Bio of ROBERTSON, Glenn W. (b.1879), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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Vol III, pg 159-160
GLENN W. ROBERTSON
No account of the commercial interests of Minneapolis would be complete without
extended and personal reference to Glenn W. Robertson, president of the
Robertson Shoe Company, Incorporated. He was born in Iowa, on the 20th of April,
1879, a son of Walter H. and Hattie (Morrison) Robertson, the former a native of
Vermont.
In the pursuit of his education Glenn W. Robertson attended the public schools
of Iowa and South Dakota and subsequently became a student in the University of
Minne sota. Upon the completion of his literary training he entered a business
college and in due time made his initial step into the business world. He worked
on a salary for four years and then became a partner in the wholesale dry goods
business for six years.
At the termination of that time he engaged in the shoe manufacturing business,
the growth of which enterprise has been remarkable. Like many other substantial
and permanent enterprises which have grown to large proportions, the Robertson
Shoe Company was started on a "shoestring." The manufacture of Robertson felt
slippers was begun in 1909, over the grocery store of P. G. Hanson, Nos. 514-16
Second avenue South, where only about one third of the space was rented,
approximately seven hundred square feet. The factory force numbered one cutter,
three girl operators, and Mr. Robertson as general manager, salesman, buyer,
credit man, bookkeeper and stenographer. In 1910, the year following this modest
start, the rapid increase in the volume of sales made larger quarters an
absolute necessity, and a move was made to No. 315 First avenue North, where
half of one floor was taken, a space of thirty by one hundred and twenty feet,
more than five times as large as the first workrooms. Some three years later it
was necessary to double this space and during the five years from 1913 to 1918
more space was constantly required. The factory ate up all of the available
floor space in that building, including the basement, and pushed over into the
basement of the adjoin­ing building-and still there was a demand for more room.
Something had to be done, and Mr. Robertson wasted no time in doing it. In 1919
the Robertson Shoe Company moved into its own modern factory, where it has more
than forty times the space of the original workroom cf just ten years before.
The development of the Robertson line is the secret behind this sound yet rapid
growth of the manufacturing side of the business. The original line consisted of
a man's and a lady's felt slipper. From this start it has developed until today
there is nothing to compare with it for a wide range of styles and sizes in
felt, leather and fabric; for attractiveness, variety, and novelty and for
up-to-the-minute development in style features and high-grade construction. From
the very first the Robertson Shoe Company has put sound business policies,
service to its customers and a spirit of fair dealing behind its good
merchandise. From the original one thousand dollar investment, the
capitalization has grown to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Not one
share of the capital stock has ever been issued except for value received. The
company enjoys an extensive patronage, going into every state in the union, with
the exception of parts of New England.
In 1907 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Robertson and Miss Mildred Lauderdale
of Minneapolis, and to their union three children have been born: Walter, Susan
and Bruce. Mrs. Robertson's father, W. H. Lauderdale, was one of the pioneer
settlers of Minnesota.
Mr. Robertson is essentially public-spirited and he is never too busy to give
his aid in the furtherance of any movement for the development and improvement
of the com­munity at large. He is an active member of the Rotary Club and
socially is identified with the Interlachen Golf Club and the Midland Hills
Club. He is also a member of the Minneapolis Athletic Club. He has always been
fond of sports of all kinds and while a student at the University of Minnesota
he was a member of the basketball team, and was at one time one of the foremost
tennis players of the state. His hobbies at the present time are motoring and
golf.