William Heny Robert, Sr. was born June 15, 1821 on Cotton Hill Plantation, Jasper Co., South Carolina, the second son and child of Rev. James John (Jehu) Robert, Jr. and Phoebe Mosse McKenzie.  His first wife was Georgia Washington Clark (1822 - 1870), whom he married at the age of 19 in Columbia, Richland Co., South Carolina.  They had ten children - three sons, all doctors, and seven daughters.  

While living in Georgia, Rev. Robert became President of the Southern Female College at LaGrange, Georgia in 1859.  During the Civil War Rev. Robert, who had been ordained in 1846, was a missionary in the Army.  After the war he moved to Arkansas in 1866 and continued his ministerial work.  Georgia died in May 1870 in Arkansas.   He then came to Texas, laboring 3 years as a youth evangelist.  It is possible that during this time in Texas, Rev. Robert, aged 52 years, married Antoinette Emily Lea Bledsoe Power in Washington Co., Texas in 1874.  They lived in Mississippi where he did evangelical work for two years before returning to Texas.

In 1884 Rev. Robert operated a school for boys in Denison, Texas while his younger brother, Alexander John Robert operated Robert Select School for Girls in 1896.

In the summer of 1884 Rev. W.H. Henry, wife, and son, W.H. Henry, Jr. and wife, visited relatives and friends in Centreville, Mississippi.  They returned on October 12  and a notice in the October 21 newspaper stated that "...Rev. W.H. Robert, formerly of this city but now of Centreville, Mississippi...." (The Sunday Gazetteer, October 21, 1884).  

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, July 21, 1889
pg 4

The residence of Rev. Dr. W. H. Robert on Owings street was Monday night the scene of a most pleasant event. It had reached the hour of 8 p.m., and the good doctor, seated at a window in the rear part of the house, was deeply engrossed in the enjoyment of the cooling southern breeze when a knock at the front door followed by the sound of many footsteps in the street without, attracted his attention. Perhaps he thought it was a wedding party in quest of his services. Perhaps, he remembered hearing sounds like this before, in the days when he was more active in service and before he became a city missionary. Perhaps, a recollection that that day was the sixty-eighth anniversary of the day on which he first saw the light come to him and something of the truth was communicated through the medium we call apprehension. But be these conjectures true or false he was not long in doubt as to the identity of the invaders, or the nature of their mission. Headed by Rev. W. E. Tynes, pastor of the First Baptist church, they surrounded the reverend doctor and congratulations  were showered thick and fast upon him. The the besiegers began to unburden themselves of their more substantial tokens and packages and parcels were heaped around the doctor until they threatened to hide him from view. After the donation exercises were over and the reverend elder had pocketed a purse containing a neat sum in coin of the realm, the party proceeded to take possession of the premises and to enjoy themselves enthusiastically during the balance of the evening. It was a late hour when the company dispersed, all going to their homes with pleasant recollections of the event.

William Henry Robert died in 1900 at Centreville, Wilkinson Co., Mississippi.  William Henry Robert Jr. is buried in Belton, Texas.