(1845 – 1896)

George Henry Robertson was the eldest son of our great-great grandparents, George Washington Henry Robertson and Leah Wainwright. He was born on 22 January 1845, according to his gravestone. He died in 1896 and became the second interment in the Robertson Cemetery.

1850s

At 5 years of age, George makes his first appearance in the U.S. Census, living with his parents in Quantico, Somerset, Maryland. His 2 younger brothers are there also, William E., 3 years old, and our great grandfather James W., listed as 6/12 years – so an infant, having been born late November 1849. Mary T., Leah’s daughter by her first marriage, is there along with 2 males listed as “laborers.”

There are 2 other men living at the residence: William Sirman, 52 years old and John Q. Robinson, 21 years old. We believe this is John Quincy Robertson who turns up frequently in the deeds we have been looking at; we also believe him to be the husband of Margaret Ellen White, who was the daughter of Leah’s sister, Betsy Ann Wainwright.

1860s

The family is still pretty much intact in the 1860 census. Three more Robertson children have been born: Louisa F., Charlotte T. and an “infant” who would be our great aunt Martha Jane, born in May 1860. William Sermon, now age 60 is also still with them. George Henry is 14 years old.

George Henry marries Martha Larmore on 20 October 1863. George was 18, Martha was 21. Martha Adeline Denson Larmore, as she is fully named in her father’s will, is the daughter of Elihu Larmore and Sally Wainwright. Sally is another one of of Leah’s sisters. The 1870 census includes in the household George and Martha, a farm laborer (George W. Moore), a domestic servant (Anna Larmore) and their first child, “Windfield” (Winfield) Robertson. They are all living in Tyaskin, in the newly created Wicomico County.

1870s

They went on to have 2 more children, Walter born presumably after July of 1870 and Addie White, born 25 Nov. 1872, listed in the Quantico Methodist Church records at the MD State Archive.

We don’t have a specific date for Martha’s death, but by 1877, George has married again. Charlotte Ellen White — Lottie — was born in 1855 and was 22 years old at the time of her marriage to George Henry, who was 32. Their first child, Edith Addie, is born in 1879.

1880-1890s

Addie White, the daughter born in 1872, does not appear in the 1880 census enumeration, so she must have passed away. George and Lottie’s first child born in 1879 is named Edith Addie, perhaps in memory of the lost child.

George Henry dies 21 March 1896, age 51. He actually predeceases his father, George Washington Henry, by 10 months.

1900s

By the 1900 Census, Charlotte and the 7 kids (Lofton, Lottie Marie, George Harry, Hilton, Leonard, Raymond, and Mina), are living on the farm. Charlotte is head of the household and a farmer. Lofton is listed as a bookkeeper and might be working elsewhere. George, and Hilton are farm laborers – so they must be working the farm. Edith is 21 and not there at all, and the younger children (Leonard and Raymond) are at school. Mina is only 6 and hasn’t started school yet.

Winfield (eldest son of George H. and Martha), and Winfield’s wife Rosa Phillips are buried in the Robertson Family Cemetery, as are 2 of their children, Brooks and Martha May. Of George’s other children we know little. Hilton ran for congress in 1920 on what appears to be an anti-anti-alcohol platform. We might look into that later on.

We don’t know very much about our great uncle George Henry. He’s mentioned in his dad’s will along with our great grandfather, James WT,

I George W. Robertson of Wicomico County, Maryland, make + declare this to be my last will and testament + revoke all others.

First, Having heretofore made ample provision for, or arrangements with my sons Geo. H. Robertson and Jas. W.T. Robertson, I therefore do not give them anything by this my will.

George H. and his dad, George W. H. are buried beside each other.  The inscription on George Henry’s tombstone reads:

My own, my all, farewell
I know God has taken thee to dwell
Prophetic hope dispell’d death’s frightful gloom
Celestial rays redeemed his dying sight
While beckoning angels smile beyond the tomb
And bid him welcome to their realms of light