Robert Strange (September 20, 1796February 19, 1854) was a Democratic

U.S. senator 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 powe ...

from the state of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

between 1836 and 1840. Strange was born in

Manchester, Virginia Manchester is a former independent city in Virginia in the United States. Prior to receiving independent status, it served as the county seat of Chesterfield County, between 1870 and 1876. Today, it is a part of the city of Richmond, Virginia. ...

. He attended New Oxford Academy and Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in

Lexington, Virginia Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines ...

. He graduated from

Hampden–Sydney College gr, Ye Shall Know the Truth , established = , type = Private liberal arts men's college , religious_affiliation = Presbyterian Church (USA) , endowment = $258 million (2021) , president = Larry Stimpert , city = Hampden Sydney, Virginia , cou ...

in south central Virginia in 1815 and practiced law in

Fayetteville, North Carolina Fayetteville () is a city in and the county seat of Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a major U.S. Army installation northwest of the city. Fayetteville has received the All-America C ...

. He was elected to the

North Carolina House of Commons The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

(1821–1823 and 1826) and was a judge of the

superior court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

of North Carolina (1827–1836). Strange was elected as a Jacksonian (later Democrat) to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of

Willie Person Mangum Willie Person Mangum (; May 10, 1792September 7, 1861) was a U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina between 1831 and 1836 and between 1840 and 1853. He was one of the founders and leading members of the Whig party, and was a candidate for ...

and served from December 5, 1836, to November 16, 1840, when he resigned and resumed the practice of law in Fayetteville, where he died on February 19, 1854, and was buried in the family burial ground at Myrtle Hill, near Fayetteville. Strange was an ardent and active Freemason, serving as the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons from 1812 through 1814. He also served as Master of Phoenix Lodge No. 8, A. F. & A. M., in Fayetteville, NC, for the year 1826. Strange commanded the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry (FILI), an independent militia company in Fayetteville, NC. In this role Strange served as the escort for the Marquis de Lafayette when he visited Fayetteville on March 5, 1825. A number of people read law with him, including his nephew James Strange French. He was the author of ''Eoneguski, or the Cherokee Chief'', which has been called the first North Carolina novel. The

Robert Strange Country House Robert Strange Country House, also known as Myrtle Hill, is a historic home located at Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. It was built about 1825, and is a -story, gable roofed, Federal style frame dwelling. It has a -story rear e ...

was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1983.

References

http://www.FILI1793.com - Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry website.

External links

Full Text of ''Eoneguski, or the Cherokee Chief''
at the University of North Carolina {{DEFAULTSORT:Strange, Robert 1796 births 1854 deaths People from the Greater Richmond Region North Carolina state court judges Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Democratic Party United States senators from North Carolina North Carolina Jacksonians Writers from North Carolina Writers from Virginia Hampden–Sydney College alumni 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges

References

Further reading

External links