Crawfordsville Daily Journal 15 May 1880 (Saturday) - Sketched previous to the Republican Congressional Convention - Rockville Tribune -- To the Congressional Convention which meets at Terre Haute, June 23 next, Montgomery County will present as its candidate the Hon. R.B. F. Pierce of Crawfordsville. The following is a brief sketch of Mr. Pierce's life. Robert B. F. Pierce was born Feb 17, 1843 at Laurel, Franklin Co IN and is now 37 years old. His father, Henry Pierce, came from Puritan stock and was born and brought up in Massachusettes. He came to Indiana at an early day settling first at Fairfield and afterward moving to Laurel. The family was large consisting of 7 boys and two girls, and the father in failing health when Robert arrived at the age of 17, was too poor to assist him into business or in getting him an education. But he had made up his mind to have a full collegiate education and in Sept 1860 entered the preparatory department of Wabash College. Being without funds he supported himself by working during his spare time - sawing wood as he could obtain and for the first two years of his college course he sawed at the wood used by one of the hotels in Crawfordsville. Thew ar broke out soon after he entered college; and as the different calls wer emade for soldiers, one after another of his brothers entered the service until he he fourth, and only remaining one old enough to enlist, volunteered and was chosend 2nd Lt. of his company. He remained in the army until the close of the Atlanta campaign, when his regiment was mustered out of the service. He then returned to college and rewened his studies. In 1866 the goal he had so longed and struggeled for was reached and he graduated with the full honors of the regular classical force. His college life was laborous and difficult and only those who have tried the task of obtaining a six years' education and earning a support at the same time can fully appreciate the struggle. but in this preparatory struggle he was getting a double education - an education drawn from the books and a practical education in the great struggle of life. The man who enters college with an empty pocket and has grit enough to work his way through to the end without being turned aside from his purpose, will not fail in the struggle that follows. In July 1877, he went to Shelbyville in this state to read law in the office of the Hon. B.F. Love and although a comparative stranger was at once elected to fill a vacancy in the office of the city attorney by the unanimous vote for the City Council. He remaine there for one year and in 1867 returned to Crawfordsville ancd opened an office, and soon ranked high at a bar that has awlays been noted for its strength. In the following year he was nominated and elected by the Republicans as Prosecuting Attorney for the counties of Clinton, Boone, Fountain, Warren and Montgomery and being twice elected held the place for six years. He devoted himself assiduously to the discharge of his official duties and while so engaged was brought in contact with some of the ablsest lawyers in the state. He sustained himself well and soon became known for his energy, zeal and success in the prosecution of criminatls; and his official career is vet pointed to as a model one for prosecutors. He never turned any of his cases over to other management, but without exception gave them his personal attention. In May 1875, he was appointed General Solicitor of the LC & SW RR and elected one of its directors. he continued to hold these positions until the sale of the road a few months ago. he also gave his attention to the practice of the law in his and neighboring counties and in the Federal courts of Indianapolis and Chicago. He has deservedly taken a high place in his profession and it is no disparagement to the other members of the Crawfordsville Bar to say that he has no superior there.