Robert P. Bush

Robert P. Bush (March 31, 1842 Branchport, Yates County, New York - January 8, 1923 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 and Cortland. He Graduated from Bellevue Medical College and the medical school of Buffalo University. Afterwards he settled in 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, 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 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.

In 1876, 1877 and 1883 he was the Master of the Horseheads Old Oak # 364 masonic lodge.

He was a Democratic member from Chemung County of the New York State Assembly from 1886 to 1892, in 1894, from 1911 to 1913, and in 1916 and 1917. As a friend of Governor David B. Hill, he was elected Speaker in 1892.

In 1920, he was President of the Board of Trustees of the Soldiers and Sailors' Home at Bath, New York, and testified at a hearing before Lt. Gov. Harry C. Walker, denying charges of mismanagement and cruelty.

He died from pneumonia at the Amot Ogdon Hospital in Elmira, and was buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Horseheads, N.Y.

Sources

• The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Bush at politicalgraveyard.com Political Graveyard
• [1] A character study of the Speaker-to-be, in NYT on December 28, 1891
• [2] 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
• [3] 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