Robert Murphy Mayo facts for kids

Robert Murphy Mayo (April 28, 1836 – March 29, 1896) was an important person from Virginia. He was a lawyer, a soldier in the Confederate States Army, and a politician. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates and for a short time in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a member of the Readjuster Party.

Early Life and Education

Robert Murphy Mayo was born in Hague, Virginia in 1836. This town is in Westmoreland County, Virginia. His father, Robert Mayo, was a plantation owner and a judge in Virginia. His mother was Emily Ann Campbell.

Robert had two older brothers, John and Joseph. He might have had younger brothers named William and Philip too. His uncle, Joseph C. Mayo, was also a lawyer. He even became the mayor of Richmond during the American Civil War.

Robert went to private schools when he was young. He also studied at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1858, he graduated from Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

After college, he taught mathematics at two military schools. One was in New York, and the other was his old college. While teaching in Lexington, he also studied law. He went to Lexington Law School in 1858 and 1859.

Serving in the Civil War

When the American Civil War began, Robert M. Mayo joined the Confederate States Army. He became a major on May 18, 1861. He helped create the 47th Virginia Infantry unit. This unit was first based in Stafford, Virginia. Its job was to protect the shores of the Potomac River and Rappahannock River.

In May 1862, Mayo was chosen to be the unit's colonel. He was hurt in the arm during the Battle of Seven Pines. He continued to serve throughout the war. He received his official release from the army in Ashland, Virginia on April 27, 1865.

His older brother, Joseph Campbell Mayo, also served in the Confederate Army. He was a part of the 3rd Virginia Infantry. Joseph was wounded in two major battles: Sharpsburg and Battle of Gettysburg. After the war, Joseph became a lawyer and later the Treasurer of Virginia.

A Career in Politics

After the war, Robert M. Mayo became a lawyer. He opened his law office in Hague, Virginia in 1865. The people of Westmoreland County elected him as their Commonwealth's attorney. This job is like a prosecutor for the county.

In 1881, voters in Northumberland and Westmoreland Counties elected Mayo to the Virginia House of Delegates. This was a part-time job where he helped make laws for Virginia.

In 1882, Mayo ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. He wanted to represent Virginia's first district. The election was very close. At first, it seemed he lost, then he was declared the winner, and then the loser again.

Mayo was allowed to serve in Congress starting March 4, 1883. But the other candidate, George Tankard Garrison, did not give up. After a review, the House of Representatives decided that Garrison had actually won. So, Mayo's term ended on March 20, 1884.

After leaving Congress, Mayo went back to being a lawyer in Virginia. He tried to get reelected to Congress in 1884 but did not win. However, he was elected to the House of Delegates again in 1885 and 1887.

Family and Later Life

Robert M. Mayo married Lucy Claybrook on December 3, 1867. They had two daughters, Nellie and Charlotte. They also had two sons, Richard and Archibald. In 1880, his father and younger brother Philip lived with them.

Robert Mayo passed away in Hague, Virginia on March 29, 1896. He was buried in Yeocomico Cemetery in Tucker Hill, Virginia.