John Elijah Robertson (1850 - 1923)

Born Feb 1850 in Mississippi, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Martha Jane (Ellis) Robertson — married 7 Apr 1876 in Delta, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 30 Dec 1923 at age 73 in Austin, Travis, Texas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Claudia Whelchel [send private message]

Biography

John, son of Gustavus Boone Robertson and Isabella Rankin Gentry, was born in February 1850 in Mississippi,^[1][2] possibly in Winston County, where the family lived in 1850.^[3] Residing together on the farm were his parents Gustavius (age 22, farmer) and Isabella Robinson [sic'] (18), Elijah (five months), his brother William (3) and a William Robinson (50, farmer) (possibly Gustavus's father).^[3]

In 1860, Gustavus B. (age 32, mill engineer), Isabella (28), William (12), Elijah (10), Alexander Bird (8), Martha Miranda (6), Nancy Arminta (4), George Galloway (1), and Wm M. Robertson (66, hatter) resided in Attala County, Mississippi.^[4]

Before 1867, when his sister Lillie was born in Texas, the family relocated to the Lone Star State.^[5] In 1870, the household in Lamar County, Texas, encompassed his parents Gustavus (age 45, farmer) and Isabella (38), John Elijah (20), and his siblings William W. (22, farmhand), Bird Alexander (18), Martha Miranda (16), Nancy Arminta (14), George Galloway (12), Mary Isabella (8), Laura Della B. (9), Fay B. "Fannie" (5) and Lillie "Dink" Robertson (3), as well as a farmhand named Thomas Adar (21).^[5] The record indicates that the farm owned by his father was valued at $3,000^[5] (about $1.4 million in 2021).^[6]

On 4 April 1876 in Delta County, Texas, he married Martha Jane Ellis^[7][2] with whom he had at least two children:^[8]

• Marshall Boon Robertson (b. 5 March 1877;^[9] m. Maud ___;^[9] d. 16 February 1958).^[10]

• Gertrude Robertson (b. August 1879;^[8] death unknown).

After their wedding the couple settled in Delta County, Texas, where the household in 1880 consisted of John E. (age 30, farmer) and Martha J. Robertson (22) and their children Marshal (3) and Gertrude (nine months),^[8]

By 1900, John had been committed to the State Lunatic Asylum in Austin, Travis, Texas, where he remained the rest of his life.^[2][11][12]

John died 30 December 1923 in Austin, Travis County, Texas, from general debility and chronic mania at age 74, although he was a resident in Delta County.^[1] He was buried 1 January 1924 at the Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Austin.^[1][13]

Research Notes

• Possible Conflation: Because later records use only initials, it is entirely possible that there are multiple individuals born in Mississippi about the same time, who moved to Texas, with the name J. E. Robertson. Few records were found for his wife or children. If he had been committed to an insane asylum, it is likely that his family would distance themselves from the stigma during this period.

^{[3] [4] [5] [1] [7]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Texas Deaths, 1890-1976, database with images, FamilySearch (13 March 2018), J E Robertson, 30 Dec 1923; citing certificate number 36853, State Registrar Office, Austin; FHL microfilm 2,074,924.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} United States Census, 1900, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 15 February 2021), John E Robertson, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 141, sheet 2B, family , NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,673.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} United States Census, 1850, database with images, FamilySearch (22 December 2020), Elijah Robinson in household of Gustavius Robinson, Winston, Winston, Mississippi, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} United States Census, 1860, database with images, FamilySearch (11 November 2020), Gustavus B Robertson, 1860.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} United States Census, 1870, database with images, FamilySearch (2 January 2021), John E Robertson in entry for Gustin B Robertson, 1870.
6. ↑ “$3,000 in 1870 → 2021 | Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data for Housing, Alioth Finance, 13 Feb. 2021.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Texas Marriages, 1837-1973, database, FamilySearch (22 January 2020), J. E. Robertson, 1876.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} United States Census, 1880, database with images, FamilySearch (14 November 2020), John E. Robertson, Delta, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district ED 20, sheet 502C, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,300.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, database with images, FamilySearch (20 January 2021), Marshall Boon Robertson, 1917-1918. His middle name "Boon" appears to be a family name, which adds weight to this "Marshall" being the child listed on the 1880 census. That he is in Oklahoma makes it less likely.
10. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 14 February 2021), memorial page for Marshall B. Robertson (5 Mar 1878–16 Feb 1958), Find A Grave: Memorial #34204274, citing Savanna Cemetery, Savanna, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, USA; Maintained by MillieBelle (contributor 46628380).
11. ↑ United States Census, 1910, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 15 February 2021), J E Robertson, Austin, Travis, Texas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 136, sheet 3A, family , NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1595; FHL microfilm 1,375,608.
12. ↑ United States Census, 1920, database with images, FamilySearch (3 February 2021), J E Robertson, 1920.
13. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 14 February 2021), memorial page for John Elijah Robertson (1850–30 Dec 1923), Find A Grave: Memorial #84436201, citing Oakwood Cemetery Annex, Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA; Maintained by Robert Sage (contributor 47414838).

• Ancestry.com
• Acknowledgements: Robertson-6792 was created by Claudia Whelchel through the import of Roots for My Kids.ged on May 20, 2015.