Sheeks-Robertson House
610 W. Lynn St., Austin, TXThe Sheeks-Robertson house was constructed in Austin, Texas in 1876 by Judge David Sheeks and later sold to Judge James H. Robertson who enlarged and extensively altered the house in 1896-97. It is an outstanding example of a large, Victorian house design with a varied and complex parti.
David Sheeks was born in Indiana in 1830. After being educated at Asbury University, Sheeks graduated from the Indiana University Law School and entered into private practice with Joseph E. McDonald, United States Senator. After the Civil War, Sheeks was advised to move to a moderate climate for health reasons. In 1866 he moved to Texas, settled in Austin and again entered into the practice of the law. Sheeks served a term as Judge of the 16th Judicial District. In 1877, Judge Sheeks had built his residence on the north side of Pecan Street (now West Sixth Street) near the city limits.
James H. Robertson (1851-1912) came to Texas from Tennessee in 1874. He established his practice of law and in 1882 and served one term in the State Legislature. In 1884 he moved to Austin and served as District Attorney and later was appointed District Judge by Governor James S. Hogg. Shortly after moving to Austin he bought the at 610 West Lynn. After residing with his family in the house until 1896, he undertook a major remodeling including an addition to the hose.
Robertson resigned the judgeship, formed a Jaw partnership with the former Governor Hogg. Robertson was elected to three terms representing Travis County in the State Legislature.* During these terms, he authored the Robertson Insurance Law which required insurance companies doing business in Texas to invest 75% of their reserves in Texas, a law which had the profound effect of pushing the existing insurance companies out of Texas briefly, causing the establishment of Texas based insurance companies and the by-product of the establishment of the city of Dallas as one of the major insurance centers of the United States.
Judge Robertson died in the house in 1912 and his family has owned the property until the death of his last surviving son in April 1976. For the last few years the house has been rented and is in a deteriorating condition. Exact ownership of the property under the terms of the son's will has not been determined.
* 1907-1911 in the 30th, 31st, and 32nd Sessions
Bibliography
History of Travis County and Austin. 1899. Mary Starr Barkley.
Handbook of Texas. Walter Prescott Webb. 1952.
Monograph, Life of James Harvey Robertson, by Margaret Robertson, unpublished.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.