Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 09.djvu/127

 ROBBINS

ROBERT

a representative from the fourth district of Ala- bama in the 53d and 54th congresses, 1893-97. During his first term in congress, he presented a bill reducing the tax on cotton mill machinery, wliich was enacted as a law. He was not a can- didate for re-election. He was married, Oct. 29, 1890, to Ira, daughter of John B. Alexander of Dallas county, Ala. His bride died, Nov. 17, 1890. He went to New York city in 1901, and engaged in the practice of law. He died in the fire that occurred in the Park Avenue hotel, Feb. 22, 1902. ROBBINS, Horace Wolcott, artist and lawyer, was born in Mobile, Ala., Oct. 21, 1842; son of Horace W. and Mary Eldredge (Hyde) Robbins; grandson of Frederick and Eunice (Ames) Rob- bins of Wethersfield, Conn., and of Erastus and Fannie (Bell) Hyde of Norwich, Conn., and eighth in descent from John Robbins of Wethers- field, Conn., 1638. He removed to Baltimore, Md., with his parents in 1848; was graduated at Newton university, Baltimore, in 1860, and studied landscape painting under James M. Hart in New York city in 1861. He enlisted in the 22d New York regiment, and served three months at Harper's Ferry in 1862; visited the West Indies ■with Frederic E. Church in 1865, and completed his art studies in Europe, 1865-67. He was mar- ried in Paris, France, Sept. 27, 1865, to Mary A., daugliter of George D. and Mary (Ayres) Phelps of New York city, granddaughter of Gen. Noah Phelps of Simsbury, Conn., and eleventh in de- scent from Edward Fuller of the Mayflower. He devoted himself to landscape painting in New York city until 1890; attended the Columbia Law school in 1890; was admitted to the New York bar in 1892, and engaged in practice in New York. He was elected an associate of the National Academy of Design in 1864; an acade- mician in 1878; was recording secretary of the Academy, 1882-92, and vice-president, 1894-95; was made a member of the Water-color society, the American Fine Arts society, the New York Etching club, and was president of the Artists' Fund society, 1885-87. He was also elected a trustee of the New York School of Applied De- sign for Women; a life member of the New York Historical society; a fellow in perpetuity of the Metropolitan IMuseum of Art; a member of the Century association (1863); the University club (1879); the Association of the Bar of New York city, and a trustee of the New York Dispensary. As a manager (after 1885) he devoted consider- able time to the work of the New York House of Refuge. His oil paintings include: Blue Hills of Jamaica (1874); Passing Shower, Jamaica (1875); Roadside Elms (1878); Harbor Islands, Lake George (1878); Lake Katahdin, Maine (1882): Early Autumn, Adirondacks (1883); Sunset on the Tunxis (1885); Darkening in the Evening

Glory (1885). Among his water-colors are: After the Rain, New England Elms, and New England Homestead, purchased by the French govern- ment at the exhibition of 1878.

ROBERDEAU, Daniel, delegate, was born on the island of St. Christopher, W.I., in 1727; son of Isaac and Mary (Cunyngham) Roberdeau, Hu- guenot refugees from Rochelle, France. In boy- hood he removed to Philadelphia, Pa., with his mother, where he became an importer of rum, wines and West India produce. He was a mem- ber of the Pennsylvania assembly, 1756-60, and a manager of the Pennsylvania hospital, 1756-58 and 1766-76. In 1775 lie joined the Pennsyl- vania associators, was elected colonel of the 2d battalion, and was president of the governing board of the associators. He presided at a public meeting held at the state house, Philadelphia, May 20, 1776, and was associated with Col. John Bayard in the fitting out of the Congress and Chance as privateers. He was chosen a member of the council of safety, June 30, 1775; was elected 1st brigadier-general of Pennsylvania troops, July 4, 1776, and joined the army under Washington in New Jersey, and in the fall of that year, being seized with an infectious fever and unable to serve in the field, he advanced from his private purse the sum of $18,000 to supply the outfits for the commissioners to Paris. He was a delegate to the Continental congress, 1777-79, where he signed the articles of confeder- ation. He was granted leave of absence from congress, April 11, 1778, to allow him to super- intend the working of a lead mine in Bedford county. Pa., to procure lead for the army, and built Fort Roberdeau as a protection against the Indians. He was twice married; first, on Oct. 3, 1761, to Mary, daughter of the Rev. David and Mary (Hinman) Bostwick of New York, and se- condly, on Dec. 2, 1778, to Jane Milligan of Phil- adelphia. He was president of a meeting held, May 24-25, 1779, at Philadelphia, for the purpose of devising measures to reduce and counteract the operations of monopolizers. He removed to Alexandria. Va., in 1785, and to Wincliester, Va., in 1794. where he died, Jan. 5, 1795.

ROBERT, Christopher Rhinelander, pliilan- thropist, was born at Brookliaven, Long Island, N.Y., March 23, 1802; son of Dr. Daniel Robert. He served a five years' clerksliip in a mercantile house in New York city, and then engaged in business in New Orleans, La. He was married in 1829 to Ann Maria Shaw (1802-1888), daughter of William Shaw, a New York mer- chant. He was senior member of the firm of Robert and Williams in New York city, 1830-62, and was also president of a coal and iron com- pany, retiring from active business in 1863. He was ruling elder of the Lalght Street Presby-