Representative Reuben Robie

Reuben Robie (July 15, 1799 – January 21, 1872) was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served one term as a U.S. Representative from New York from 1851 to 1853. His congressional service took place during a significant period in American history, and as a member of the House of Representatives he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his constituents in New York.

Robie was born in Corinth, Vermont, on July 15, 1799. He attended the common schools in his native state, receiving the basic education typical of rural New England in the early nineteenth century. In 1819, at the age of twenty, he left Vermont and moved to Bath, in Steuben County, New York, a growing community in the state’s Southern Tier that would remain his home for the rest of his life.

Soon after settling in Bath, Robie established a mercantile business that became successful and formed the foundation of his later prominence. Over time he expanded his interests into other commercial and civic ventures. He became involved in the development of regional transportation and finance, including participation in the Buffalo, Corning and New York Railroad and the Steuben County Bank, reflecting the broader economic growth of upstate New York in the antebellum period. He was also one of the founders of the Steuben County Agricultural Society, promoting agricultural improvement and organization among local farmers. In addition to his business pursuits, Robie was active in the New York Militia, serving on the staff of the 56th Brigade during the 1830s.

Robie’s engagement in public affairs began at the local level in Bath. He served as Town Clerk from 1825 to 1830, overseeing municipal records and administrative matters. He was then elected Town Supervisor, serving in 1831 and 1832, a position that placed him at the head of the town board and involved him in county-level governance. In 1837 he was appointed Postmaster of Bath, a federal patronage position of considerable local importance, and he held that office for four years. From 1844 to 1847 he served as Treasurer of Steuben County, managing county finances and further solidifying his reputation as a capable local official.

A member of the Democratic Party, Robie advanced from local and county offices to national politics at mid-century. In 1850 he was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives, winning a seat in the Thirty-second Congress. He served from March 4, 1851, to March 3, 1853, completing one full term. During this time he contributed to the legislative process in a Congress that confronted sectional tensions and issues of national expansion in the years following the Compromise of 1850. Robie did not seek renomination in 1852 and thus concluded his congressional career after a single term.

After leaving Congress, Robie returned to Bath and resumed his various business and civic interests. He continued to be regarded as a leading citizen of Steuben County, drawing on decades of experience in commerce, local government, and public service. He lived in Bath until his death there on January 21, 1872. Robie was interred in Grove Cemetery in Bath, New York. His residence in Bath, known as the Reuben Robie House, was later recognized for its historical significance and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. In 2011, in further acknowledgment of his contributions to the region’s political and economic life, Reuben Robie was inducted into the Steuben County Hall of Fame.