John Robertson, Sr

GEDCOM Note

Biography ==Robertson or Robinson? Still researching this confusing name issue. Would appreciate any information.

Sources

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• FamilySearch.org Wills-Franklin Co, Va bk 1 p 128. The family also used Robertson in some records. Research notes of Virginia Rolle, Novato, Ca.(1985-89) Franklin Co. Court Orders bk 10, pp 523-4 He settled in the Toe Valley inWestern North Carolina after 1790. It is not known wheter he md a 2ndtime.

1751 John & Mary Robertson in Augusta (later Botetourt) Co., VA In the Men in Botetourt Co. 1770-1779 many of the names for the Robertson/Robinson clans are residing in Botetourt Co. Whether they are direct ancestors of John Robertson (1809-1880) and/orhis father John Robertson (1784-1842) is uncertain. The history of this family is complicated by the fact that the last name in records is spelled MANY different ways: Robertson, Robinson, Roberson, Robison, Robason, etc., but primarily the first two are found.Without a solid source, like a family bible or a will identifying individual heirs, it is, at best, a guessing game.It has been suggested that the Robertson/Hess couple in Botetourt/Montgomery Co. are related to similarly named folks in Amelia Co, about 130 miles east, but this "connection" currently lacks adequate sources. There are similar first and last names but no source or evidence (Will, family bible) that a specific John Robertson (or Robinson) migrated west to Botetourt Co. and later died outside of Amelia Co.. A wife of a John Robertson was Elizabeth Kern; they were married in Frederick Co., VA about 1775-76.Winchester Town is the seat of Frederick Co., VA; Winchester is located along the old Great Road that ran from Philadelphia, inland down through the Shenandoah Valley to Ft. Chissel in SW Virginia.Botetourt Co is along this route. Amelia Co. is 130 miles to the east,a rather long overland distance in the 18th century without river transit. Mary MAY be the wife of John Robertson (c.1760-1820). IF true then this suggests a migration from Frederick Co. to southern Virginia after 1775, but Botetourt Co. land and tax records suggest at least one John Robertson and other Robinson persons were already in Botetourt by the mid-18th century.There are Rev. War Pension records attached to John Robertson that discuss these two persons.

Amelia Co. is about 20 miles WSW of Richmond, VA.It is assumed that a related group of Robertson families arrived in Phil. during the early 18th century and migrated down The Great Road into Frederick Co. From here they moved together further south into Virginia looking for good affordable farmland. It is possible that one group went east to Amelia Co. while another group stayed in Augusta Co., a predecessor to Botetourt Co.When Augusta Co. was created in 1746, it defined the western part of Virginia all the way to the Mississippi River; it was gigantic in land area.Botetourt Co. was established in 1770 from the southern part of Augusta Co.; both counties were huge in land area.The Amelia Co. Robertson may have migrated from eastern Virginia and not arriving via The Great Road.It is even possible that Robertson ancestors migrated north from NorthCarolina. This document assumes that these connected Robertson families arrived in Philly.The marriage in Frederick Co. c.1775 suggests that at least those folks arrived in Philly (if indeed this John Robinson is a John Robertson). The entries for John Robertson (1760-1820) assume a north-to-south migration as opposed to an east-to-west or south-to-north migration.While many different VA sources exist they cannot be attached to a specific person since there were MANY John Robertson/Robinson families around. Family bible records or a detailed family will could help tremendouslyto resolve ambiguities. Other comments, insights and especially sources are most welcomed.

GEDCOM Note

Biography

John was born about 1749. He passed away about 1835.

Sources

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• My Heritage.com

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• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Sep 9 2016, 4:00:20 UTC