Robert Charles Winthrop
| Robert Charles Winthrop | |
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| 18th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
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In office December 6, 1847 – March 4, 1849 |
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| President | James K. Polk |
| Preceded by | John W. Davis |
| Succeeded by | Howell Cobb |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st district |
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In office November 9, 1840 – May 25, 1842 |
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| Preceded by | Abbott Lawrence |
| Succeeded by | Nathan Appleton |
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In office November 29, 1842 – July 30, 1850 |
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| Preceded by | Nathan Appleton |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Atkins Eliot |
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United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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In office July 30, 1850 – February 1, 1851 |
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| Appointed by | George N. Briggs |
| Preceded by | Daniel Webster |
| Succeeded by | Robert Rantoul Jr. |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives | |
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In office 1835-1840 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 12, 1809 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | November 16, 1894 (aged 85) Boston, Massachusetts |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Cabot Blanchard Laura Derby Welles Adele Granger Thayer Winthrop |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Profession | Lawyer, Politician, Philanthropist |
| Signature |  |
Robert Charles Winthrop (May 12, 1809 – November 16, 1894) was an American lawyer and philanthropist and one time Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was a descendant of John Winthrop.
Robert Charles Winthrop was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Thomas Lindall Winthrop (March 6, 1760 – February 22, 1841) and wife (m. July 25, 1786) Elizabeth Bowdoin Temple (October 23, 1769 – July 23, 1825). He attended the prestigious Boston Latin School, and graduated from Harvard University in 1828.
On March 12, 1832, he married Elizabeth Cabot Blanchard (May 27, 1809 – June 14, 1842), daughter of Francis Blanchard (baptised February 1, 1784 – age estimated 29 at death, June 26, 1813) and wife (m. August 29, 1808) Mary Ann Cabot (baptised May 9, 1784 – July 25, 1809), with whom he had three children. After Elizabeth's death, he married his second wife, Adele Granger Thayer (September 1820 – June 16, 1892), daughter of Francis Granger and Cornelia Rutson Van Rensselaer (1798 – December 29, 1823), on November 15, 1865.
After studying law with Daniel Webster he was admitted to the bar in 1831 and practiced in Boston. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1835 to 1840, and served as Speaker of the House of that body from 1838 to 1840. He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1838.
Winthrop was elected US Representative from Massachusetts as a Whig to the 26th United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Abbott Lawrence; he was reelected to the 27th Congress and served from November 9, 1840, to May 25, 1842, when he resigned. He was subsequently elected to the 27th Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of his successor, Nathan Appleton; he was reelected to the 28th and to the three succeeding Congresses and served from November 29, 1842 until to July 30, 1850, and served as the Speaker of the House during the 30th Congress. To date he is the last Speaker who was neither a Republican nor a Democrat. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1849.
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