Robert Andrew Childs (March 22, 1845 – December 19, 1915) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

. Born in

Malone, New York Malone is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 12,433 at the 2020 census. The town contains a village also named Malone. The town is an interior town located in the north-central part of the county. History ...

, Childs moved to Illinois with his parents, who settled near Belvidere, Boone County, in 1852. He attended the common schools. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, he was enlisted in General Stephen A. Hurlbut's company, which subsequently became a part of the

15th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment The 15th Illinois Infantry Regimenty was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Service The 15th Illinois Infantry Volunteer Regiment was raised under the 10 Regiment Act. The 15th Illinois Infantry was ...

, and served throughout the war. He graduated from the

Illinois State Normal University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching ...

in 1870. He was the principal and superintendent of the public schools in Amboy 1871–1873. He studied law and was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1872, and commenced practice in

Belvidere, Illinois Belvidere is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Illinois, United States. It is settled on the Kishwaukee River in far northern Illinois. Known as the 'City of Murals', Belvidere is home to several public art installations througho ...

. He settled in Hinsdale, a suburb of Chicago, in July 1873. He served as the member of the village board of trustees and the president of the school board. Childs was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-third Congress (March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1894. He resumed the practice of law in Chicago. He died in

Hinsdale, Illinois Hinsdale is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County. It is one of the wealthiest communities in Illinois. Hinsdale is a western suburb of Chicago with a population of 17,395 ...

, December 19, 1915. He was interred in Bronswood Cemetery. The Robert A. and Mary Childs House was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Childs, Robert Andrew 1845 births 1915 deaths Union army soldiers Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives