(1821-1888)

by Marian Wright Demars

In a previous News Notes we profiled Jacob (1795-1879) and Mary who moved from New York to Michigan. They had 12 children, the oldest of whom was Robert Bruce.

Robert was born 4 September 1821 in Prattsburgh, Steuben County, New York. He attended Franklin Academy in Prattsburgh, studied law and was admitted to the bar. He began his practice in Bath, Steuben County, New York ,where, in 1844 he married Catherine F. Rumsey, sister of his partner, David Rumsey. Catherine died in 1863.

Robert was a member of the State Assembly in 1852 and again in 1857 and 1858. He was in command of the recruiting depot in Elmira, New York and organized seventeen regiments for the Civil War. He was elected as a Republican to the Thirty seventh and Thirty eighth Congresses, serving 4 March 1861 to 3 March 1865.

He was Chairman of the Committee on Militia, served as Colonel of the One Hundred and Seventh Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry and was its commander at the Battle of Antietam. He was the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1865 and was appointed Minister Resident to Japan 18 January 1866 and served until 11 November 1869. He married Anna Schoyer at Yokohama, Japan in 1868. Robert did not have any children.

His mission to Japan followed Perry's opening up that country to the West in 1853.

He settled in Florida, was appointed associate Justice of the State Supreme Court on 20 May 1874 and served until his death on 1 August 1888 in Suwanee Springs, Florida. He is buried in Old St. Nicholas Cemetery at Jacksonville, Florida, near his father, Jacob.