Thomas H. Robinson

Thomas Hall Robinson
Born	Near Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.
Died	12 October 1930(1930-10-12) (aged 71) Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Lawyer, politician, bank president
Years active	1882–1930
Known for	Attorney General of Maryland (1923–1930); Maryland State Senator

Thomas Hall Robinson (March 2, 1859 – October 12, 1930) was a prominent Maryland lawyer and politician in the United States. His legislative career included terms in the Maryland Senate during 1892 and again from 1902 to 1906. He also held the office of Attorney General of Maryland from 1923 until his passing in 1930.

Early life

Born on March 2, 1859, near Bel Air, Maryland, Thomas Hall Robinson was the son of Mary C. (née Prigg) and Samuel S. Robinson. His childhood was spent close to Hickory, Maryland, where he commuted three miles to attend school in Bel Air. Robinson pursued legal studies under the mentorship of Henry D. Farnandis of Bel Air and gained admission to the bar on May 11, 1882.

Career

A member of the Democratic Party, Robinson secured election to the Maryland Senate in 1891, stepping in to represent Harford County in 1892 following the death of Benjamin Silver Jr. He chose not to seek re-election in 1893. During his tenure as chairman of the judiciary committee, he advocated for legislation such as the Haman oyster bill aimed at revitalizing the oyster industry and supported initiatives for county road improvements. Robinson returned to the Senate from 1902 through 1906. In 1904, he played a key role assisting Baltimore political figure Isaac Freeman Rasin in obtaining Isidor Rayner’s Senate seat; however, he later opposed Rayner concerning the Poe Suffrage Amendment. After Arthur Pue Gorman’s demise, Robinson allied with John Walter Smith until 1923, when he opposed Governor Albert Ritchie’s bid for renomination. He participated as a delegate in four Democratic National Conventions and led the state delegation in both 1920 and 1924.

Following his legislative service, Robinson resumed his legal career. In 1922, he served as defense counsel for Harry Benjamin Wolf during a widely publicized murder trial. Subsequently, he endorsed Governor Ritchie’s re-election campaign and was selected as the attorney general candidate on Ritchie’s ticket. Elected in 1923 and re-elected in 1926, Robinson succeeded Alexander Armstrong as Maryland’s Attorney General. While in office, he maintained Armstrong’s decision that the Baltimore Police Department lacked jurisdiction to enforce the Volstead Act. During World War I, he chaired Harford County’s liberty loan committees as well as its council of defense.

In his capacity as attorney general, Robinson also acted as legal counsel for the Pennsylvania Railroad within Harford County—a position that some critics perceived as a conflict of interest related to one of his rulings. In October 1930, amid his campaign for re-election, Robinson became ill and ceased active campaigning in southern Maryland.

Robinson assumed the presidency of the Second National Bank of Bel Air in 1894 and retained this role until his death.

Personal life

On September 17, 1884, Robinson married Clara C. Cain, daughter of Judge J. M. Cain. The couple had five children: Lucile, Madeleine, Elizabeth, Thomas Hall Robinson Jr., and Clara. His daughter Madeleine was married to state senator Howard S. O'Neill.

Robinson passed away from a heart attack on October 12, 1930, at his residence in Bel Air. He was laid to rest at St. Ignatius Church cemetery located in Hickory.

External links

• Maryland State Archives: Thomas H. Robinson