ROBERTSON, William H., jurist, born in Bedford, Westchester County, New York, 10 October, 1823. He received a classical education, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1847. He was elected superintendent of the common schools of Bedford, and in 1849 and 1850 was a member of the state assembly. In 1854 he was sent to the state senate, and he was elected county judge for three successive terms, holding the office twelve years. In 1860 he was a presidential elector on the Republican ticket. Judge Robertson was a delegate to the Baltimore convention of 1864 and again an elector, and was then elected to congress, and served from 4 March, 1867, till 3 March, 1869. In 1872 he returned to the state senate, and was one of the leaders of that body till 1881, when he was appointed collector of the port of New York. His nomination to the office by President Garfield without consultation with the senators from New York, Roscoe Conkling and Thomas C. Piatt, led to the defection of the so-called Stalwart wing of the Republican party.