Garfield County, WA Databases
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JAMES C. ROBERTSON
For more than a third of a century James C. ROBERTSON has been identified with the farming interest of Garfield county and now carries on general agricultural pursuits on section 25, township 11 north, range 41 east, where he owns three hundred and seventeen acres and cultivates part of this tract or about one hundred and fifty acres. He started out in life empty-handed, so that whatever success he has achieved is attributable entirely to his persistent efforts and intelligently directed industry. He was born on Prince Edward Island, Canada, September 30, 1862, a son of John and Mary (STEEL) ROBERTSON, who are mentioned in connection with the sketch of their son, John ROBERTSON, on another page of this work.
James C. ROBERTSON spent the first ten years of his life in Canada and in 1873 accompanied his parents to California, where the family home was maintained until 1882. In the meantime the father died and the mother accompanied by her family of four sons and a daughter, then came to Washington. James C. ROBERTSON had been a pupil schools of Canada and of California and was a youth of fifteen years at the time of his father's death. Being the oldest of the children, much of the responsibility of the farm work devolved upon him and he bravely met the task that was a heavy burden for young shoulders. In the spring of 1882 he came to Washington, making the trip in advance of the family. He journeyed northward with an uncle and on the 10th of May they arrived at Pomeroy. That fall the mother and his brothers and sister came and in connection with his brothers, Samuel N. and John, James C. ROBERTSON began farming in a partnership relation that existed for twenty years. Unusual harmony existed between the family, the tie that binds them being very close. The brothers persistently and energetically continued the work of improving their fields and, as the years passed on, success in substantial measure rewarded their efforts. At length they divided their interests and James C. ROBERTSON is today the owner of three hundred and seventeen acres of land, part of which he has brought under a high state of cultivation, his fields returning to him a gratifying annual income.
In 1888 was celebrated the marriage of James C. ROBERTSON and Miss Ollie M. SWANK, of Garfield county. a daughter of John SWANK, who is now in Orofino, Idaho, but was one of the earliest of the pioneer settlers of Garfield county. Mr. and Mrs. ROBERTSON have become the parents of seven children, as follows: Rosella, who is the wife of C.E. LEWIS, a farmer of Garfield county, Washington; Elvira, who gave her hand in marriage to Henry RUCKET, an agriculturist of Garfield county; and Floyd, Belinda, Sybil and Bryon, all at home. The wife and mother passed away February 13, 1905, and is laid to rest in the Petowa Flats cemetery, her demise causing deep sorrow to family and friends.
Mr. ROBERTSON usually exercises his right of franchise is support of the men and measures of the republican party yet is liberal in his views and does not hesitate to vote for a candidate of the opposing party if his judgement dictates this to be the best course. He belongs to Harmony lodge, No. 16, I.O.O.F., of Pomeroy; and to Pomeroy Lodge, K.P. He ranks with the leading farmers of Tatman Gulch and he well merits the high regard in which he is uniformly held, for his has been an active, useful and honorable life. He has concentrated his efforts and attention upon his business interests, has never been known to take advantage of the necessities of another in a business transaction, but along legitimate lines has won the success that places him among the substantial residents of his section of the state.
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Source: Book: Lymans HISTORY of OLD WALLA WALLA, COLUMBIA, GARFIELD, and Asotin Counties. by. W.D. LYMAN, M.A., Lit.D Illustrated Volume 1 Chicago, The S.J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1918 pages 704-707, picture is on pg. 705