George D. Robinson
| George Dexter Robinson | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 34th Governor of Massachusetts | |
|
In office January 3, 1884 – January 6, 1887 |
|
| Lieutenant | Oliver Ames |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Butler |
| Succeeded by | Oliver Ames |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 12th district |
|
|
In office March 4, 1883 – January 7, 1884 |
|
| Preceded by | District recreated; seat last held by John Quincy Adams in 1843 |
| Succeeded by | Francis W. Rockwell |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 11th district |
|
|
In office March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 |
|
| Preceded by | Chester W. Chapin |
| Succeeded by | William Whiting II |
| Member of the Massachusetts Senate | |
|
In office 1876 |
|
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
|
In office 1874 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Washington Robinson January 20, 1834 Lexington, Massachusetts |
| Died | February 22, 1896 (aged 62) Chicopee, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Harvard College |
| Signature |  |
George Dexter Robinson (born George Washington Robinson; January 20, 1834 – February 22, 1896) was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts. After serving in the United States Congress, he served three terms as Governor of Massachusetts, notably defeating Benjamin Franklin Butler in the 1884 election. His most famous legal client was Lizzie Borden; notoriously accused of killing her father and stepmother, Robinson was instrumental in securing her acquittal in a highly sensationalized trial.
Born in Lexington and educated at Harvard, Robinson taught high school before becoming a lawyer. He gained a reputation as a fine Parliamentarian while serving in Congress. As governor, he promoted the passage of civil service reform legislation and labor-friendly wage and dispute-resolution laws. He aligned with the state's industrial leaders against public health advocates, and banned discrimination in the issuance of life insurance policies. As a lawyer, he gained notoriety for Borden's defense, and was criticized for defending fraudulent fraternal benefit societies.
George Washington Robinson was born in Lexington, Massachusetts to Charles and Mary (Davis) Robinson. The son of farmers, he attended Lexington Academy and Hopkins Classical School in Cambridge, and graduated from Harvard University in 1856. While at Harvard he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity. In 1855, he had his name legally changed to "George Dexter Robinson", supposedly because someone else in Lexington had a similar name to his.
Although he had intended to study medicine, Robinson entered the teaching profession, serving as the principal of Chicopee High School in Chicopee, Massachusetts from 1856 to 1865. During this time, he engaged in some study of medicine. In 1865, he engaged in the study of law with his brother, and was admitted to the bar in 1866, opening a practice in Chicopee.
...
Wikipedia