Robert Turnbull (American politician)

Robert Turnbull (January 11, 1850 – January 22, 1920) was an American lawyer and politician who served two terms as a U.S. Representative from Virginia from 1910 to 1913.

Biography
Born in Lawrenceville, Virginia, Turnbull attended Rock Spring Academy, and graduated from the law department of the University of Virginia at Charlottesville in 1871.

Career
Admitted to the bar in 1871, Turnbull began his legal practice in Lawrenceville, Virginia, the county seat of Brunswick County. He won election as clerk of Brunswick County, and served for a decade, from 1891 to 1910. During this period, Turnbull also won election to the part time position representing his county in the Senate of Virginia, and served from 1894 to 1898. Brunswick County voters also elected him as delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1902. Turnbull was also a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1896 and 1904.

Congress
Following the death of Francis R. Lassiter, Turnbull won election as a Democrat to the Sixty-first Congress to fill the vacancy. He won reelection once, to the Sixty-second Congress and served from March 8, 1910, to March 3, 1913. Judge Walter A. Watson of Nottoway County (who unlike Turnbull had voted against restricting voting by blacks and poor whites) defeated Turnbull in the Democratic primary in 1912.

Later career and death
Turnbull resumed his legal practice in Lawrenceville, and again won election as clerk of the circuit court of Brunswick County, serving from 1916 until his death, January 22, 1920.

Death and legacy
He was interred in Lawrenceville Cemetery, Lawrenceville, Virginia.

Electoral history

 * 1910; Turnbull was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives unopposed in a special election and was re-elected in the general election unopposed.
 * 1912; Turnbull lost his re-election bid.