Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Elder Dr. George Washington Robertson

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Elder Dr. George Washington Robertson is a son of William and grandson 
of John Robertson. The latter was born in the highlands of Scotland. A 
tanner by trade, he came to America at an early day, going through the 
Revolutionary War. He married Sarah Gill, settled in North Carolina, 
then moved to Kentucky. He was a member of the old Seceder Church of 
the old Scotch Church. He moved to Missouri and died at the age of one 
hundred and fourteen. The Doctor's father was born in Barren County, 
Ky., April 25, 1798; married Mary, daughter of James and Sarah Morris, 
Pennsylvania Dutch; moved to Missouri in 1827, where he spent the 
remainder of his days. He was therefore a pioneer of Missouri. The 
Doctor was born in Cole County, Mo., January 14, 1834. In this early 
day deer ranged everywhere. Bears were plentiful; turkeys everywhere. 
His father was a great lover of a gun, and killed wild meats to live 
on a great part of the first few years of his new home in Missouri. 
Indians were his neighbors. Fish abounded in great abundance in every 
stream. His father soon began stock raising and farming-farmed 
extensively; was a slave-holder, and a great trader. Drove hogs and 
cattle to St. Louis, a distance of 125 miles. Here our subject was 
trained in droving, trading and farming, hunting, fishing and 
sporting. He says he loved a gun and dogs, and many times he spent all 
night in the woods after his dogs, coon and opossum hunting, and says 
opossum is the best meat he ever eat. Wishes he was in such a land 
again. He roved along the banks of the Moreaw picking out large fish. 
Has stood in the door-yard and shot wild turkey. Killed deer in the 
field in day-light, as they were tame in early days. His father was an 
elder in the Christian Church nearly forty years. Died at the age of 
eighty-four. The Doctor's mother died in 1848, and in the spring of 
1850 he went to California, engaged in mining and in mercantile 
business, and boasts of his greatest success depending on his never 
drinking or gambling. This, he says, was from his mother's training, a 
Godly woman. His education was self-made, having poor chances for good 
schools, but has been an incessant student all his life. He says he 
has burned out many a midnight candle in his studies. Returning from 
California he united with the Christian Church. He married Sarah L., 
daughter of David and Margaret (Leslie) Vanpool. Her father was Dutch 
and her mother Irish. He was married December 17, 1854. He moved to 
Texas in 1857, and two years later he was set apart to the work of the 
ministry in the Christian Church. He then began in a new field, 
entering on his favorite theme. Soon he was drawn into public 
discussion, of which he has held seventeen, and says he is proud of 
his success in each. He has always had advantage of most men in this, 
as he is hard to confuse; always pleasant. mild in his address, but 
positive and unwavering, never lost for words, a fluent speaker, with 
a ready flow of language. He is positively opposed to mixing the world 
and church. Organs, festivals, lotteries, or anything not Scriptural, 
he opposes in the church. He has been a regular writer for many 
religious journals for over twenty-two years, and is now writing and 
preaching the greater part of his time. He was corresponding editor 
one year for the Christian Watchman, edited by Ashley Johnson, in 
Knoxville, Tenn. He wrote one little book, of which he sold 800 in one 
year. He has always had a thirst for literary work. He moved from 
Texas in 1866, settled in Benton County, Ark., but soon returned to 
Moniteau County, Mo., read medicine, and attended lectures in the 
Eclectic Medical Institute, [p.884] of Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered 
the practice in 1870. He moved to Southwest Missouri, where he 
practiced and preached for ten years, and had a very extensive 
practice, but by overwork he broke down. He here lost his first wife, 
on the 23d of September, 1874. She had borne him five children: David 
P., Mary Jane, G. M. (a teacher), W. O. (a preacher) and James N. He 
was married again to Elizabeth D. Jones (widow), daughter of Dr. 
Mulkey. In 1881 he moved to his present locality, where he has a 
pleasant location, and spends most of his time preaching and writing, 
principally writing on religious subjects, on which he loves to dwell. 
He says everything he ever engaged in has been successful, but he 
never got rich, and never desired to. Converts under his preaching 
number thousands, but he lost his journal and does not remember the 
number. He says he always tried to be on the right side of everything, 
and never allow any man to beat him with kindness if he could help it. 
He is a friend to all worthy enterprises, and does all he can to build 
up society and extend improvements, and is liberal in his support. He 
is a strong advocate of good schools, and improvements of the various 
classes, loves fine stock and good farms, works for good order, and 
has perfect control of an audience. He says he never has to reprove 
his audience. He says if you want to be treated like a man act the man 
yourself; if you want to hold an audience, interest them; if you want 
to live well, work and make it; if you want good stock, take good care 
of them; if you want to feel well, keep in a good humor. A man makes 
himself what he is; to be well thought of, keep good company, and live 
up to your word.