Robert Boal Fort (April 25, 1867 – May 21, 1904) was an American politician from Illinois. The son of Greenbury L. Fort, he was the third consecutive generation of his family to serve in the

Illinois Senate The Illinois Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state, State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adop ...

for the district representing Marshall County, Illinois. Fort also served as a captain in the Spanish–American War and was the mayor of

Lacon, Illinois Lacon is a city in, and the county seat of, Marshall County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,937 at the 2010 census, down from 1,979 in 2000. History Lacon was named ...

Biography

Robert Boal Fort was born in

, on April 25, 1867. He was the only son of

state senator A state senator is a member of a state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. Description A state senator is a member of an upper house in the bicameral legislatures of 49 U ...

Greenbury L. Fort, who would later serve eight years in the United States House of Representatives. His grandfather,

Robert Boal The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, was also a state senator and was an associate of Abraham Lincoln. Fort attended public schools in Washington, D.C., then attended the Wyman Institute and

Phillips Exeter Academy (not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God) , location = 20 Main Street , city = Exeter, New Hampshire , zipcode ...

before studying abroad. Fort then returned to Illinois, assuming his father's farming and ranching interests. Fort was interested in politics at a young age, and was named to the Marshall County

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

Committee as soon as he turned eighteen. Fort joined the

Illinois National Guard The Illinois National Guard comprises both Army National Guard and Air National Guard components of Illinois. As of 2013, the Illinois National Guard has approximately 13,200 members. The National Guard is the only United States military force emp ...

, serving eight years. He held the position until 1895, when he was elected mayor of Lacon. After a year, Fort was elected to the Illinois Senate, serving from 1896 to 1904. Fort was a delegate to the

1896 Republican National Convention The 1896 Republican National Convention was held in a temporary structure south of the St. Louis City Hall in Saint Louis, Missouri, from June 16 to June 18, 1896. Former Governor William McKinley of Ohio was nominated for president on the firs ...

. In 1898, Fort visited Cuba, and convinced that war was imminent, raised a company of cavalry volunteers. He was named captain of Troop L of the

1st Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry The 1st Illinois Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and Spanish–American War. Civil War Service Companies "A" to "G" of the 1st Illinois Volunteer Cavalry were mustered into ...

when the Spanish–American War broke out. Fort enjoyed traveling, and visited all of the capital cities in Europe. He also founded the Lacon Public Library. Fort was an Episcopalian. He died at St. John's Hospital in Lacon on May 21, 1904, and was buried in Lacon Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fort, Robert Boal 1867 births 1904 deaths Republican Party Illinois state senators People from Lacon, Illinois Mayors of places in Illinois 19th-century American Episcopalians American military personnel of the Spanish–American War Phillips Exeter Academy alumni 19th-century American legislators