James Robertson
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James Robertson (1742 - 1814)

General James Robertson
Born in Brunswick County, Virginiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 17 Jan 1768 in Wake County, North Carolinamap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 72 in Tennessee, USAmap
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Contents

Biography

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James Robertson is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-280177
Rank: Brigadier General
Daughters of the American Revolution
James Robertson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A097204.

Early Life

James Robertson was born June 28, 1742, in Brunswick, Virginia, the son of John and Mary Robertson. [1] [2]

James married Charlotte Reeves on January 21, 1768 in North Carolina.[1]

In about 1769, James, after becoming frustrated with the ways of the North Carolina Government, accompanied pioneer Daniel Boone on his exploration of present-day eastern Tennessee. Robertson himself planted corn in present-day Elizabethton, Tennessee, along the Watauga River[3], where he built a cabin and established his claim on the land before returning to North Carolina to retrieve and relocate his family. [2] Many of his friends and neighbors decided to join the Robertson family and they relocated as well. The settlers at Watauga thought they were settling in Virginia, but a survey showed the settlement to be in North Carolina. [4] In May of 1772, James was elected magistrate of the newly founded Watauga Settlement. [2]

In 1776, the Cherokee Indians attacked and then laid siege to Fort Caswell in Watauga. Robertson was one of the officers in charge. Afterward he was appointed Indian agent, aiding the Revolution by keeping the Indians peaceful and preventing them from joining the British efforts.[5]

Founder of Nashville

In 1777, present-day Middle Tennessee was purchased by the Transylvania Land Company, from the Cherokee tribe. James, Donalson, and others set out to explore the land and opportunities for settlement. They arrived in present-day Nashville on Christmas Day of 1779, where they found Jacqués Timothé (Boucher) Demonbreun, a French fur-trader, living in a cave on the Cumberland River. [2] They named the new post Fort Nashborough.[3]

Children

  • Delilah Bosley, Birthdate: November 30, 1773 Birthplace: North Carolina, USA Death: Died 1854 in Cannen, Tennessee, USA
  • Dr. Felix R. Robertson. Birthdate: January 11, 1781 Birthplace: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, USA Death: Died July 10, 1865 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
  • Henderson Robertson, Birthdate: circa February 11, 1775 Birthplace: Davidson, Tennessee, USA Death: Died March 12, 1787 in Bellfield Nash, Tennessee, USA Cause of death: Killed by Indians
  • Peyton Henderson Robertson, Birthdate: December 8, 1787 Birthplace: Davidson County, Tennessee Death: Died September 17, 1840 in Bellfield, Nash County, Tennessee
  • Lavinia Beck / Craighead, Birthdate: February 23, 1790 Birthplace: Davidson, Rutherford, Tennessee, USA Death: Died December 31, 1866 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
  • Charlotte Washington Napier, Birthdate: March 11, 1783 Birthplace: Davidson, Tennessee, USA Death: Died February 8, 1861 in Hickman, Tennessee, USA
  • William Blount Robertson, Birthdate: January 15, 1785 Birthplace: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, USA Death: Died October 23, 1837 in Rutherford, Tennessee, USA
  • Jonathan Friar Robertson, Birthdate: June 13, 1769 Birthplace: Wake, North Carolina, USA Death: Died October 14, 1814 in Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, USA
  • John McNairy Robertson, Birthdate: April 26, 1792 Birthplace: Davidson, Rutherford, Tennessee, USA Death: Died 1870 in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
  • James RANDOLPH Robertson, Jr., Birthdate: December 11, 1771 Death: Died December 1, 1793
  • Charlotte Robertson, Birthdate: 1778 Death: Died 1779

James Robertson passed away on September 1, 1814, and was buried in the Nashville City Cemetery, in Nashville, Tennessee. [6] [1]

Robertson County, Tennessee is named in his honor.

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Ancestry Images of Applications.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, Online
  3. 3.0 3.1 James Robertson, Wikipedia
  4. TN Gen. Web, James Robertson
  5. Goodspeed's General History of Tennessee p.713 1973 reprint of History of Tennessee (Goodspeed, 1887)
  6. Find A Grave Memorial# 8010613
  • Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed July 5, 2016), "Record of James Robertson", Ancestor # A097204.

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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with James by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with James:

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Comments: 1

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James Robertson was appointed Indian Affairs Commissioner and passed away at Chickasaw Bluffs, Chickasaw Capitol, while in that position during a meeting with one of the Chickasaw Chief's, I think it was Piomingo, in 1814. Chickasaw Bluffs is known today as Memphis, TN. From what I remember reading years ago on this particular subject, Sam Houston was with James Robertson at the time of his death. Robertson was laid to rest near there and his body was buried there for 5 years until it was eventually exhumed and taken to Nashville City Cemetery for burial. Judge John Haywood did his Masonic Rites athe City Cemetery.
posted by Joshua Robertson