Notable people · Politician · Governor · Soldier
Robert Lucas
Ohio's 12th governor (1832-1836) built an estate called Friendly Grove near Piketon around 1824. He chaired the first Democratic National Convention and was the first governor of Iowa Territory.
At a glance
- Born
- 1781-04-01
- Died
- 1853-02-07
- Known as
- Politician, Governor, Soldier
- Organizations
- Ohio Senate, Ohio State Militia
Life story
Robert Lucas was born April 1, 1781, in what is now Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to a Quaker family from Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth Brown in 1810; after her death in 1812 he married Friendly Ashley Sumner in 1816, and they raised a large family.
Around 1824 he built a home called Friendly Grove near Piketon, after his wife's first name. He sat in the Ohio House and Senate for most of the years from 1808 to 1828, was Senate speaker twice, and held the rank of brigadier general in the state militia. His War of 1812 journals later helped in the court-martial of General William Hull for losing Detroit.
As governor of Ohio from 1832 to 1836 he led the state in the Toledo War, the border dispute with Michigan. Lucas County, Ohio, was named for him in 1835. He also chaired the first Democratic National Convention, in 1832.
He then became the first governor of Iowa Territory, from 1838 to 1841, and retired to Plum Grove in Iowa City, now a historic house. He died there on February 7, 1853.
Timeline
- 1781-04-01: Born (Shepherdstown area, VA/WV) source
- 1808: Begins service in the Ohio legislature (to 1828, with a gap) (Ohio) source
- 1816: Marries Friendly Ashley Sumner source
- 1824: Builds Friendly Grove estate near Piketon (about) (Piketon, OH) source
- 1832: Chairs first Democratic National Convention; becomes governor of Ohio (Ohio) source
- 1835: Lucas County, Ohio, created and named for him (Ohio) source
- 1838: Becomes first governor of Iowa Territory (Iowa) source
- 1853-02-07: Dies (Iowa City, IA) source
What Robert is known for
- 12th Governor of Ohio, 1832-1836
- First governor of Iowa Territory, 1838-1841
- Chaired the 1832 Democratic National Convention
- Central figure in the Toledo War
- Friendly Grove (Piketon), c. 1824
Honors and things named for them
- Lucas County, Ohio (1835)
- Plum Grove Historic House, Iowa City (state monument)
Family
- wife: Elizabeth Brown (m. 1810, d. 1812)
- wife: Friendly Ashley Sumner (m. 1816)
- daughter: Minerva (b. 1811)
Ohio places
Where Robert Lucas was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Lived: Piketon, Pike County ZIP 45661 · Piketon · Pike County
- Died: Iowa City, Iowa
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: Robert Lucas (governor) dates, offices, family, Toledo War, Lucas County, Plum Grove
- Wikipedia: Piketon, Ohio Friendly Grove estate near Piketon c.1824