William A. Robertson Explained

Dr. W. A. Robertson
Office:Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
& President of the Louisiana State Senate
Term:October 16, 1881 - December 24, 1881
Governor:Samuel D. McEnery
Predecessor:Samuel D. McEnery
Successor:George L. Walton
Office2:State Senator for St. Landry Parish
Term2:1871–1884
Birth Name:William Allen Robertson
Birth Date:22 October 1837
Birth Place:South Windsor, Connecticut
Death Place:near Washington, Louisiana
Profession:Physician, surgeon
Alma Mater:University of Louisiana
Party:Democratic

William Allen Robertson (October 22, 1837 – October 26, 1899) was President of the Louisiana State Senate and Acting Lieutenant Governor for two and a half months in 1881. He was born in Connecticut in 1837.

Political career

Robertson was a state senator representing St. Landry Parish. During the 1876 presidential election, Robertson, a prominent supporter of Democratic nominee Samuel J. Tilden, was accused of offering a bribe of $200,000 to federal election officials to fraudulently deliver Louisiana's electoral votes for the Democrats.[1]

Robertson was serving as President of the Senate when Governor Louis A. Wiltz died in 1881. Lieutenant Governor Samuel D. McEnery assumed the Governorship and Robertson became the Acting Lieutenant Governor. He was removed as President of the Senate and Acting Lieutenant Governor by a vote of that body on Dec. 24, 1881 and was replaced by Senator George L. Walton.[2]

Robertson was not reelected to the Louisiana Senate in 1884.

He died at his home in 1889.[3] He is buried in Metairie Cemetery.

Notes and References

  1. A Congressman Confused. New York Times . 2 March 1877 . 2 May 2009 .
  2. The Louisiana Senate. New York Times . 25 December 1881 . 2 May 2009 .
  3. "Dr. W. A. Robertson", The Lafayette Advertiser, Saturday, November 02, 1889, Lafayette, Louisiana, United States Of America