Henry V. and Rebecca Robertson Homestead
Brenham, Washington County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Tennessee native Henry Villars Robertson (1803-1856) first came to Texas in 1826 with his cousin, the Empresario Sterling Clack Robertson. He returned to Tennessee, where he married Rebecca Oldham (1805-1881) in 1828. Ten years later the couple, with their children and slaves, came to Texas and established a plantation at this site. Their home, which originally featured a dogtrot between the two main rooms, was built in the 1850s from native materials. The homestead is an important reminder of early colonization efforts in Texas.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Henry Villars Robertson first came to Texas in 1826 alongside his cousin, the empresario Sterling Clack Robertson, then returned to Tennessee to marry Rebecca Oldham. In 1838 the couple brought their family and enslaved workers to this site and established a plantation, building a dogtrot-style home of native materials in the 1850s. Their homestead was part of the organized colonization that peopled early Anglo Texas.
Why it matters
The homestead reflects both the empresario colonization that opened Texas to Anglo-American settlement and the plantation slavery that came with it, two intertwined forces of the early republic.
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Related people
- · Henry Villars Robertson
- · Rebecca Oldham
- · Sterling Clack Robertson
Themes & tags
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