Robert Smalls
By:Brianna Faith Poulos
Robert Smalls Jobs
Robert Smalls was an enslaved African American who, during and after the American Civil War, became a ship's pilot, sea captain, and politician.
South Carolina
Robert lived in South Carolina,and he served in both the South Carolina House of Representatives and from 1870 to 1874 in the State Senate. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1875. Smalls was convicted of taking a $5,000 bribe while in the Senate in 1877 and sentenced to prison but was pardoned by the governor.
History
Robert Smalls was born on April 5, 1839, in a small cottage behind the McKee house at Prince and New Streets in Beaufort, SC. He was the son of Lydia Polite, a house servant who had been working for the McKees since she was taken from her family as a young child on the Ashdale Plantation on Lady’s Island. Robert’s father was very likely to have been Henry McKee, the son of the plantation owner where Lydia’s family lived and worked all of their lives
traveler
After the Civil War was over, Smalls returned to Beaufort to live and purchased the McKee house at 511 Prince Street where he and his mother had been enslaved. He lived in this house until his death in 1915.
An important part of the legacy of Robert Smalls is the families that he established over six decades. He married his first wife, Hannah Jones, in Charleston, South Carolina in 1857. Hannah and two of their children, Elizabeth Lydia and Robert, Jr., were on the Planter when Robert and his crew commandeered the ship on their daring trip to freedom in 1862. Robert and Hannah Smalls had three children: Elizabeth Lydia, a younger daughter, Sarah Voorhees, and Robert, Jr. who died of smallpox as a child. Hannah died in 1883, and Smalls married his second wife, Annie Elizabeth Wigg, in 1890. They had one son, William Robert Smalls. Annie died in 1895.
There are approximately seventy-five direct descendants of Robert Smalls living today. All of these descendants are the grandchildren of Robert’s older daughter, Elizabeth Smalls Bampfield and his younger son, William Robert Smalls. Smalls’ younger daughter, Sarah Smalls Williams, had no children and his older son, Robert Smalls, Jr. died in infancy. None of the living descendants carries the Smalls name.
An important part of the legacy of Robert Smalls is the families that he established over six decades. He married his first wife, Hannah Jones, in Charleston, South Carolina in 1857. Hannah and two of their children, Elizabeth Lydia and Robert, Jr., were on the Planter when Robert and his crew commandeered the ship on their daring trip to freedom in 1862. Robert and Hannah Smalls had three children: Elizabeth Lydia, a younger daughter, Sarah Voorhees, and Robert, Jr. who died of smallpox as a child. Hannah died in 1883, and Smalls married his second wife, Annie Elizabeth Wigg, in 1890. They had one son, William Robert Smalls. Annie died in 1895.
There are approximately seventy-five direct descendants of Robert Smalls living today. All of these descendants are the grandchildren of Robert’s older daughter, Elizabeth Smalls Bampfield and his younger son, William Robert Smalls. Smalls’ younger daughter, Sarah Smalls Williams, had no children and his older son, Robert Smalls, Jr. died in infancy. None of the living descendants carries the Smalls name.
How Robert S. died and When
Robert died February 23 1915. He died because of unspecified in Beaufort SC.He was buried at Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Rober'ts house
Robert's house was white and had two story's. It had lots of trees ans bushes in front of it.It also had a balcony up stares.
Robert's middle school
He even had a middle school named after him an there was a football team and basket ball team.