Simon Pierre Robineau
Simon Pierre Robineau | |
|---|---|
| Florida House of Representative | |
| In office 1929–1936 | |
| Miami City Attorney | |
| In office 1919–1921 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 8, 1882 Versailles, France |
| Died | December 6, 1952 (aged 70) Miami, Florida, US |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Frances Cowe Robineau |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army, Army Air Corps |
| Years of service | 1917–1919, 1944–1945 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War I, World War II |
Simon Pierre Robineau (April 8, 1882 – December 6, 1952) was an attorney, soldier and member of the Florida House of Representatives.
Early life
[edit]Born in Versailles, France, Robineau’s parents brought him to live in America as a boy. Robineau's father, Jean S. Robineau, was a surgeon and had visited military hospitals during the American Civil War.[1]
He became a U.S. citizen when he turned 21.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas described him in her book, Voice of the River: “He was slender when I met him. He had a long, French nose, dark eyes, a little moustache, and a humorous mouth. He was witty, charming and well-read.”[2]
Education
[edit]Robineau attended middle and high school near Chicago. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Lake Forest College, 1907. He earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of the South, 1908. Robineau conducted post graduate studies at the Sorbonne and University of Freiburg in 1908, 1909. He went on to earn an LLB from Harvard University in 1912.
Civilian career
[edit]BY 1914, Robineau was practising law in Boston.[3] In 1918, Robineau was a partner in the Rose & Robineau law firm in Miami.[4] Upon returning from military service, Robineau earned appointment as Miami City Attorney.[5]
Robineau was an early board member in the Zonite Products Corporation.
S.P won election to the Florida House of Representatives, representing Miami from 1929 through 1936.[6]
Robineau introduced the bill in the Florida Legislature which made Stephen Foster's song, Old Folks at Home, also known as Suwanne River, the State Song in 1935.[7]
In 1936, he served as a witness in the Senate impeachment of Judge Halstead Ritter.[8]
Military career
[edit]During World War I but before America joined the war, Robineau fought for France. At the outset of his service in an American uniform, Robineau was an interpreter for the medical corps. His medical training and his fluency in French helped communications between American surgeons and French medical staff at field hospitals.[9]
Soon enough, his skills caught the attention of the military intelligence section and he was given leadership of a team of interpreters.
When World War II began, Robineau was nearly 60. He was promoted into the Army Air Corps, reaching the rank of colonel. He resumed intelligence duties, focusing on occupied France, where he served for over 30 months. In 1945 he was part of a committee that helped establish the rules and regulations for American occupied military control over Germany for the immediate post-war period.[10] He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Fraternal and civic affiliations
[edit]Robineau was a member of The Florida Bar and Dade County bar associations, the Harvey W Seeds Post #29 of the American Legion, The Military Order of the World Wars, Alpha Tau Omega, Theta Nu Epsilon and Omega Psi.
He died in Miami in December 1952.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Staff (January 4, 1915). "Harvard Classmate of Atty..." Wilkes Barre Times Newsleader. Newspapers.com. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ Stoneman Douglas, Marjory (2014). Voice of the River. Miami: Pineapple Press. ISBN 9781561647798.
- ^ "Boston City Directory". FOLD3. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ Fifield, James Clark (1918). "The American Bar". The American Bar. James C Fifield Company. Retrieved December 19, 2019.
- ^ Moore, Daniel D. (1922). "Men of the South". Google Books. Southern Biographical Association. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
- ^ Ward, Robert. "Membership of the Florida House of Representatives by County" (PDF). Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ State, Florida Dept of. "Florida Department of State". State Song – Florida Department of State. Florida Department of State. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
- ^ "Proceedings of Impeachment of Halsted Ritter". Proceedings of the United States Senate. US Printing Office. 1936. Retrieved February 17, 2020 – via Hathitrust.org.
- ^ Felker, Dorothy (June 3, 1934). "S. Pierre Robineau believed to be first Miamian overseas". Miami Herald.
- ^ "Committee Report". FOLD3. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
Sources
[edit]- Morales, Ralph (2018). Harvey W Seeds American Legion Post #29 History. Miami: Harvey Seeds Press. ISBN 978-0692128497.
- Staff. "WWI Draft Cards". Florida Memory. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- Florida lawyers
- French military personnel of World War I
- 1882 births
- 1952 deaths
- Democratic Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
- Lake Forest College alumni
- Sewanee: The University of the South alumni
- Harvard Law School alumni
- 20th-century American lawyers
- United States Army personnel of World War I
- United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- Naturalized citizens of the United States
- French emigrants to the United States
- People from Versailles
- 20th-century members of the Florida Legislature