My Genealogy Hound

Dr. Robertson M. Royalty was born in Washington County, Ky., September 1, 1824 His father, Thomas Royalty, was born July 4, 1797, and August 19, 1821, he was married to Margaret Robertson. In 1834 he immigrated to Illinois, and remained there until 1853, when he came to Missouri. He died in the autumn of 1862, the mother in the fall of 1871. The grandfather, Thomas Royalty, Sr., a Virginian of English lineage, was one of the early settlers of Kentucky, and lived to an advanced age. The maternal grandfather, George Robertson, was of Scotch parentage, and brought up a Presbyterian. He was a native of Pennsylvania, but was educated in Virginia, where he married, and settled on a farm. After a few years he with his family set out to make the trip overland to Kentucky; but the snowstorms of the memorable hard winter overtook them, and they were obliged to encamp in the wilderness. On the breaking up of winter, his horses and cattle were all swept off by the floods, except one small horse. With his wife and three little ones mounted upon the horse, and himself on foot, he finally reached “Astin’s Station,” where he met his brother, Alexander, who had come out the preceding year. Sometime after this the two brothers, while out on an exploring trip, were surprised by a party of Indians. Alexander had his elbow shattered by a bullet, but escaped, and reached the settlement. George’s horse was shot dead under him, and an Indian instantly struck him on the head with his tomahawk, and was in the act of scalping him, when the wounded man grasped the savage by the throat, and held him until the chief came up and released him. From motives of future reward and admiration of the white man’s courage, perhaps, the chief resolved to hold him captive. After suffering incredible hardships he was delivered to the British in Canada, and held a prisoner of war until the close of the Revolution. The father then completely broken down, returned to his family in Kentucky, where he died in the early part of this century. Our subject was largely self-educated, and in early life was a successful teacher. He began reading medicine with Dr. Witty, at Mount Sterling, Ill., in 1847, and in 1850 entered the medical department of the University of Missouri, and the following year, located at Versailles, Ill. He came to Missouri, in 1853, but in 1855, his health failing, he accepted the position of editor of the Democrat, at Macomb, Ill. The following year he founded the Macomb Eagle, but soon sold his interest in that paper, and came to Marion County, where he subsequently resumed the practice of his profession. In March, 1874, he married Mary E., a daughter of William and Elizabeth Yarbrough. She was born in Indiana, in December, 1844. Their only child is deceased. Early in the summer of that year he located at Maywood and entered at once upon an unusually large practice. In 1879 he removed to Durham, but has for several years been on his farm near the latter village, to the superintendence of which he devotes his principal attention. He is a Democrat of the old school, and cast his first vote for Lewis Cass. He is a member of the Christian Church, but his wife is a Baptist.