Born: 1820 Location: near Russellville, Hamblen County, Tennessee
Died: 1910 Location: Brushey Community, Carrier Mills, Saline County, Illinois
John W. Robertson served in Captain Sparksman’s Company of Artillery (Maury Artillery} of the CSA as a Corporal. The unit was captured at the battle of Fort Donelson Tennessee (South west of Hopkinsville, Kentucky) on February 16, 1862 by General Grants forces of which the 31st Illinois Infantry (his daughter-in-laws father was a member)was one of his units. He was put in prisoner camps in Camp Butler, Springfield, Illinois and later to Camp Buckner, Chicago, Illinois and eventually exchanged at Vicksburg, Miss. to the Confederate General Longstreet in September 1862. (He named my Grandpa T. L. Robeson after the General Longstreet and one of his daughters "Tennessee",We called her Aunt Tennie, after the state of the Confederation where he came from.They were reorganised in camp at Jackson, Mississippi by Captain Sparkman, and served until the Surrender on June 30, 1863. Records show that he later drew a pension for his service.During his service he was listed with the last name of Robertson, Robinson and Robeson. I suspect it was due to mispelling by the person making the reports, however, the name of Robertson, Robinson and Robeson has been used by his descendents.
He divorced wife (1) cir. 1856 and married wife (2) cir. 1857. John W. Robeson died in 1910. He was residing with his son Charles Russell Robeson. In 1913 his wife Milia went to reside with her daughter Laura Garnet Elder. He is buried in Bankston Fork Cemetary, Carrier Mills, (near Harrisburg) Saline County, Illinois. Milia M. Sexton Robeson died on October 11, 1928 buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Read Letter from John W. Robeson.
Tale #1- Sometime cir. 1860 John W. Robertson had an altercation with a settler on land next to him in Tennessee over the property line, and beat the man in a fight The next day the mans wife attacked him, so he whipped her with a root. The following day a friend informed him that the Sheriff was going to arrest him. (It is unknown what happened with this case). (Told by his son Charles Russell Robeson}.
Tale #2- John W. Robertson shot a man in the mouth, the bullet exiting the back of his neck. John W. Robertson outran the sheriff on their horses and made it through Kentucky, crossing the Ohio River at the point later called Fords Ferry. He settled in Saline County, Illinois. It is unknown how his separation from Nancy Miranda occurred, but she returned to Tennessee. John apparently met and married Milia M. Sexton in Illinois. He was informed by relatives in Tennessee that the man he shot had not died and charges against him in Tennessee had been dropped. He then went to Kentucky at Fords Ferry and obtained 1600 to 1800 acres of land reaching from near Fords Ferry almost to Marion Kentucky on the prominent point of Pickering Hill. (Told by his son Edwin Sexton Robeson).
TALE #3- During the late 1800”s people were migrating through Crittenden County, Kentucky going to occupy lands in Illinois, Indiana and points west through St. Louis, Mo. As they passed through the county of Crittenden, Kentucky some light fingered folks would steal animals and move on. The county hired John W. Robeson and deputized him as a bounty hunter, gave him two assistant deputies, with instructions to go after these animals and bring them, along with the thief, back to the county for trial. He operated as far west as Kansas in this profession. As a result of this profession the became known as “Horse Thief” Robeson by the local people. {Told by his sons Charles Russell Robeson and Thomas Alexander Longstreet Robeson}.
