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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Drew County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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William M. Robertson, merchant, Monticello, Ark. Among the list of industries prominent in our city and country, that of general merchandising takes a high position, and in this line we have many well-known citizens engaged. A representative establishment of this kind, and one that will compare favorably with that of any contemporaneous establishment, is that of Mr. Robertson. He was born in Fayette County, Tenn., on April 19, 1844, and is the son of Joseph C. and Fannie (Rawlins) Robertson, natives respectively of South Carolina and Kentucky. The father was a successful agriculturist, and in his political views a stanch Democrat. He died in 1888, but the mother is still living. They were early settlers of Tennessee. William M. Robertson remained on his father’s farm until the breaking out of the war, and in 1861 enlisted in the Thirty-eighth Tennessee, Company L, when but a boy. He was captured while on a furlough in Fayette County, Tenn., and was kept a prisoner for fifteen months in Irvin Lock, at Memphis, Alton and Camp Douglas, Chicago. While in prison he experienced many hardships and had rations once a day. After cessation of hostilities he was released and returned home, where he remained until 1872, when he came to Monticello. Here he embarked in mercantile pursuits under the firm name of Robertson & Lambert, and thus continued until 1884, when he bought out his partner and has since continued the business alone. He carries a large stock of general merchandise, and is doing an extensive business. He was married on December 20, 1877, to Miss Emma Mayo, a native of Fayette County, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Aside from his mercantile pursuits Mr. Robertson is quite extensively engaged in the real estate business. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.

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This family biography is one of 83 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Drew County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Drew County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

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