Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Robertson, Freeman H 1843 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 5, 2007, 10:46 am

Author: Portraits & Bio Sketches, 1890

FREEMAN H. ROBERTSON, editor and proprietor of the Peotone Eagle, is a native 
of the Granite State, and possesses marked characteristics of the Yankee race. 
He is the second of three children born to John W. and Martha T. (Huntoon) 
Robertson, who were also natives of New Hampshire, and spent all their wedded 
life therein except two years. During that period they resided in New York, 
where the husband died in 1855. The widow survived until 1875. The town of 
Franklin was the birthplace of our subject, and May 3, 1843, his natal day. He 
obtained a common-school education, and at the age of eleven years took up the 
labors of life by beginning the trade of a printer. He finished his 
apprenticeship in the office of the Statesman at Concord, when sixteen years 
old, spending the following two and a half years in advancing his studies and 
improving his mind. Coming to Illinois in 1865, Mr. Robertson worked on the 
Peoria Transcript a year and a half, then found employment in the Democrat 
office, in Henry. A twelvemonth later he went to Iowa, and entered the office 
of the Bedford Southwest, at Bedford, remaining there but a year, and thence 
going to Mount Ayr, where he bought a half interest in the Ringgold Record. 
After a brief sojourn of eight months he sold out, and removing to Dakota 
City, Neb., purchased a half interest in the Dakota City Mail, retaining it 
but a twelve-month, when he again changed his location, first selling his 
share in the journal. Madison was the next home of Mr. Robertson, and his 
enterprise the purchase and publication of the Review, which he sold after a 
year, buying instead the plant of the old Dakota City Mail, and removing it to 
Stanton. In that town he published a paper two years, then moved the plant to 
Missouri Valley, Iowa, continuing his journalistic labors there until an 
accident brought them to a close. A runaway team had caused a fracture of his 
skull, and six months after beginning his work there Mr. Robertson was obliged 
to close out his business. The next newspaper venture of Mr. Robertson was at 
Gilman, Ill., where he ran the Argus, Crescent City Sun and Lahogue News at 
the same time, also carrying on an office and publishing a sheet called the 
Panhandle Advocate, at Piper. The office at Gilman was burned, in 1884, 
entailing upon our subject the loss of all his machinery, paper and other 
material. His spirit was undaunted, and he was soon in the possession of the 
Gowrie Reqister, at Gowrie, Iowa, the plant of which he subsequently removed 
to Grand Junction, later selling it and returning to the Prairie State. 
Entering an office at Kankakee, Mr. Robertson remained there until November, 
1889, when he became editor of the Sunday Hero, in Chicago, leaving that city 
to begin an enterprise in Peotone for which he saw a good opening. His work 
there was begun May 19, 1890, and already the Eagle is finding its way into 
many a household, continually growing in favor. "Ye editor" adds to his native 
energy the training given by years of experience amid varied surroundings, and 
such is his financial shrewdness that he wins success where many a man would 
see nothing but disaster. He wields a facile pen, observes keenly, judges 
quickly, and judiciously selects matter for publication. The choice of a 
companion is an important step in a man's life, and fortunate is he who 
chooses well. The lady who shares the joys and sorrows of Mr. Robertson became 
his wife in 1869, prior to which time she bore the name of Sarah Herold. She 
is a daughter of Amos and Margaret (Gander) Herold, who lived in Ohio many 
years. The mother was born in that State and the father in Virginia. Mrs. 
Herold died in 1849, and Mr. Herold afterward went to California. Returning to 
the States he married again and removed to Livingston County, Ill., dying 
there in 1873. His first marriage resulted in the birth of seven children. His 
daughter Sarah, Mrs. Robertson, was born March 14, 1844. She is a capable 
housewife, an honored member of society, and a loving wife and mother. She has 
one son, Willie H., a bright lad who has already been working at the printing 
business a year and a half. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson belong to the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and have good standing among its members. He belongs to the 
Ancient Odd Fellows. In politics he is a Republican, and no man in the party 
has more abounding faith in its principles, or is more interested in its 
advancement than he. Although Mr. and Mrs. Robertson have been so short a time 
in Peotone they have shown the qualities of mind and character that win 
friends, and are likely to be the center of a large circle as they become 
better known.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page 
Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens 
of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 
 


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