Robert Scott Lovett was an American lawyer and railroad executive.

Biography

Born at San Jacinto, Texas he was admitted to the bar

Bar association

A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...

 in 1882 and then served as attorney for various railroad interests

Railway company

A railway company or railroad company is an entity that operates a railroad track and/or trains. Such a company can either be private or public...

. In 1890 he married Lavinia Chilton Abercrombie, daughter of lawyer and Texas state senator Leonard Anderson Abercrombie, granddaughter of Justice William Parish Chilton. Their only child was Robert A. Lovett

Robert A. Lovett

Robert Abercrombie Lovett was the fourth United States Secretary of Defense, serving in the cabinet of President Harry S. Truman from 1951 to 1953 and in this capacity, directed the Korean War. Promoted to the position from deputy secretary of defense Domhoff described Lovett as a "Cold War...

. From 1904 to 1909 Robert S. Lovett was general counsel, and after 1909 president, of the E. H. Harriman

E. H. Harriman

Edward Henry Harriman was an American railroad executive.-Early years:Harriman was born in Hempstead, New York, the son of Orlando Harriman, an Episcopal clergyman, and Cornelia Neilson...

 system of railroads—the Union Pacific and Southern Pacific. In the wake of the Northern Securities Case he was compelled to dissolve the Southern Pacific

Southern Pacific Railroad

The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....

 and Union Pacific

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

 merger

Mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...

 in 1913. In 1914 he accepted directorships in the New York Central

New York Central Railroad

The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...

 and Nickel Plate

New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad

The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...

 railroads. Consequently, the Lovett family settled into a "Gold Coast" mansion at Locust Valley, New York. During World War One

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 he filled important positions in the management of railroads, and was chosen president (1919) and chairman of the Board of Directors

Board of directors

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

(1920) of the Union Pacific System.