Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/306

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ROBERTSON
ROBERTSON

" Letters on South America " (1843). " Solomon Seesaw " (1839) appeared under his name only. His brother, William Parish, b. about 1795, was the antlior of another book of travel entitled Visit to Mexico" (London. 1853).


ROBERTSON. John Ross, Canadian journalist, b. in Toronto, 28 Dec., 1841. He was educated at Upper Canada college, and founded the " Upper Canada College Times" in 1S51I. in connection with this institution. About 1860 he issued "Young Canada," a somewhat similar publication, the name of which he afterward changed to the " Young Canada Sporting Life," and still later to " The Sporting Life." At this time he published " Rob- ertson's Railway Guide." the first of the kind thai was issued in Canada. In 1862-'4 he published Tin' Crumbier." a weekly journal of satire which had been issued for some years before by Erastus Wiman. Mr. Robertson was city editor of the Toronto "Globe" from 1864 till 1*66. and in May of the latter year, in conjunction with a partner, he issued the ' Evening Telegraph," which became the chief paper in the Conservative interest. In 1872 Mr. Robertson became agent of the Globe printing company in London. England, but he afterward re- turned to Canada and assumed the management of the " Nation " newspaper. In 1876 he founded the Toronto " Daily Telegram." of which he is now (1898) the proprietor and managing editor, as well as publisher. He founded an annual prize in con- nection with Upper Canada college, and was one of the founders of the Lakeside home for little chil- dren in 1883. He has written History of Craft and Capitular Masonry in Canada " (Toronto. 1888), and " History of Cryptic. Templar, and A. & A. Rite Masonry in Canada " (1888).


ROBERTSON, Joseph Gibb, Canadian statesman, b. in Stuartfield, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. 1 Jan., 1820. He was educated in Canada, engaged in business as a merchant, and was made presi- dent of the Quebec Central railway company. He was for many years secretary and treasurer of the county of Snerbrooke, Quebec, and was mayor of Sherbrooke for about twenty years. In 1869 he was appointed a member of the executive council i.l 1 i lie province of Quebec, and he was treasurer from that date till September, 1874, when he ret iivd from the government. He was reappointed treas- urer in De Boucherville's administrati.ni, 22 Sept.. 1874. and held this portfolio till 14 Jan., 1876, when he resigned. He was appointed treasurer of the province in October, 1879, resigned this office in January, 1882, and was a member of the execu- tive council and provincial treasurer from 1884 till 1887. He held office in the Taillon administra- tion from 25 to 27 Jan.. 1887. Mr. Robertson was a delegate to England on public business in 1874. Since he entered public life he has represented Sher- brooke, and is a Liberal-Conservative.


ROBERTSON, Robert Henderson, architect, b. in Philadelphia, Pa., 29 April, 1849. He was educated at Rutgers college, studied architecture, and established himself in New York city. Among many buildings of his design are the Madison ave- nue Methodist church, St. James's Episcopal church, the Young women's Christian association building, the Church of the Holy Spirit, Phillips Presbyte- rian church, the New York club building, the Rail- road men's building, St. Augustine chapel, Grace chapel, and the Mott Haven railroad station, all in New York citv.


ROBERTSON, Thomas Boiling governor of Louisiana, b. near Petersburg, Va., in 1773; d. in White Sulphur Springs, Va., 5 Nov., 1828. He was graduated at William and Mary in 1807, became a lawyer, and removed to New Orleans on receiving

he" appointment of secretary for the territory of

Louisiana. He was elected as the first congress- man from that state by the Democrats. ind was returned for the three sllnveding terms, serving from 2:! Dec.. 1S12. till 1818, in which year he resigned his seat. Soon afterward he was elected govern- or. Resuming prac- tice in New Orleans on the expiration of his term, he was soon made attorney-gen- eral, and shortly af- terward appointed U. S. judge for the c district of Louisiana. /

While visiting Paris

during the last days of the empire, he wrote letters to his family, which were published in the Rieh- mond "Enquirer," and in book-form under the title of "Events in Paris" (Philadelphia, 1816). His brother, John, jurist, b. near Petersburg. Va., in 1787 ; d. in Mount Athos, Campbell co., Va., 5 July. 1873, -was educated at William and Mary, studied law, was admitted to the bar, early gained a good position in his profession, and was appointed attorney-general of the state. He was elected to congress for three successive terms, serving from 8 Dec.. 1834. till 3 March, 1839. lie was judge of the circuit court for many years. Although a strong believer in the doctrines of the Jeffersonian school, he deprecated civil war, and at the beginning of the secession troubles was sent by Virginia to dis- suade the southern states from extreme measures at the same time that John Tyler was despatched on a similar errand to President Buchanan. He pub- lished a tragedy called "Riego, or the Spanish Martyr" (Richmond, 1872), and a volume of pi sional verses under the title of " Opuscula." An- other brother, Wyndham, governor of Virginia, b. in Manchester, Chesterfield co., Va,, 26 Jan.. 1803 ; d. in Washington county, Va., 11 Feb., 1888. was educated at William and Mary, studied law. was admitted to practice in 1824. and established him- self in Richmond. He was chosen a councillor of state in 1830. and in 1833 was again elected to the council, which was reduced to three members. He became lieutenant-governor on 31 March, 1836, and on the same day succeeded to the governorship for one year through the resignation of Littleton W. Tazewell. In is:is he was elected to the legislature, and represented the city of Richmond until he removed to the country in 1841. Returning to the capital in 1858, he was again elected to the legislature, and took an active part in its deliberations during the period of the civil war. He resisted the proposal of South Carolina for a southern convention in 1859, and after the secession of that state and others he still urged the refusal of Virginia to join them. As chairman of a committee, lie was the author of the anti-coercion resolution, in which Virginia, while rejecting secession, declared her intention to fight with the southern state* if they were attacked. He opposed the regulation of the prices of food in 1863, and offered his resignation in 1864 when the public demanded such a measure, but resumed his seat on receiving a vote of approval from his constituents. He was the author 'of "Pocahontas, alias Matoaka,