Robert Orr Jr.

American politician

Robert Orr Jr. (March 5, 1786 at Hannastown, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania – May 22, 1876 at Kittanning, Pennsylvania) was a Pennsylvania political figure.

Biography

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

^ Stronach, George (1895). "Orr, Hugh" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 42. London: Smith, Elder & Co. p. 267.
^ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present (website), accessed 19 Sept. 2009
^ List of legislators in the 1825-1826 session of the Pennsylvania Legislature
^ He was replaced with Eben S. Kelley
^ Biographical Directory
^ 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)
^ Biographical Directory

Sources

United States Congress. "Robert Orr Jr. (id: O000105)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
The Political Graveyard

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Walter Forward James Allison Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district 1825–1829 Alongside : James S. Stevenson	Succeeded by William Wilkins John Gilmore