James Robertson was an American explorer, soldier and Indian agent, and one of the founding fathers of the State of Tennessee. An early companion of explorer Daniel Boone, Robertson helped establish the Watauga Association in the early 1770s, and helped defend Fort Watauga from an attack by the Cherokees in 1776. In 1779, he cofounded what is now Nashville, and was instrumental in the settlement of Middle Tennessee. He served as a brigadier general in the Southwest Territory militia in the early 1790s.
Robertson was born in Brunswick County, Virginia, of ScotsIrish and English descent. Around 1750, his father relocated to Wake County, North Carolina. He worked on his fathers farm and had limited formal education.
Source: Wikipedia