John William Robertson 1855 - 1919 was the 1st child of 10 children. John was born to Samuel Robertson and Rebecca McNatt in the Miller Township, Gentry County, Missouri. This area would be named Berlin in 1874. John was raised to be a hard working farmer. John went to school and church in the town of Gentryville, just north of Berlin.

At the age of 25, John married 17 year old Araminda D. Hobbs on 2 September 1880. Minda was the 6th child of 6 children of William Hobbs and Nancy Baxter and their only daughter. All the Hobbs children were born at Prairie Creek, Logan County, Illinois. They move from Illinois to the town of Grant, DeKalb County, Missouri, the county just south of Gentry.

John and Minda made a home near Berlin, where Minda gave birth to 4 children. A very somber period happened to John's family. Minda gave birth to William and died 7 days later of complication during delivery. William lived only 1 year 1 month and 8 days. Minda and her son William were laid to rest in the Berlin Cemetery.

1st Robert Lee Robertson (1882)
2nd Ethel May Robertson (1883)
3rd Edith Ella Robertson (1885)
4th William Samuel Robertson (1887)

Although devastated by the loss of Minda, John would remarried 10 months after the death of his son William. Mary Jane Beeler was born in 1858 and the daughter of Noah and Mary Ann Beeler. They were wed at John's brother, Judge Eli Robertson home by Rev. John Ferguson, 23 December 1888. John and Mary moved 3/4 mile west of Berlin. Mary gave birth to 6 children at their home.

1st Allen Robertson (1889)
2nd Earl Robertson (1891)
3rd Truman Robertson (1893)
4th Mabel Robertson (1894)
5th Irvin Robertson (1896)
6th Ralph Robertson (1898)

John became a member of the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Berlin when it was built in 1869. In later years he became a deacon of the church. The fertile farmland serviced John well and he made a good living.

John had a stroke when he was 60. The stroke caused paralysis and poor health for the remainder of his life. John past away May 19th 1919 at the age of 63 and was buried in the Berlin Cemetery. Mary lived until 1934 and was buried next to John.

Obituary:
Well Known Citizen Dead.

John W Robertson, one of the well known citizens of the south part of the county, and son of Mrs. Rebecca Robertson, of Albany, died May 19, at his home near Berlin. He had been in poor health for several years, having suffered a stroke of paralysis, and he had never fully recovered. Funeral services were held at the Baptist church in Berlin on Wednesday afternoon of last week conducted by Rev, W G Ball, a long time friend, and burial was in the Berlin cemetery.

Mr. Robertson was a native of Gentry county, having been born down in that part of the county, November 7, 1855, his age at the time of his death being 63 years, 6 months and 12 days. He was the son of the late Samuel and Mrs. Rebecca Robertson. On September 2, 1880, he was united in marriage to Minda D Hobbs, who died January 22, 1887. To this union were born four children, one dying in infancy. He was again united in marriage on December 23, 1888, to Mary Jane Beeler. To this union were born six children. Besides his wife he is survived by nine children: Robert Lee of Augusta, Kansas: Ethel May Clements, of Brownington, Missouri: Edith Ella Stonebraker, of King City, Missouri: John Allen, Earl B, Trumam Chester, Mable Ellen, Irvin V, Ralph Dallen, all of Berlin, and an aged mother, three brothers, four sisters, eighteen grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends. Early in life he was converted and united with the Mt. Moriah Baptist church in Berlin, serving as a deacon for many years.