Name/Title
James RobertsonEntry/Object ID
Robertson, JamesDescription
Waist-length three-quarters right profile of a man wearing a black coat, gold vest and white shirt with tie. His straight hair if parted over his right eye, but is combed forward into scattered bangs. He cheeks are rosy and his eyes are blue. Although he is clean-shaven, there is a hint of a heavy beard.General Notes
Note Type
Historical NoteNote
James Robertson, early leader of both the Watauga and Cumberland settlements, has been called the “Father of Middle Tennessee.” Born in 1742 in Brunswick County, Virginia, he was the son of John and Mary Gower Robertson. He married Charlotte Reeves in 1768 and had thirteen children. two of whom died young. In the spring of 1779, he and John Donelson led a group of settlers from the Watauga Settlements to establish Fort Nashborough on the banks of the Cumberland River, founding present-day Nashville. In 1790, Congress created the Territory South of the River Ohio, and Robertson became lieutenant colonel commandant of the Mero District, later promoted to brigadier general. He died on September 1, 1814, and is buried in Nashville City Cemetery. (Terry Weeks, Tennessee Encyclopedia)Create Date
October 6, 2026Update Date
October 6, 2026