William Robertson, ?–1836, and Sarah Baber, 1780–1855
Born in Amherst County, Virginia, William Robertson died in 1836 in St. Louis County, Missouri. On 14 July 1798, in Albemarle County, Virginia, William married Sarah Ann Baber, born on 12 July 1780, in Albemarle County, died on 29 April 1855 in St. Louis. This couple, along with siblings and friends, soon migrated to St. Louis. At that time, a common migration trail from Virginia to St. Louis included a trek to North Carolina, where they stayed for a short time before departing for Tennessee and points west to St. Louis.
Upon their arrival in St. Louis the Robertson family settled with other early pioneers in what is today Bridgeton, formerly Owen’s Station or the village of Robertson. Robert Owen, formerly a shoemaker turned farmer, established this community in 1794 based on land he obtained in a Spanish Land Grant. Owen laid out a community called Marais des Liards [cottonwood swamp] and built a fort there due to concerns with the Indians.
William Robertson bought and sold property from various people including Thomas Withington, Adam Martin, James Richardson, James Kennerly, and James Kizer. Like his neighbors, William farmed some of his land. William owned several town lots in Owen’s Station, today approximately located at Natural Bridge Road and Cypress Road. The Owen’s Station community extended west from that corner to St. Charles Rock Road and Fee Fee Road and south to Fee Fee Cemetery. Today, the airport and Interstate 70 overlay some of these locations.
Children of William and Sarah (Baber) Robertson:
- John “Jack” C. Robertson, a mountain trapper, lived in the west from 1830 to his death in 1894 with burial at Ft. Bridger Cemetery, Unita County, Wyoming.
- Martha Robertson, married Jehorida Martin, son of Adam and Mary (McMillan) Martin. Martha and Jehorida Martin died in Cole County, Missouri.
- Susan Robertson, married 1) Davis C. Richardson, the son of James Richardson, who was a major in the American Revolution and an early St Louis pioneer; 2) William Fallon.
- James O. Robertson, married Priscilla Musick, daughter of Eli and Nancy (Long) Musick. Nancy Long was the daughter of John Long. James and Priscilla moved to Franklin County, Missouri.
- Elizabeth Robertson married Maryland K. Chandler, then moved to Mississippi. Mary Ann “Polly” Robertson, married William Miller VanAusdal at Owen’s Station. In 1850, William was an assistant U.S. marshall.
- George D. Robertson, never married.
- Virginia Robertson, married Samuel James. (Click here to see Samuel James’s biography)
Like other early pioneers in this community, the Robertson family worshiped at Fee Fee Baptist Church, which was located on land donated by James Richardson, father of Davis Richardson, and son-in-law of William Robertson. Fee Fee Cemetery is the final resting place for both William and Sarah (Baber) Robertson, along with other family members.
Ann Carter Fleming
Submitted November 2018
© 2018, St. Louis Genealogical Society
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Last Modified: 15-Feb-2019 12:49