Robert P. Bush (March 31, 1842 in Branchport, New York, Branchport, Yates County, New York - January 8, 1923 in Elmira, New York, Elmira, Chemung County, New York) was an American physician, soldier and politician.

Life

He was the son of Dr. Wynans Bush (1799–1889) and Julia Ann Loomis Bush (1805–1898). He was educated at academies in Franklin (town), New York, Franklin and Cortland, New York, Cortland. He Graduated from Bellevue Medical College and the medical school of University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo University. Afterwards he settled in Horseheads (town), New York, Horseheads and practiced medicine there. He enlisted as a private in the 12th Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and fought the First Battle of Bull Run, the Battle of Yorktown (1862), Battle of Yorktown, the Seven Days' Battles, the Battle of Fredericksburg, and the Battle of Antietam. Then he re-enlisted in the 185th Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and became a captain, and later a major. He was captured during the Battle of Hatcher's Run by the Confederate Army, and subsequently exchanged. On September 1, 1870, he married Laretta Ludlow (1847–1925). He entered politics as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat, and was School Commissioner of Chemung County from 1875 to 1878, Excise Commissioner for the Town of Horseheads from 1878 to 1882, and Coroner of Chemung County in 1883. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (Chemung Co.) in 109th New York State Legislature, 1886, 110th New York State Legislature, 1887, 111th New York State Legislature, 1888, 112th New York State Legislature, 1889, 113th New York State Legislature, 1890, 114th New York State Legislature, 1891, 115th New York State Legislature, 1892, 117th New York State Legislature, 1894, 134th New York State Legislature, 1911, 135th New York State Legislature, 1912, 136th New York State Legislature, 1913, 139th New York State Legislature, 1916 and 140th New York State Legislature, 1917; and was Speaker of the New York State Assembly, Speaker in 1892, and Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means in 1913. In 1920, he was President of the Board of Trustees of the Soldiers and Sailors' Home at Bath (village), New York, Bath, New York, and testified at a hearing before Lieutenant Governor of New York, Lt. Gov. Harry C. Walker, denying charges of mismanagement and cruelty. He died on January 8, 1923, at the Amot Ogdon Hospital in Elmira, of pneumonia; and was buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Horseheads.

Sources

A character study of the Speaker-to-be, in NYT on December 28, 1891

Democratic assemblymen's caucus, in NYT on January 5, 1892
American Biographical Archive p310
at freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com Short bio, at Rootsweb
Horseheads Old Oak Lodge #364, Horseheads, NY Website
at www.horseheadsmasons.com Horseheads Old Oak lodge
RootsWeb: NYFingerLakes-L Re: (NYFingerLakes-L) GERTRUDE BUSH BRADLEY in King's Ferry/Genoa, Cayuga Co, and PennYan, Yates Co
at archiver.rootsweb.com Bush ancestry, at Rootsweb

The hearing at Bath, in NYT on March 23, 1920
Maple Grove Cemetery - Tombstone Readings 2000 / 2001
at www.joycetice.com Burial record, at Joyce Tice's Tri-Counties Genealogy site {{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Robert P 1842 births 1923 deaths Physicians from New York (state) Speakers of the New York State Assembly Deaths from pneumonia in New York (state)