James Brooks Ayers Robertson was born in Keokuk County, Iowa, on March 15, 1871, and thus his progressive Western spirit comes as a natural heritage.

He is a son of James B. A. and Clara Wright Robertson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. They were numbered among the early pioneers of Iowa, where they established their residence in the '50s and where they played effectively their part in connection with the civic and material development and progress of the fine Hawkeye commonwealth. The father represented that state as a valiant soldier of the Union in the Civil war, in which he served as a member of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Volunteer Infantry.

The fifth in order of birth in a family of six sons and five daughters, Judge Robertson is indebted to the public schools of his native state for his early educational discipline, and that he made good use of these opportunities is signified in the fact that when but sixteen years of age he proved his eligibility for pedagogic honors and became a successful teacher in the district schools of Iowa. Later he studied law under effective preceptorship and was duly admitted to the bar.

In 1892, the judge came to the Territory of Oklahoma and established his residence at Chandler, the judicial center of Lincoln County, where he engaged in the practice of his profession and where he served for a time as county attorney. With the passing years his close application and recognized ability brought to him a substantial and representative clientage and he became known as one of the versatile and resourceful trial lawyers and well fortified counselors of Oklahoma.

In 1906, while still residing at Chandler, Judge Robertson became a member of the law firm of Hoffman and Robertson, and this alliance continued until 1908, when he was appointed to the bench of the District Court of the Tenth Judicial District of the state. He served effectively in this office during 1909-10 and was then appointed a judge of Division No. 1 of the Supreme Court Commission, his assumption of this office being attended by his removal to Oklahoma City, where he has since maintained his home.

He continued a valued member of the judiciary of the Supreme Court Commission from 1911 until February, 1914, when he resigned the office to resume the private practice of law. In 1913 he was made presiding judge of the commission and he continued the incumbent of this position until his resignation, as previously noted. Since resuming the practice of his profession Judge Robertson has built up a large and important law business, being a member of the firm of Burford, Robertson & Hoffman.

With no fear of consistent contradiction it may be said that Judge Robertson is one of the most prominent and influential representatives of the democratic party contingent in Oklahoma and he has given zealous and effective service in the promotion of its cause and the supporting of its candidates, both local and national. He had been repeatedly a delegate to democratic county conventions and in 1908 he was delegate to the party's national convention in the city of Denver, where he warmly supported the candidacy and nomination of Hon. William J. Bryan for President.

In 1914 the judge appeared in the primary election as a democratic candidate for nomination for governor of Oklahoma, and he ran a close competitor to the successful aspirant for this nomination. In the ensuing campaign he was an active and zealous worker in the support of the nominees of the party.

In the time-honored Masonic fraternity Judge Robertson is found a prominent representative in this state, as he has completed the circle of both the York and Scottish Rites, in the latter of which he has received the thirty-second degree and in the former of which his maximum affiliation is with Chandler Commandery, Knights Templar, at Chandler, Lincoln County, besides which he is a member of India Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.

The judge is even more influential in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which fraternity he is past grand master of the grand lodge of the state, besides representing the Oklahoma grand lodge in the sovereign grand lodge for many years. Of this latter and distinguished organization he was elected deputy grand sire in 1914, at the meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and was elected Grand Sire, without opposition, at the session held at San Francisco in September, 1915, this preferment being the more notable in view of the fact that the sovereign grand lodge has supreme jurisdiction of the Odd Fellows throughout the world.

In 1898 was solemnized the marriage of Judge Robertson to Miss Olive Stubblefield, who completed her education at the University of Kansas and who was a woman of most gracious personality as well as distinctive culture.

Mrs. Robertson was summoned to the life eternal on the June 1, 1914, and her memory is revered by all who came within the sphere of her gentle and gracious influence. She is survived by two children, Olive Frances and James B. A., Jr., who is of the fourth generation of the family to bear the personal names of James Brooks Ayers in this sequence.