Robert Worth Bingham is Born

Today in Masonic history Robert Worth Bingham is born in 1871.

Robert Worth Bingham was an American newspaper publisher, judge and politician.

Bingham was moved to Louisville in the 1890's after attending the University of North Carolina, his home state, and the University of Virgina. In Louisville he would attend and graduate from the University of Louisville with a law degree.

In 1907 Bingham would be appointed Mayor of Louisville after the 1905 elections were declared invalid due to corruption. He would serve 6 months as Mayor and in that time gained a reputation as a corruption-buster. This did not sit well with the political establishment of Louisville, more especially with his own Democrat party. He was convinced not to run in the general election for Mayor.

Bingham would run unsuccessfully for the Kentucky Court of Appeals and Fiscal Court in 1910 and 1917 respectively. In 1911 he would be appointed to the Jefferson Circuit court in 1911 and would be referred to as Judge Bingham for the rest of his life.

In 1913 Bingham's first wife would pass away. He would marry his second wife, Lily Flagler, in 1916. At the time Flagler was considered the richest woman in America. She would die within a year of the marriage. This has caused rumors to fly regarding Bingham's role, if any, in his Flagler's death.

Regardless Bingham would use his inheritance to purchase two newspapers. The papers would become critical in establishing Bingham on the national stage.

In 1933 Bingham would be appointed as Ambassador to Great Britain in 1933. Bingham would use the post to push for stronger ties between the United States and Great Britain. He would also vocally oppose fascism and the Nazism while Roosevelt could not due to political pressures at home. He would be succeeded in the position by Joeseph P. Kennedy, Sr.

Bingham was a member and past master of Falls City Lodge No. 376 in Louisville, Kentucky. At a meeting of the Grand Lodge of England he was made an honorary past Grand Senior Warden of the Grand Lodge of England.

This article provided by Brother Eric C. Steele.