Simon Pierre Robineau (April 8, 1882 – December 6, 1952) was an attorney, soldier and member of the

Florida House of Representatives The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the C ...

Early life

Born in Versailles, France, Robineau’s parents brought him to live in America as a boy. Robineau's father, Jean S. Robineau, was a surgeon and had visited military hospitals during the American Civil War. He became a U.S. citizen when he turned 21.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas Marjory Stoneman Douglas (April 7, 1890 – May 14, 1998) was an American journalist, author, women's suffrage advocate, and conservationist known for her staunch defense of the Everglades against efforts to drain it and reclaim land for d ...

described him in her book, ''Voice of the River'': “He was slender when I met him. He had a long, French nose, dark eyes, a little moustache, and a humorous mouth. He was witty, charming and well-read.”

Education

Robineau attended middle and high school near Chicago. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from

Lake Forest College Lake Forest College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Lind University by a group of Presbyterian ministers, the college has been coeducatio ...

, 1907. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the

University of the South The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee (), is a private Episcopal liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee, United States. It is owned by 28 southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and its School of Theology is an off ...

, 1908. Robineau conducted post graduate studies at the Sorbonne and University of Freiburg in 1908, 1909. He went on to earn an LLB from

Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

in 1912.

Civilian career

BY 1914, Robineau was practising law in Boston. In 1918, Robineau was a partner in the Rose & Robineau law firm in Miami. Upon returning from military service, Robineau earned appointment as Miami City Attorney. Robineau was an early board member in the Zonite Products Corporation. S.P won election to the

, representing Miami from 1929 through 1936. Robineau introduced the bill in the Florida Legislature which made Stephen Foster's song,

Old Folks at Home "Old Folks at Home" (also known as " Swanee River") is a folk song written by Stephen Foster in 1851. Since 1935, it has been the official state song of Florida, although in 2008 the original lyrics were revised. It is Roud Folk Song Index ...

, also known as Suwanne River, the State Song in 1935. In 1936, he served as a witness in the Senate impeachment of Judge Halstead Ritter.

Military career

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

but before America joined the war, Robineau fought for France. At the outset of his service in an American uniform, Robineau was an interpreter for the medical corps. His medical training and his fluency in French helped communications between American surgeons and French medical staff at field hospitals. Soon enough, his skills caught the attention of the military intelligence section and he was given leadership of a team of interpreters. When

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

began, Robineau was nearly 60. He was promoted into the Army Air Corps, reaching the rank of colonel. He resumed intelligence duties, focusing on occupied France, where he served for over 30 months. In 1945 he was part of a committee that helped establish the rules and regulations for American occupied military control over Germany for the immediate post-war period. He was awarded the

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

Fraternal and civic affiliations

Robineau was a member of

The Florida Bar The Florida Bar is the integrated, or unified bar organization for the state of Florida. It is the third largest such bar in the United States.

and Dade County bar associations, the Harvey W Seeds Post #29 of the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

, The

Military Order of the World Wars The Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) is an American social organization of military officers of the United States and their descendants. It was created in 1919 as the Military Order of the World War at the suggestion of General of the Armie ...

Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social Fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters an ...

Theta Nu Epsilon Theta Nu Epsilon (, commonly known as T.N.E.) was an American sophomore class collegiate society that later became a traditional social fraternity. Founded at Wesleyan University in 1870 as a chapter of Skull and Bones, the society expanded into a ...

and Omega Psi. He died in Miami in December 1952.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Robineau, Simon Florida lawyers French military personnel of World War I 1882 births 1952 deaths Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives Lake Forest College alumni Sewanee: The University of the South alumni Harvard Law School alumni 20th-century American lawyers United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II United States Army Air Forces officers Naturalized citizens of the United States French emigrants to the United States People from Versailles 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature