly returned to private practice in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in 1818, but was appointed Attorney General of Louisiana from 1819-1820.
He was subsequently elected Governor of Louisiana and served from 1820 until his resignation in 1824. During his term as Governor, factional discord between established Creole
Creole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
citizens and newly arriving American settlers created a political crisis. Robertson was seen as weak for not acting to resolve the ethnic differences, and when he proposed moving the capital from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, riots broke out in the Crescent City and he was forced to resign. He saved face by accepting a federal judgeship, and on May 24, 1824, he was appointed by President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
to a seat jointly held on the Eastern
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana is a federal trial court based in New Orleans. Like all U.S...
and Western
United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana is a United States federal court with jurisdiction over approximately two thirds of the state of Louisiana, with courts in Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport...
Districts of Louisiana, both seats having been vacated by John Dick
John Dick (judge)
John Dick was a United States federal judge in Louisiana.Born in County Tyrone, Ireland, Dick read law in 1811, and was in private practice in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1812 to 1815...
. Robertson was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on May 26, 1824, receiving his commission the same day, and serving thereafter until his death.
He became ill and died while recuperating in White Sulphur Springs
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
White Sulphur Springs is a city in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,444 at the 2010 census.-Geography:White Sulphur Springs is located at ....
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
(now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
).
Robertson had two brothers with political legacies: United States Representative John Robertson and Wyndham Robertson
Wyndham Robertson
Wyndham Robertson was the Acting Governor of the U.S. state of Virginia from 1836 to 1837. He also served twice in the Virginia House of Delegates, the second time during the American Civil War....
, a Governor of Virginia
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
. Robertson Street in New Orleans is named for the former Governor.
External links
- State of Louisiana - Biography
- Cemetery Memorial by La-Cemeteries