My Genealogy Hound

John J. Robertson, one of the prominent residents of Yell County, was born in York County, S. C., September 20, 1835, and is the son of James and Nancy Robertson, also natives of South Carolina. His father followed farming up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1849 at the age of fifty years, his mother passing from life in 1853. The early part of John J. Robertson’s life was spent in Alabama, but in 1859 he went to Florida, and in 1862 when the call for troops came he enlisted in Company D, under Capt. J. L. Hayes and Col. J. J. Finley, serving in the Sixth Florida Regiment, and taking part in the battles of Chickamauga, three days in Bragg’s Army, and was one of the number who opposed Gen. Sherman on his famous march to the sea, and also served under Johnston, Beauregard and Hood. He was wounded at Calhoun, Ga., May 16, 1864, being shot in the right arm, losing that member at Montgomery, Ala., three days later. He was placed in the convalescing company, and upon his recovery he returned to his home place and went to farming. Remaining in Calhoun County, Ala., until the fall of 1871, he moved with his family to Yell County, locating in Riley Township, where he continued farming, and he now owns 320 acres of land, 100 acres pine land, 200 acres bottom and 20 acres upland, upon which he raises corn, grasses and cotton. In 1876 he was elected county treasurer. He was again elected in 1886, and has been re-elected at each election since. He was married in 1856, in Alabama, to Sarah J. Sharp, by whom he has two children living: Sarah E. (wife of James Slay) and John S. His first wife died in 1874, and in 1876 he married Miss Susan Gatling, daughter of Phillip Gatling, a native of Arkansas. They have had six children, four of whom are living: Jay, Essa, Thomas O. and Julia, and those deceased were Minnie and an infant unnamed. The family are members of the Missionary Baptist Church, and in his political views Mr. Robertson is a Democrat. He takes an active part in all enterprises of a public nature promising to benefit his town or county.