DENTON COUNTY, TX - OBITUARIES - Addison Robertson Contributed by: Kathy Wilcox ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************** Denton Record Chronicle 30 Nov 1927 ADD ROBERTSON DIES AFTER LONG AND EVENTFUL LIFE Addison W. Robertson, who died recently in the Bartonville community, was one of the pioneer citizens of Denton County and had a distinguished career in both the Civil and World Wars. Robertson died at the home of his son, Charles Robertson, Nov. 17, after an illness of several weeks. He was born in Sulphur Rock, Ark., Feb. 17, 1828, being at the time of his death 89 years and 9 months of age. Funeral services were held at the Frankfort cemetery Nov. 18 with the Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member many years, in charge. Robertson is survived by four sons, Morgan, Pat, Ed and Charles, two daughters, Mrs. Ada Walker and Mrs. Wetsel; and seveal brothers and sisters. A. Wayne Robertson of Little Elm is a brother. Robertson's wife, who before their marriage was Miss Emma Womack, died several years ago and was buried at Frankfort. He came to Denton County soon after the Civil War and lived in the county for 10 years, moving to Addison, Dallas County, which town was named after him. Robertson served as Justice of the peace and later as postmaster at Addison, and following the death of his wife came to Denton County to make his home. At the time of his death Robertson was third lieutenant of Sul Ross Camp, U.C.V., and was a regular attendant at the meetings of the organization. His brothers were also in the Confederate Army, during the Civil War. Served in War When Robertson's family moved to Texas he was under contract as apprentice to a carpenter and remained in Arkansas. He was married there and at the outbreak of the Civil War enlisted in General Pat Cleburne's regiment of Hood's Army. He was in 14 battles, including Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga and the slaughter of Hood's army at Franklin, Tenn. Following the latter battle he was elected third lieutenant of his company and was later promoted to second lieutenant. The following year he received his promotion to captaincy. During a great deal of the war he was on detached duty as an intelligence officer, where he received training that enabled him to secure an appointment with the United State Secret Service department during the World War in spite of his advanced age 79 years. Robertson was fighting under General Joseph E. Johnson in North Carolina when Lee surrendered and had to walk the major part of the way home after his parole. There, under carpet bag rule which resulted from reconstruction days, Robertson was accused of being implicated in Ku Klux Klan activities and was thrown in prison. With another prisoner, whose home was in Texas, Robertson escaped Dec. 24, 1867, and they made their escape to Texas without Robertson having been able to communicate with his wife except to send word to her by a friend that he would send for her later. After Grant was elected Governor of Arkansas Robertson sent for his wife and child and they lived in Texas since that time. He made a return trip to Arkansas in 1911, the first since the war, and learned that all charges had been dismissed that had been filed under the admiinistration of Governor Powell Clayton. Intelligence Officer At the outbreak of the World War Robertson offered his services to the United States but at first officials were inclined to take his voluntary enlistment in a light vein, but when he convinced them that he had done intelligence work in the Civil War and looked up references he had given he was given an appointment in the Secret Service Department and assisted in the capture of a number of draft evaders and enemy aliens at Wichita Falls and the confiscation of several cases of rifles and ammunition. Robertson worked up all the evidence in the case and was assisted only when the arrest of the aliens was made. During his late years Robertson was a tireless walker and would walk as many as 14 miles a day without becoming fatigued.