Gov. Robert Pinckney Dunlap

About

ROBERT P. DUNLAP, the eleventh governor of Maine, was born in Brunswick, Maine on August 17, 1794. His education was attained at Bowdoin College, where he graduated from in 1815. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1818, and established a legal practice in Brunswick. Dunlap entered politics in 1821, serving as a member of the Maine House of Representatives, a position he held until 1823. He also served as a member of the Governor’s Executive Council in 1829 and was a member of the Maine State Senate from 1824 to 1828 and 1831 to 1833, serving two non-consecutive terms as president. Dunlap first won election to the governor’s office in 1833. He then went on to win reelection in 1834, 1835 and 1836. During his tenure, financial issues were dealt with that were residual effects of the national Panic of 1837. After completing his term, Dunlap left office on January 3, 1838, retiring for a short time from public service. In 1843, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, a position he held four years. He served as the Collector of the Port for Portland from 1848 to 1849 and was the Postmaster of Brunswick from 1853 to 1857. He also served for thirty-eight years as a member of the Board of Overseers for Bowdoin College, as well as serving as president of the board for sixteen years. Governor Robert P. Dunlap passed away on October 20, 1859 and was buried at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Brunswick, Maine.

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