Tales of Lost Treasure

post card front

Among the family lore handed down are tales of lost treasure.  The treasure was supposedly accumulated by O.A. Robertson while mining for gold. My dad said O.A. didn't trust banks and hid his money.

According to my grandfather, who was prone to stretch the truth for the sake of an interesting story, O.A. Robertson made quite a bundle mining.  Grandpa maintained that O.A. loaned big bucks to his brother's hospital in Missouri. His  brother was Dr. Duncan Robertson who founded a famous hospital. In addition, O.A. was flush enough in the pocket to vacation every winter in Arkansas my grandfather told Dad.

O.A. Robertson and Jenni Johnson Robertson

The attached photos of post cards I found in my grandfather's papers are from O.A. Robertson.  They are written to Jenni Johnson,  his second wife.  The writing indicates that O.A. was sick.  I don't know if he became sick on his vacation or if the hotel catered to men recovering from illnesses. It seems odd that a chance visitor would have his picture taken in front of a hotel, so I am wondering if O.A. stayed at the Jefferson Hotel to recuperate from something.

Evidently O.A. recovered from his illness, because he later married Jennie Johnson.  My Dad stated that when O.A. died in June of 1926, he sent for grandpa, O.D. Robertson, to come to his deathbed.  O.A's  purpose in sending for his son was to reveal the whereabouts of the treasure.  O.D. almost killed his horse trying to get there before his dad passed away but didn't make it in time.

According to the story, O.A.'s second wife went to Missouri after his death to collect on the loans, but they were too old. Jennie must have been informed on the location of the treasure because she traveled the world after her husband's death, Dad said. Whatever the truth may be, it does make an interesting story.