Robert Carter Nicholas (1793 December 24, 1857) was a United States Senator from Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

. Born in Hanover, Virginia, he served in the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

 as a captain and major. He attended the College of William and Mary

College of William and Mary

The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...

 in Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg, Virginia

Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...

, and moved to Louisiana, where he became a sugar planter in Terrebonne Parish

Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

Terrebonne Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Houma. Its population was 111,860...

 in 1820.

Nicholas was elected as a Jacksonian (later, a Democrat to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator-elect Charles E.A. Gayarre and served from January 13, 1836, to March 3, 1841. He was Secretary of State of Louisiana

Secretary of State of Louisiana

The Secretary of State of Louisiana is one of the elected constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The position was created by Article 4, Section 7 of the Louisiana Constitution.The current Secretary of State is Tom Schedler....

 from 1843 to 1846, when he resigned; he died in Terrebonne Parish in 1857. Interment was in the Burthe vault, St. Louis Cemetery, New Orleans.

Nicholas was a nephew of John Nicholas, a U.S. Representative and Wilson Cary Nicholas

Wilson Cary Nicholas

Wilson Cary Nicholas was an American politician who served in the U.S. Senate from 1799 to 1804 and was the 19th Governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1816....

, a U.S. Senator and Representative, both of Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

.

Robert Nicholas was the son of George Nicholas

George Nicholas

George Nicholas was the first professor of law at Transylvania University in Kentucky. He was also briefly attorney general of Kentucky, and had been several times a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was the son of Robert C. Nicholas, Sr.; his brothers included Wilson Cary Nicholas...

(1754-1799) and grandson of Robert Carter Nicholas (1728-1780).