James Lowry Robinson (September 17, 1838 – July 11, 1887) was a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

; he served as the fourth

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of the state for four years under Governor Thomas J. Jarvis and as acting

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the United States, U.S. state of North Carolina. Seventy-five people have held the office since the first state governor, Richard Caswell, took office in 1777. The governor serves a ...

for one month in 1883. Earlier in his political career he served in the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Speaker of the House, who holds powers si ...

, including as Speaker, and then the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The Senate ...

Early life

Robinson was born and raised in

Franklin, North Carolina Franklin is a town in and the county seat of Macon County, North Carolina, United States. It is situated within the Nantahala National Forest. The population was reported to be 4,175 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from ...

; he served in the North Carolina militia during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

and was wounded at the

Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. The Union's Army of the Po ...

. Robinson left the military in 1863 and opened a general store in Macon County.

Politics

Robinson was first elected to public office in 1868, when he was chosen to represent Macon County in the

. He served there until 1875, the last three years as House Speaker. Robinson then moved up to the state senate, where he served three terms between 1876 and 1880, including one as Senate President Pro Tempore. As president pro tempore, Robinson became (unofficially) acting

in 1879, after Thomas Jordan Jarvis's succession to the governorship. He was elected Lt. Governor is his own right in the 1880 election on the Democratic ticket with Jarvis. Robinson served as acting

for four weeks in September 1883 when Governor Jarvis left the state for an extended period to attend an exhibition. The most notable events of his administration were two official pardons granted to prisoners, one to a dying

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

man, and one to a murderer who Robinson judged acted in self-defense. Robinson resigned as the lieutenant governor on October 31, 1884 in order to be a candidate for the state house. He was elected to the state house from Macon County and served in the legislature of 1885.

Later life and death

After his term in the state house, Robinson suffered from financial difficulties. The ''Raleigh News and Observer'' reported on November 6, 1887 that Robinson was deathly ill and was being treated by a doctor from Asheville. Robinson died later in the year, according to a list of North Carolinians who died in 1887 listed in the ''Fayetteville Observer'' on January 19, 1888. The town of

Robbinsville, North Carolina Robbinsville is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 597 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Graham County, county population 8,030. History A trading post was established ...

is thought to be named in his honor.

References

1838 births 1887 deaths Governors of North Carolina Members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Lieutenant governors of North Carolina People from Franklin, North Carolina People of North Carolina in the American Civil War Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives 19th-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly {{NorthCarolina-politician-stub

Early life

Politics

Later life and death

See also

References