An American Family History

John Robertson

John Robertson was born on May 8, 1723 in Bristol Parish, Prince George (now Dinwiddie) County, Virginia. His father was Israel Robertson.

His wife was named Mary.

James Robertson (1742, married Charlotte Reeves),
Captain Jonathan Roberson (1743, married Dolly Maclin),
Charles Robertson (1745),
Colonel Elijah Robertson (1752, married Sarah Maclin),
Elizabeth Robertson (1752, married William Cash),
Mark Robertson (1755, married Mary Bell), and
Ann Robertson (1757, married David Johnston and John Cockrill).

Colonel Elijah Robertson was a private in the battle of Point Pleasant.

Elijah and James were captains in the 1776 Cherokee Expedition.

James, two Johns, Mark and Elijah Robertson signed the 1777 Petition of Holston Men.

In 1783, Elijah received a warrant for land in Sullivan County, Tennessee. At that time it was in North Carolina.

In 1788 John received a land warrant in Sullivan County. At that time it was in North Carolina.

 

The Cherokee were indigenous people who lived in the southern Appalachian mountains. European Americans called their towns in eastern Tennessee, the Overhill Towns. The towns included Chota, Tellico and Tanasi. In 1776, the Cherokee planned to drive settlers out of the Washington District. The settlers were warned and stopped the first attack at Heaton's Station. The second attack was stopped at Fort Watauga. In response to these attacks, the militia burned Tuskegee and Citico. In 1780, while the militia was away at the Battle of Kings Mountain, the Cherokee raided the setttlements. When the militia returned, Colonel John Sevier's men defeated the Cherokee at Boyd's Creek and destroyed most of the remaining towns.