The Robertsons of Parker County first appeared on the scene with mother Elizabeth Ann (Harrison) Robertson patenting land in Rock Springs near Peaster in the northwest part of the county in 1857. She is buried in that cemetery near a son, James Monroe Robertson, Jr. Another son, Albert M. Robertson, is buried in the Willow Springs Cemetery near Interstate 20 and in Willow Park, Tx. Whether or not James M. Sr. made it to Parker County is debatable since the patent is in her name, but he might be buried in the Rock Springs Cemetery as well and might have died before the patent was granted. The entire family had made its way to Parker County from Daviess County, Indiana where James M. and Elizabeth Ann were married on 31 Dec. 1835. When they left Indiana, they settled for ten or so years in Missouri before moving south to Hopkins County, Texas.

Moving on to Parker County a few years later, the Robertsons brought with them six of their seven children – Albert M., Asher E., Missouri Angeline, James M. Jr., John Harrison, and Eleanor E.A. Their last child, Joseph W., was probably born in Parker County. He later married Ruth Stratton and they moved to Paducah, Texas where they raised their family.

The oldest, Albert M. married Mary Jane Fox, but in July of 1864 he died of an illness while serving in the War Between the States. He is buried in Willow Springs Cemetery. He and his wife had one daughter, Missouri Ann. His wife then remarried to James R. Pritchard and they are both buried in Willow Springs Cemetery as well. Asher E. married Martha A. Gilliland and he died in Parker County in 1903. Missouri Angeline married Wallace Thompson King, and Eleanor also married into the Gilliland family. She married J. C. Gilliland.

John Harrison Robertson was born in Johnson County Missouri in 1847 and was little more than a toddler when the family came to Texas. He married Mary I. Blocker in 1870 and they patented land north and east of the current Lake Weatherford. His land extended to the Clear Fork River and much of it is now under the lake. White Settlement Road passes through part of his land grant. They had seven children and an infant who died. Mary I. Blocker Robertson died in 1885, probably in childbirth for she is buried with her infant in the Turner Cemetery north of Lake Weatherford. Following her death, John Robertson married Martha Billingsley and they moved to Crystal Falls in Stephens County where he raised another set of children by his second wife.

Robertson roots permeate the county. There was, at one time, a Robertson schoolhouse and J. Robertson was a preacher of the “United Missionary Baptist Church of Christ” founded at Anderson Green’s house. Asher Robertson was a member of the Pioneer Association of Parker County and reported that he had come to Texas in 1852 and to Parker County by October 15, 1855. He was also a trustee of the Clear Fork School in 1877 where there were 34 scholars. His property was adjacent to that of his brother John.

There are still descendants of the Robertson family in the area and tracks of their ancestors can be found throughout Parker County – many in East Parker County as well.

James M. Robertson – b. 1817 VA, m. 31 Dec. 1835 Daviess Co, IN, d. ca. 1855 Parker County, TX? – buried Rock Springs Cemetery? – married to:
Elizabeth Ann Harrison – b. 27 Jan. 1819 IN, d. 16 Mar. 1880 in Parker County, TX and buried in Rock Springs Cemetery.

Albert M. Robertson – b. 29 Oct. 1836 IN, d. 27 Jul 1864 and buried in Willow Springs Cemetery in Parker County, TX. He married Mary Jane Fox ca. 1860-63 and following his death she married second to James R. Pritchard. Mary Jane had one daughter with Albert M. Robertson -- Missouri Ann Robertson – b. 13 May 1863 Parker Co, TX and d. 17 Feb. 1943 Parker Co, TX.; buried in Dicey Cemetery in Parker County.

Asher E. Robertson – b. 4 July 1839 MO, d. 2 May 1903 in Parker County. He married Martha A. Gilliland and they had at least one daughter named Ann.

Missouri Angeline “Ann” Robertson – b. 1842 MO, died about 1877 in Parker County.
She married Wallace Thompson King around 1860 in Parker County. They had at least 3 children – Anna Bell, Mary Ann, and William M.

James Monroe Robertson Jr. – b. 26 Feb 1845 MO and died 15 Jun 1876. It is unknown if he ever married. He is buried in the Rock Springs Cemetery near his mother and sister.

John Harrison Robertson – b. 9 Oct 1847 MO, married Mary Independence Blocker on 6 Oct 1870. She was born 8 Oct 1852 in Hopkins County, TX and died 26 April 1885. She is buried near her infant in Turner Cemetery in Parker County. John Robertson was married second on 17 Nov 1886 to Martha Billingsley. He d. 5 Feb 1932 in Stephens County and is buried there in Crystal Falls Cemetery.

Eleanor “Ellen” Robertson – b. 1850 MO married J. C. Gilliland.

Joseph W. Robertson – b. 29 Jan 1855 TX, married about 1877 in Parker County to Ruth F. Stratton. They had 9 children, the oldest of whom was Mary J. Robertson and she is buried in Rock Springs Cemetery by her grandmother and uncle. The other children included James A., John F., George L., Martin B., Ida B., Mily C., Joseph, and Arthur L.
The family moved to Cottle County and Joseph W. died on 17 Dec. 1907 and is buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in or near Paducah.

Some Robertson marriage records from my research in Parker County, TX:

C. A. Robertson to Mattie Plumlee – 16 Dec. 1888
J. Robertson to Melania Blackburn – 28 July 1879
J. H. Robertson to Martha E. Billingsley – 17 Nov. 1886
J. C. Robertson to Pearl Blair – 15 Dec. 1892
J. C. Plumlee to Annie Robertson – 2 Dec. 1888
Louis McKissick to Ella Robertson – 21 Mar. 1893
J. D. Fulfer to Ellen Robertson – 30 April 1886
W. E. Glenn to Josie Robertson – 3 Feb. 1898
J. C. Cockburn to L. A. Robertson – 18 Dec. 1892
M. W. Evans to Lela Robertson – 25 July 1900
J. W. Williams to Lula Robertson – 16 Sep. 1894
R. K. Haygood to M. A. Robertson – 14 Nov. 1885
Robert Lee Pool to Mattie J. Robertson – 28 July 1889
J. S. Thomas to M. L. T. Robertson – 16 Mar. 1893
W. R. Park to Myrtle Robertson – 24 Nov. 1898
S. W. Miller to V. E. Robertson – 29 Sep. 1887

[© Kay W. Davis 2007]