Biography

09/12/1826 - 04/15/1895

Major Robert Bruce (R. Bruce) Petrikin (D21) Blair, Centre, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry 1871-1872 (D22) Centre, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin Counties 1873-1874

Early Life: 

Major Robert Bruce (R. Bruce) Petrikin, born, September 12, 1826, Muncie, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania; son of William A. and Margaret Montgomery Petrikin; educated, Reverend Doctor Shedden Academy, McEwensville, Pennsylvania; Lafayette College, Easton, 1846; studied law under Andrew Porter Wilson, Huntingdon, 1847; Huntingdon bar, 1849; enlisted, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Major, Civil War, 1861: attorney; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1871-1873; married, Mary Pohl, children, Robert Bruce Petrikin, Donald Petrikin, Harry William Petrikin (his law partner), Margaret M. Petriken Rhoads, Mary E. Petriken, Malcolm Petrikin; died, April 15, 1895, throat cancer, Medico-Chirurgical College and Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Riverview Cemetery, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

Early Career:

Enlisted, Fifth Infantry, elected Major, April 20, 1861, for three-month service. The 5th was deployed to guard Washington, encamped at Alexandria, Virginia. He served until the outset of 1st Manassas; returned to Harrisburg; and mustered out with the regiment on July 25, 1861. 

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Member, Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply as the Loyal Legion.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Delegate, Democratic National Convention, 17th district Pennsylvania, 1864. 

Elected, Democrat Pennsylvania State Senate, 21st district, Blair, Centre, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin and Perry Counties, 1871-1872; committee assignments, Compare Bills, Estates and Escheats, Judiciary General, Military Affairs, Public Printing. 

Elected, Democrat Pennsylvania State Senate, 22nd district, Centre, Huntingdon, Juniata and Mifflin Counties, 1873-1874; committee assignments, Compare Bills, Estates and Escheats, Judiciary Local, Vice and Immorality.  

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members P". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1871). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 428, 430, 436-438.

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1873). Smull, J.A., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 515, 517, 522-524.

Litchfield Ledger - Student (litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org)

files.usgwarchives.net/pa/huntingdon/bios/runk/petrikin-harry-w.txt

Petrikin, Robert Bruce (pa-roots.org)

5th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment (civilwarintheeast.com)

Civil War Index - 5th Pennsylvania Infantry

The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Petertil to Pettiss

Hon. Robert Bruce Petrikin (1826-1895) - Find a Grave Memorial