Robert was the son of Moses Belcher and Nancy Tabor. He married Aurelia Elizabeth Compton.

During the Civil War, on October 1, 1863, Bob enlisted as a private in Co. F, 16th Cavalry in Tazewell Co., VA. He was paroled at Charleston, WV on July 23, 1865. Bob was listed as having a dark complexion, gray eyes, and auburn Hair. He served with his brother James.

From the 28 October 1887 issue of the "Clinch Valley News is the following article:"
"A horrible shooting scrape, in which one man was killed instantly and another probably fatally wounded, occured at Falls Mills, this county [Tazewell], last week. It appears that they [John E. Tabor and Robert Lee Tabor] had gone to the residence of one Belcher [Robert H.], to demand the release of a mule which Belcher had in his possession belonging to them. The mule had been annoying Belcher some time by being in his fields. After repeatedly warning the Tabors (The men to whom the mule belonged) that he would do so, he put the mule in his stable. On them coming after it, Belcher and his son went out to meet them and soon became engaged in a quarrel, the old man Belcher returned to the house and procured two shot guns, one of which he handed to his son, the other he set against a post. Presently something so enraged Lee Tabor, the one killed, that he drew his shot gun to shoot. Belcher jumped behind the post, at the same time getting up his gun, which he put in a few inches of Tabor's head, and fired, young Belcher shooting the other Tabor at the same time. They came to town Saturday and employed council to defend them, and were bailed out to the sum of $4,000 each,"....4 May, 1888 - "The jury trying the case of Commonwealth against Robert and [Charles] Lendo Belcher for the killing of John and Lee Tabor were out about two minutes when they brought in a verdict of not guilty,."

Robert H. Belcher was a second cousin to the men he and his son Charles Lendo killed - John E. Tabor and Robert Lee (George) Tabor. Bob's family moved to Kegley from Falls Mills after the incident, residing in Clover Bottom. He and his family transferred from the Macedonia Methodist Church (on Mudfork-Falls Mills Road,) on March 29, 1889.