Asher Robbins (also known as Ashur Robbins; October 26, 1761 – February 25, 1845) was a United States senator from Rhode Island.

Asher Robbins
Official portrait in the RI State House
United States Senator
from Rhode Island
In office
October 31, 1825 – March 3, 1839
Preceded byJames De Wolf
Succeeded byNathan F. Dixon
Member of the Rhode Island General Assembly
In office
1840–1841
In office
1818–1825
Personal details
Born(1761-10-26)October 26, 1761
Wethersfield, Connecticut
DiedFebruary 25, 1845(1845-02-25) (aged 83)
Newport, Rhode Island
Resting placeCommon Burial Ground
Political partyNational Republican, Whig
Alma materYale College
ProfessionPolitician, Lawyer

Early life

edit

Born in Wethersfield, Connecticut on October 26, 1761, he graduated from Yale College in 1782, was a tutor at Rhode Island College (now Brown University) from 1782 to 1790, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1792 and began practice in Providence, Rhode Island.

Politics

edit

He moved to Newport in 1795, was appointed United States district attorney in 1812, and was a member of the Rhode Island Assembly from 1818 to 1825.

Robbins was elected as Adams (later Anti-Jacksonian and then Whig) to the U.S. Senate in 1825 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James De Wolf; he was reelected in 1827 and 1833 and served from October 31, 1825, to March 3, 1839. While in the Senate, he was chairman of the Committee on Engrossed Bills (Twenty-second Congress).

Later life

edit

After his time in the Senate, Robbins was again a member of the State assembly (1840–1841) and was postmaster of Newport from 1841 until his death in that city in 1845; interment was in the Common Burial Ground. His daughter was the poet Sophia Louise Little.[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1888). "Little, Sophia Louise". Appleton's Cyclopædia of American Biography. Vol. 3. New York: D. Appleton & Co. p. 738.
edit
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 1) from Rhode Island
October 31, 1825 – March 3, 1839
Served alongside: Nehemiah R. Knight
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Oldest living U.S. senator
February 13, 1843 – February 25, 1845
Succeeded by