James Alexander Robertson | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1873-08-19)August 19, 1873 |
| Died | March 20, 1939(1939-03-20) (aged 65) |
| Alma mater | Western Reserve University |
| Occupations | Historian,archivist |
| Known for | The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898 |
James Alexander Robertson (August 19, 1873 – March 20, 1939) was an American academichistorian,archivist, translator andbibliographer. He is most noted for his contributions to the history andhistoriography of thePhilippines and other former territorial possessions of theViceroyalty of New Spain.
James Alexander Robertson was born 1873 inCorry, Pennsylvania.[1] He was the sixth of eight children born to Canadian parents, who became naturalized U.S. citizens after relocating to Corry in 1866. His father, John McGregor Robertson, was a building contractor originally fromVerulam, Ontario, nearPeterborough. His mother, Elizabeth Borrowman Robertson, had emigrated to Canada from her native Scotland as a child.[2]
Robertson's mother died when he was seven. Three years later he and his family moved toCleveland, Ohio, where James completed his secondary education.[2]
In 1892 he enrolled for graduate studies atWestern Reserve University's Adelbert College.[3] He majored in the study ofRomance languages, specializing inOld French, and was awarded hisBachelor of Philosophy degree from Western Reserve in 1896.[4]
In 1902 Robertson became involved in the compilation of a massive multivolume work on thehistory of the Philippines, initially calledThe Philippine Islands, 1493-1803.[5]
On the completion of thePhilippine Islands project Robertson went to theCarnegie Institution of Washington to work in its historical research department (1909–10). In 1910 he moved toManila and became bibliographer and librarian at theNational Library of the Philippines for the next six years. During his time in the Philippines Robertson was instrumental in establishinglibrary science as a discipline for instruction at theUniversity of the Philippines.
Robertson returned to the U.S. and Washington in 1917, taking up a position with the federal Department of Commerce. In 1918 Robertson was the founding editor of theHispanic American Historical Review, anacademic journal devoted to Latin American and Hispanic history. He remained the journal's editor-in-chief until his death.
In 1923 he gained a position as professor atStetson University inDeLand, Florida, and lectured there for the next ten years. In 1935 he moved toAnnapolis, Maryland, as the archivist for theMaryland State Archives' Hall of Records.
Robertson died three years later on March 20, 1939, in Annapolis.
