University of Virginia Library

WYNDHAM ROBERTSON.

The subject of this sketch was the son of William Robertson and Christina
Williams, his wife, and was born on the 26th of January, 1803, in the
city of Richmond. He attended private schools in his native city, and completed
his education at William and Mary College in the year 1821. Studied
law and was admitted to the bar in 1824. Was elected a member of the
Council of the State in 1833, and on the 31st of March, 1836, became the
senior member of the Council, and as such Lieutenant-Governor of the State,

Wyndham Robertson.

and upon the resignation of Governor Tazewell, in
the same year, he became Governor of Virginia. Governor
Robertson was a Whig in politics, and the
Legislature being Democratic, he was succeeded as
Governor of Virginia in 1837 by David Campbell, of
Abingdon. Upon the expiration of the term of his
office, in March, 1837, he retired to the country home
of his wife, "Mary's Meadows," near to and south of
Abingdon (his wife was Mary Trigg Smith, daughter
of Captain Francis Smith, of Washington county),
where he lived until 1858, when he returned to Richmond,
and in 1860 was elected a member of the House
of Delegates of Virginia from Richmond city. He
was opposed to Virginia's seceding from the Union, and did all he could to
prevent the war between the States, but after the proclamation of Lincoln
calling for troops from Virginia, he was from that time forth zealously
active in all measures for the defence of his State. After the war he removed
to Abingdon, where he died, on the 11th day of February, 1888, and
his remains were interred at Cobbs, Chesterfield county. He was a man of
excellent manners and of considerable ability. He was survived by his wife
and the following children: Frank S. Robertson, Wyndham Robertson,
Mrs. James L. White, Mrs. Connally F. Trigg and Mrs. W. W. Blackford.