William Roberson was born in London, England, is the first known of the
Roberson lineage, he may be the son who was born Dec 10, 1758, son of
Joseph & Elizabeth Robertson, Joseph's parents were Samuel & Hannah
Robertson.
At the young age of 15 years old in the year 1777, he departed from
Yorkshire, England  on the ship "Albion", destined for Fort Cumberland,
North America and is listed as a husbandman. He arrived in America near
Richmond, VA in March of 1774. He settled in Green Brier County, Va,
(now in West Virginia) and resided there until he entered the service in
the Revolutionary War.
According to a letter from the Veterans Administration, Washington, DC,
to Mr. James Taylor Adams of Big Laurel, Va, dated August 8, 1936, the
following :
"William Roberson was born in the year 1758 in the city of London,
England, the names of his parents were not given. HE emigrated to
America in the year 1773, landed Richmond, VA and settled in Greenbriar
County, Va, in which county he resided until he entered the service in
the Revolutionary War.
He enlisted in June 1780 as a private in Captain Andrew Wallace's
Company in Colonel Burford's Virginia Regiment, he was transferred at
Cherhaw Hills to Captain Andy's company, Colonel Henry Lee's Regiment of
Light Dragoons, was at Georgetown when Colonel Campbell (British) was
captured and said Roberson, at that place was put in Captain Michael
Rudolph's company and just before the battle at Guilford was detailed
under Captain Johnson and Quartermaster Carrington and guarded the sick
and the wounded. He was discharged in Dec 1781, having served 18 months,
after the end of his service, William Roberson settled in Lancaster
District, South Carolina and remained until 1829, then he moved to
Sevier County, Tennessee" 
William Roberson married Delilah Ritchie.
The Ritchies settled on Clinch River on the South side at a place which
later became William Gray's farm, near the present Gray's Island where
they built the Ritchies Fort.
William & Delilah Roberson probably lived nearby the Ritchies for some
time before moving to South Carolina.
The First court of Russell County assembled at the house of one William
Roberson in Casslewoods. William Roberson and Samuel Ritchie helped to
build a Fort that was the called Fort Casslewood, Deliah's brother
Alexander Ritchie is said to have raised her after her parents died, the
known children of William & Delilah Roberson were:
1. William "Dr Billie" Roberson b,1789 in Greenbrier County, Va.
2. Delilah "Lillie" Roberson b, 1800 near Natural Bridge, Va.
William remarried Dec 10, 1837 in Sevier Co, Tennesse to Nancy Breden
Shepherd, he was 79 years at the time, he died Jan 15 1847 in Sevier
County, Nancy his widow was allowed a pension executed March 16, 1853 in
Sevier Co Tennesse, she applied for bounty land in 1890 in Shady Grove,
Tn, Jefferson County, the pension of William Roberson is on file in the
National Archives , Washington, DC.
 

William Roberson, son of William Roberson & Delilah Ritchie, married
Hannah Hutchinson, born 1789 in Russell county, the daughter of Peter
Hutchinson & Nancy Green. William died May 3, 1880 in Wise County,
Virginia. Hannah died in Russell County, Va, between 1851 and 1855, the
children of William & Hannah Roberson were:

1. Nancy Roberson b, 1808.
2.James G Roberson b, 1811, died 1885.
3.Matthew Stephen Roberson b, 1815.
4. William Hart Roberson b, 1818.
5. Mary "Polly" Roberson b, 1820.
6. John H Roberson.
7.Martha Elizabeth Roberson b, 1824.
8.Rebecca Roberson b, 1825.
9. Adam Gus Roberson b, 1832.
10.Patty Roberson.

William was elected Sheriff of Scott County, Va and is seen in several
land transactions there. March 6, in 1821, William Roberson purchased 65
acres for the price of Five hundred dollars from Issac & Rachel Flanary
on the North side of Copper Ridge on the waters of the Clinch River.
March 13, 1823, William & Hannah Roberson sold sixty acres of land to
Jonas Powers for five hundred dollars on the West side of Falling Creek
in Scott Co, Va.

By Fannie Steele ©2001
submitted by Susan Fahnstrom