Robertson Family Information

The Robertson family is one of the oldest and most distinguished
families of Scotland, claiming the distinction of being the oldest
Scottish family of royal descent, being the descendants of Malcolm,
the children of Duncan. Thus the clan's official name is Clan
Donnachaidh, meaning literally the children of Duncan. For a short
but good history of the family I have provided a link to the Official
Clan Donnachaidh Website (just follow their history link). Many
notables in American history have links to the family including
Virginia's Patrick Henry. Our Robertson family, through Hugh's
marriage to Susannah Ligon, can trace it's roots to Charlemagne
and beyond. See the pedigree charts located on the main page and
follow the Ligon line. Individual entries are reached from the
pedigree by clicking on the person's name in the chart. Although we
have yet to show Hugh's ancestry to Duncan -- we can show his
and Susannah's children's lineage back to Duncan!

Our first known and assumed immigrant ancestor is Hugh
Robertson who according to his personal testimony and Bible
pages presented in Buckingham County, Virginia Superior Court in
connection with his Revolutionary War Pension Application was
born on 9 October 1750. We have not identified his ancestry or
place of birth yet. Family tradition believes Hugh to have been born
in Scotland, and stories seem to suggest that his father was Cole
Robertson. Hugh named his first born son Cole and indeed there
was a Cole Robertson who served in the Revolution from Virginia.
Unfortunately we have not been able as yet to find much
information on Cole or any document directly naming Hugh's
parentage. It seems that there is a connection between Hugh and
other Robertsons in the Cumberland and Buckingham area before
him. There is a John Robertson in Cumberland who would be of an
age to be a brother to Cole and it is possible that Nicholas
Robertson of Buckingham was a cousin. These connections at this
point are only speculation or educated guesses as we have no
records to establish this as yet.

Hugh married twice. First to a lady named Jemima (Hugh did not
give her last name in his Bible pages or in testimony in court.)
Jemima and Hugh were married on 17 Aug 1777 according to an
entry in Hugh's Bible (pages located at the Library of Virginia.)
They had three children: Cole born 29 Dec. 1780; Elizabeth C.
born 16 January 1783; and Camel born 25 May 1784 (all born in
Cumberland County, Virginia.) Second Hugh married Susannah
Ligon daughter of William Ligon and Elizabeth (Edy) East. The
marriage license was obtained 1 January 1787 in Cumberland Co.,
VA and the marriage was performed 4 Jan 1787 in Powhatan Co.,
VA by Parson Sanderson. Source of information: Rev. War
Pension application Roll 2061 LVA testimony given by Susan
Robertson and John Ligon her brother in Buckingham Superior
Court on 11 Feb 1839 and 12 Mar 1839 respectively and bible
pages in hand of Hugh Robertson stating "We was married the 4th
of January 1787."

Hugh and Susannah moved the family to Buckingham County,
Virginia about 1800. They had eleven children: Edy (Ede) born 8
Oct 1787; William born 18 Mar 1789; Anna born 5 Jan 1791;
Atwood born 21 Jul 1793; Richard born 4 Oct 1795; Nancy born
1796; Sally born 24 September 1797; John born 8 Mar 1800 (first
child born in Buckingham County); Thomas born 13 Nov 1802 (my
2nd great-grandfather); Hugh born 16 Jun 1806; and last Susannah
born 24 Jan 1809. I have information on some of the descendants
of their children, but would love to hear from anyone who can add
to my information.

Hugh was a tailor by trade. He "enlisted for the term of one year in
the year 1775-1776 as a soldier in the revolutionary war in Capt.
Joseph Carrington's Co. of Infantry for one year in the stated
service after that term expired he enlisted with Capt. Charles
Harrison's Artillery, after that term ended he immediately enlisted at
Camps landing near Norfolk in Virginia in Capt. Pearce's unit of
artillery for three years which was attached to Colo. Charles
Harrison's regiment of artillery in the line of the state of Virginia on
continental soldier's enlistment " from the deposition given by Hugh
Robertson 19 Sept 1820 in Buckingham Co., Superior Court in
regards to his Revolutionary War Pension Application. Rev. War
Pen. & Bounty Land Warrant Application. Files 1800-1820 Roll
2061 LVA

My line is the line of Thomas Robertson. Thomas married three
times. First to Elizabeth Connor who was the aunt of Capt. William
Jackson Connor. Second to Martha Ann Spencer (my line) and last
to Mary Harvery. Mary is the only one whose grave we have been
able to identify. She is buried at the old house formerly owned by
my great-grandfather, Thomas J S Robertson in Buckingham
County, Virginia. Her grave marker only reads "Grandmother Mary
Robertson." I descend from Thomas through his son Thomas
Jonathan Spencer Robertson, whose daughter, Minnie, was my
grandmother. Thomas J S Robertson was, according to his
grandson Howard, the strongest man in Buckingham County. It has
been said that he could lift and carry a keg full of nails as if it were
nothing, and that whenever there was trouble the sheriff came for
Thomas to back him up. Apparently nobody wanted to have to
wrestle with Thomas! (Maybe that is were my son Daniel gets his
wrestling talent.)