Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-01-02
DEATH OF GEN. J. 9. N. ROBERTSON,

full Of years and crowned with many
honors, quietly breathed his last in
the neighboring town Of fernando,
Miss, at the close of the New Year S
day, 1880. No particular disease car
ried him off; the vital powers of life
were exhausted, the mind burned like
a pure fame to the bottom of the
socket, and life's candle went out.
Four months ago a steady decline was
observed in his strength and it became
evident to himself and his friends
that the end was near. He eset his
mind and his house in order, but ex.
pressed desire to live out the old
year. This wish was gratifed, for he
saw the dawn and the close of the
first day Of the new year. The death
Of such man deserves more than a
passing mention. He came Of
a good old revolutionary stock,
took an active part in public
affairs, and was useful and an hon
ored citizen. Gen. Robertson was
born in Washington, East Tennessee
(then North Carolina) on the Goth of
February, 1892, and was therefore
nearly SO years of age at the time Of
his death. His father, George Rob
ertson, was the youngest son of Col.
Chas. Robertson, of revolutionary
fame, who was a major in Col. John
Sevier'sregimentat the battle of King s
Mountain. Both the grandfathers
and four of the uncles of Gen.
Robertson we're engaged in that battle.
One of his uhcles, Captain Robert
Sewer, fell in that engagement, and
another uncle, Julius Robertson, was
wounded. General Robertson was
reared in East Tennessee, but in 1872
removed with his father to Overton
county, where he volunteered in the
service Of his country and became one
of the soldiers known as General
JacksOn's old Tennessee volunteers.
He was with General jackson
throughout the Creek war, and was
promoted to the rank of or
derly sergeant. After the close
of the war he was elected
Captain in the 35th Tennessee militia,
and subsequently filed the various
offices in the militia up to Brigadier
General. This was in period when
such offices were sought and filed by
men of the highest character and
qualifications. In the spring of 1923
he moved with his family to the Wes-
tern district, and in the fall of that
year he was elected the first sheriff si
Hardeman county. He served in that
position fifteen years. In 1884
he was elected a member Of
the constitutional convention which
formed the constitution of Tennessee.
In 1885 he was elected senator for the
counties of Hardeman, Fayette and
Shelby, and served in the arduous
sessions of the legislature Of 1856,
and also in the called session of 1886.
In 1913 Gen. Robertson removed to
Mississippi where he lived the rest Of
his life. He never aspired to political
position in that State. Yet in 1851 he
was elected to an important convention
which assembled to consider the
proposition to unite with South
Carolina and other States and
90 out of the Union. He was
on the Union side, and this prevailed
by an overwhelming majority. His
last political act was to take the stump
in opposition to the outrageous consti-
tuition proposed by carpet bag legis-
lature in 1868. He made number Of
speeches, and although the negroes in
his county we're in the ascendency, it
went against the sO- called constitution
by majority Of 1850 votes,
and the constitution was de-
feated in the State By a
majority of 5000 votes. General Rob
ertson's Masonic career dates back TO
1925, when he was made Mason in
Clinton Lodge No. 81, in the town Of
Bolivar, Tennessee. He presided over
that lodge as Master several terms; in
October, 1885, was appointed Deputy
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Of
Tennessee, and in 1886 was elected
Grand Master. He was devoted to
Masonry, and often visited
the lodges in Memphis and
always attended the leading
gatherings of Masons in this city,
The last time he appeared here in
public was at tho laying of the corner
stone Of the custom house by the
Masonic fraternity on the 24th Of last
June. He was married to Miss Mar
garet Reagan, of an old East Tenpes-
see family, on the 28th of May, 1878
She yet lives, and is a hearty old
lady of eighty-four years. She is a
cousin of Congressman Reagan, Of
Texas. General Robertson has three
sons living who are well known here