Charles Henry Robb (November 14, 1867 – June 10, 1939) was an American lawyer from

Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...

and

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

. He was most notable for his service as an

Associate Justice Associate justice or associate judge (or simply associate) is a judicial panel member who is not the chief justice in some jurisdictions. The title "Associate Justice" is used for members of the Supreme Court of the United States and some state ...

of the

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate cou ...

. A native of

Malone, New York Malone ( moh, Tekanatà:ronhwe) is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 14,545 at the 2010 census. The town contains a village also named Malone. The town is an interior town located in the north-central part ...

. Robb grew up in

Lincoln, Rhode Island Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 22,529 at the 2020 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence. Lincoln is part of the Providence metropolitan statistical are ...

Troy, New York Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany a ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and

Guilford, Vermont Guilford is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford. The population was 2,120 at the 2020 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a tot ...

, and graduated from

West Brattleboro, Vermont West Brattleboro is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Brattleboro, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,222 at the 2000 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 25.9 km2 ...

's Glenwood Seminary in 1886. He studied law, attained admission to the bar, and began to practice in

Bellows Falls, Vermont Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...

, in 1892. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, he served as Windham County, Vermont

State's Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a loc ...

for three years (1896-1899). Robb was a

United States Assistant Attorney General Many of the divisions and offices of the United States Department of Justice are headed by an assistant attorney general. The president of the United States appoints individuals to the position of assistant attorney general with the advice and ...

in the

United States Post Office Department The United States Post Office Department (USPOD; also known as the Post Office or U.S. Mail) was the predecessor of the United States Postal Service, in the form of a Cabinet department, officially from 1872 to 1971. It was headed by the postmas ...

from 1903 to 1904. In 1906, Robb was appointed an associate justice of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia (now the

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (in case citations, D.C. Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. It has the smallest geographical jurisdiction of any of the U.S. federal appellate cou ...

). He served until assuming senior status in 1937. Robb died in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, on June 10, 1939.

Education and career

Robb's original family name was spelled "Robideau", "Robadeau" and "Rubadeau". He was born in

, the son of Isaac M. Robb and Clara Slater Matthews. He was raised in

and

. Robb attended

Brattleboro, Vermont Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire, which is the Connecticut River, Brattleboro is located about no ...

's Brattleboro High School and graduated from

West Brattleboro West Brattleboro is a census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Brattleboro, Vermont, United States. The population was 3,222 at the 2000 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 25.9 km2 ...

's Glenwood Seminary in 1886. He began studies for the entrance examination to attend the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

, but decided to study law instead. He studied with the firm of

Kittredge Haskins Kittredge Haskins (April 8, 1836 – August 7, 1916) was a Vermont lawyer and politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born in Dover, Vermont, Haskins attended the public schools and received instruction from a private tut ...

and Edgar W. Stoddard, was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

in 1892, and practiced in

Bellows Falls Bellows Falls is an incorporated village located in the town of Rockingham in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,747 at the 2020 census. Bellows Falls is home to the Green Mountain Railroad, a heritage railroad; the ...

from 1894 to 1902. A

, from 1896 to 1899 he served as

of Windham County. He then served as an attorney for the

Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory ta ...

. While practicing law in Vermont, Robb was also involved in business and banking, and was an incorporator and officer of the Bellows Falls Trust Company. He was also active in both the Vermont and

American Bar Association The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. Founded in 1878, the ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of acad ...

s. From 1903 to 1904, Robb was a

in the

, where he investigated wrongdoing and prosecuted corrupt officials. Robb served as an assistant to the

United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...

from 1904 to 1906.

Federal judicial service

Robb received a

recess appointment In the United States, a recess appointment is an appointment by the president of a federal official when the U.S. Senate is in recess. Under the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause, the President is empowered to nominate, and with the advi ...

from President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

on October 5, 1906, to an Associate Justice seat on the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia (now the

) which had been vacated by Charles Holland Duell. He was nominated to the same position by President Roosevelt on December 3, 1906. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on December 11, 1906, and received his commission the same day. He assumed

senior status Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges. To qualify, a judge in the Federal judiciary of the United States, federal court system must be at least 65 years old, and the sum of the judge's age and years of servi ...

on November 15, 1937. His service terminated on June 10, 1939, due to his death in

Other service

While serving on the bench Robb was also a member of the faculty at the National University Law School (now

George Washington University Law School The George Washington University Law School (GW Law) is the law school of George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Established in 1865, GW Law is the oldest top law school in the national capital. GW Law offers the largest range of cou ...

). In 1926, National University awarded Robb the

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

LL.D. Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...

Family

In 1897, Robb married Nettie M. George, the daughter of Dr. Ozias M. George of Bellows Falls. His son

Roger Robb Roger Robb (July 7, 1907 – December 19, 1985) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and trial attorney, best known for his key role as special counsel to an Atomic Energy Co ...

also served as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. His daughter Priscilla (October 20, 1914 – November 20, 2011) was the wife of airline pilot Elliot A. Billings (November 22, 1912 – November 7, 2011). Robb was a member of the Episcopal Church.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robb, Charles Henry 1867 births 1939 deaths People from Windham County, Vermont Vermont Republicans Vermont lawyers State's attorneys in Vermont Lawyers from Washington, D.C. United States Department of the Treasury officials United States Department of Justice officials United States Postal Service people Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit United States court of appeals judges appointed by Theodore Roosevelt 20th-century American judges George Washington University faculty United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law