Stobo, Robert, 1726-1770

Robert Stobo was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1727. Following the deaths of his parents in the 1740s, Stobo moved to the Virginia colony to seek his fortune as a merchant. In Virginia, Stobo became a favorite of Governor Dinwiddie. As the conflicts of the French and Indian War escalated, Stobo joined the Virginia Regiment. He served as an engineer at Fort Necessity under the command of Lieutenant Colonel George Washington. After Fort Necessity fell to the French on July 3, 1754, Stobo was captured and became a prisoner of war at Fort Duquesne. The French defended Fort Duquesne until November 1758 when they burned and abandoned the site; a year later, the British built Fort Pitt on the ruins.

Virginia militia officer.

Born in Glasgow in 1727, son of William, a merchant, went to Latin School in Glasgow and Univ. of Glasgow. In 1742 went to Virginia to work and became an independent merchant. In 1748 returned to Glasgow to buy goods for shop he set up at Petersburg, Virginia. In 1754 he asked he asked for command of a company and was appointed by Gov. Dinwiddie Captain of a Provincial Virginia and joined Washington's army on the frontier. After the battle at Great Meadows, the British were forced to surrender two hostages; Robert Stobo and Jacob Van Braam. They were imprisoned at Fort Duquesne from which Stobo managed to smuggle out two letters to Gov. Dinwiddie describing the Fort and urging him to capture it. The letter was with Gen. Braddock's baggage which was taken at the battle on the Monongahela. Stobo was sent to Quebec, put on trial and sentenced to death. He escaped and returned to Virginia. He continued his army career and rose to Captain in the Fifth Regiment of Foot. On June 19, 1770 he killed himself with his service pistol. (from Alberts. The most extraordinary adventures of Major Robert Stobo. ; Boucher. Pittsburg and her people, v. 1, p. 12-13) (blue index cards)

Col. James Innes was commander of Virginia forces at Wills Creek.