Robert B. Gilliam

Robert Gilliam
Member-elect of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from North Carolina's 4th district
Died before assuming office
Preceded byJohn T. Deweese
Succeeded byJohn Manning Jr.
Personal details
Born
Robert Ballard Gilliam

(1805-11-20)November 20, 1805
Granville County, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedOctober 17, 1870(1870-10-17) (aged 64)
Oxford, North Carolina, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations
Conservative
EducationUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA)

Robert Ballard Gilliam (1805–1870) was a North Carolina politician and judge. He was born, lived and died in Granville County. He was the son of Leslie Gilliam, the long-time sheriff of Granville.

R.B. Gilliam graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1823, in the same class with future state Treasurer Daniel W. Courts, future Chief Justice Richmond M. Pearson, and others. He then began practicing law. Gilliam was also a member of the 1835 convention that thoroughly revised the Constitution of North Carolina.

Gilliam was elected to represent Granville County in the North Carolina General Assembly House of Commons in 1836, 1838, 1840, 1846, 1848 and 1862. For much of his time in the House, he served as speaker of the house. In 1863, he was elevated to the state superior court bench.[1][2]

In 1870, Gilliam was elected as a Conservative to the United States House of Representatives in a special election (following the resignation of John T. Deweese), but before he could take his seat, he died.

John H. Wheeler wrote of Gilliam, "As a statesman, he was a pure and patriotic; as a lawyer, he was learned and able, and his ability was only equalled by the kindly qualities of his heart. Such were the conspicuous traits of his character, which endeared him to all who knew him."

  1. ^ Lewis, J.D. "North Carolina State House of Commons 1862-1863". The American Revolution in North Carolina. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Cheney, John L. Jr. (1974). North Carolina Government, 1585–1974. pp. 447–448.