Born in Boston on May 12, 1809, a descendant of John Winthrop (1588-1649), Robert Winthrop attended Harvard. He was admitted to the bar in 1831, was in the state legislature from 1834-40, and then in Congress; from 1847 to 1849, he was its speaker. In addition, between 1850 and 1851
he was senator from Massachusetts. His publications include: Addresses and Speeches and Washington, Bowdoin, and Franklin (1876). Winthrop died in Boston on November 16, 1894.