Robert Orr Jr.

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Robert Orr Jr.
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
In office
October 11, 1825 – March 3, 1829
Preceded byJames Allison Jr.
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
In office
1821–1825
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1817–1820
Personal details
Born(1786-03-05)March 5, 1786
Hannastown, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMay 22, 1876(1876-05-22) (aged 90)
Kittanning, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeKittanning Cemetery
PartyJacksonian
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
RankGeneral
Battles/warsWar of 1812

Robert Orr Jr. (March 5, 1786 – May 22, 1876) was a Pennsylvania political figure.

Biography

Robert Orr Jr. was born on March 5, 1786, at Hannastown, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. Orr was the son of Hugh Orr, a Scottish-born gunsmith and politician.[1] He attended the public schools in Westmoreland County and Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He later moved to Kittanning, where he was elected to the post of Deputy Sheriff for Armstrong County in 1805.[2] He studied surveying and was appointed deputy district surveyor.

Orr served in the War of 1812, where he rose to the rank of colonel in the US Army.

Post-war political career

In 1816 Orr successfully ran for a seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He served two terms (1817–1820), after which he successfully ran for a seat in the Pennsylvania Senate. He served there from 1821 to 1825;[3] he resigned before completing his term[4] because he had been appointed as a Jacksonian member of the Nineteenth Congress U.S. House of Representatives to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of James Allison Jr.

In 1826 Orr successfully ran for re-election, to the Twentieth Congress. He served in that capacity from October 11, 1825 to March 3, 1829.

Military career

After the War of 1812 Orr retained his interest in military affairs. He eventually attained the rank of general.[5]

Later life

Orr resided for a short while in Orrsville in 1845,[6] and lived in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania from 1848 to 1852. He returned to Kittanning, where he died in 1876. He was buried in the Kittanning Cemetery.[7]

References

Notes

  1. Stronach, George (1895). "Orr, Hugh" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 42. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 267.
  2. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present (website), accessed 19 Sept. 2009
  3. "List of legislators in the 1825-1826 session of the Pennsylvania Legislature". Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  4. He was replaced with Eben S. Kelley
  5. Biographical Directory
  6. Biographical Directory - one entry indicates this is a community named for the Orr Family (http://www.listsearches.rootsweb.com/th/read/MCCOMB/2008-03/1205209956)
  7. Biographical Directory

Sources