Robert R. Hitt
Encyclopedia
Robert Roberts Hitt was an Assistant Secretary of State and later a member of the United States House of Representatives
.
He was born in Urbana, Ohio
to Reverend Thomas Smith Hitt and Emily John Hitt. He and his parents moved to Mount Morris, Illinois
in 1837. There he was educated at Rock River Seminary
and later at De Paul University. An expert short hand writer and only one at that time who represented that skill, he became a very close friend of President of the United States
Abraham Lincoln
, so close that during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
, at the request of Lincoln, Hitt was used as a short hand note taker. Lincoln had first used him in many trials in Chicago, Illinois when Lincoln was a lawyer.
In 1872, Hitt was a personal secretary for Senator
Oliver P. Morton and in December 1874 he was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
First Secretary of the American Legation in Paris
, serving from 1874 to 1881 and as Chargé d'Affaires a part of that time.
He was United States Assistant Secretary of State
under James G. Blaine
during President James A. Garfield and President Chester A. Arthur
's Administrations in 1881 and was elected to represent Illinois
5th district in the United States House of Representatives
in 1882. He became Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the beginning of the Fifty-first Congress. He was appointed in July 1898 by President William McKinley
as a member of the commission created by the Newlands Resolution
to establish government in the Territory of Hawaii
.
During the last years of his life he was Regent of the Smithsonian Institution
. He died on September 20, 1906. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Mount Morris, Illinois
along with his parents.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
He was born in Urbana, Ohio
Urbana, Ohio
Urbana is a city in and the county seat of Champaign County, Ohio, United States, west of Columbus. Urbana was laid out in 1805, and for a time in 1812 was the headquarters of the Northwestern army. Urbana was named after the town of Urbanna, Virginia. It is the burial-place of the Indian fighter...
to Reverend Thomas Smith Hitt and Emily John Hitt. He and his parents moved to Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris is a village in Mount Morris Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census, down from 3,013 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Morris is located at ....
in 1837. There he was educated at Rock River Seminary
Mount Morris College
Mount Morris College was a religious college affiliated with the Church of the Brethren in Mount Morris, Illinois. The original institution at this location was Rock River Seminary, which was founded by the Methodist Church in 1839. The Methodists closed Rock River Seminary in 1878 and subsequently...
and later at De Paul University. An expert short hand writer and only one at that time who represented that skill, he became a very close friend of President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, so close that during the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858
The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and the incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate. At the time, U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures; thus Lincoln and...
, at the request of Lincoln, Hitt was used as a short hand note taker. Lincoln had first used him in many trials in Chicago, Illinois when Lincoln was a lawyer.
In 1872, Hitt was a personal secretary for Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Oliver P. Morton and in December 1874 he was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
First Secretary of the American Legation in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, serving from 1874 to 1881 and as Chargé d'Affaires a part of that time.
He was United States Assistant Secretary of State
United States Assistant Secretary of State
In modern times, Assistant Secretary of State is a title used for many executive positions in the United States State Department. A set of six Assistant Secretaries reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs manage diplomatic missions within their designated geographic regions, plus one...
under James G. Blaine
James G. Blaine
James Gillespie Blaine was a U.S. Representative, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, U.S. Senator from Maine, two-time Secretary of State...
during President James A. Garfield and President Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
's Administrations in 1881 and was elected to represent Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
5th district in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1882. He became Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs at the beginning of the Fifty-first Congress. He was appointed in July 1898 by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
as a member of the commission created by the Newlands Resolution
Newlands Resolution
The Newlands Resolution, was a joint resolution written by and named after United States Congressman Francis G. Newlands. It was an Act of Congress to annex the Republic of Hawaii and create the Territory of Hawaii....
to establish government in the Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
.
During the last years of his life he was Regent of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. He died on September 20, 1906. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris, Illinois
Mount Morris is a village in Mount Morris Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,998 at the 2010 census, down from 3,013 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Morris is located at ....
along with his parents.