Robert Milledge Charlton (January 19, 1807January 18, 1854) was an American politician and

jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Uni ...

. He served as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

representing

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

from 1852 to 1853. Charlton was born in

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County, Georgia, Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the Kingdom of Great Br ...

, on January 19, 1807, to Thomas Charlton, future two-time mayor of Savannah, and Emily Walter. His mother died before he reached the age of two. A lawyer by training, Charlton served in various positions at the city and state level in addition to his U.S. Senate term. He was a member of the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. T ...

(1828), and he was appointed and subsequently elected a judge of the Eastern Circuit of Georgia in 1832. Charlton was also appointed as a

United States District Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...

. He was appointed as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of

John M. Berrien John Macpherson Berrien (August 23, 1781January 1, 1856) of United States senator from Georgia and Attorney General of the United States during the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Early life and education Berrien was born on August 23, 1781 at ...

. Charlton had previously served as the mayor of Savannah from 1839 to 1841. Charlton's father, Thomas Usher Pulaski Charlton, had previously served as the appointed mayor of Savannah in 1815 and again in 1819. In 1829 Robert Charlton married Margaret Shick. Charlton ward, Savannah and

Charlton County, Georgia Charlton County is the southernmost county of the U.S. state of Georgia, located in the southeastern part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 12,171. The county seat is Folkston. History Georgia, by an act of the Georgia ...

are named after him. Charlton died in Savannah on January 18, 1854, the day before his 47th birthday, and is buried in

Laurel Grove Cemetery Laurel Grove Cemetery is a cemetery located in midtown Savannah, Georgia. It includes the original cemetery for whites (now known as Laurel Grove North) and a companion burial ground (called Laurel Grove South) that was reserved for slaves and fr ...

in that city. He was also a slave owner. In 1830, he owned 3 slaves. In 1840, he owned 14 slaves. In 1850, he owned 13 slaves.

References

External links

Chatham County GaArchives Biographies.....Charlton, Robert Milledge 1807 - 1854Live Oak Public Library list of mayors of Savannah, GeorgiaPoems by Robert M. Charlton, and Thomas J. Charlton, M.D.; with an appendix, containing the Eulogy on Doctor Cumming, and a Historical Lecture on Sergeant Jasper by Robert M. CharltonLetter, 1837 Apr. 17, Darien, Georgia to Governor William Schley, Milledgeville, Georgia, / Robert M. Charlton
1807 births 1854 deaths Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Georgia (U.S. state) state court judges Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Mayors of Savannah, Georgia Democratic Party United States senators from Georgia (U.S. state) American slave owners United States Attorneys for the District of Georgia 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers United States senators who owned slaves {{GeorgiaUS-state-judge-stub