section_path: Early life and education
section_name: Early life and education
paragraph_text: Early life and education
  
  Robertson was born in Vivian, Louisiana, on April 24, 1946. He was the fifth of seven children of Merritt (née Hale) and James Robertson. Because of financial setbacks during his childhood, the family lived in rugged conditions, having no electricity, toilet or bathtub. The family rarely went into town to buy groceries, and instead "lived off of the fruits and vegetables they grew in their garden; the meat from deer, squirrels, fish, and other game they hunted and fished; and the pigs, chickens, and cattle they raised".
  
  In his book Happy, Happy, Happy, Robertson recalls that "It was the 1950s when I was a young boy, but we lived like it was the 1850s... but we were always happy, happy, happy no matter the circumstances."
  
  Halfway between Vivian and Hosston is Robertson's restored log cabin birth home. The property is owned by Robertson's cousin, Nathan Hale.
  
  Robertson was born in Vivian, Louisiana, on April 24, 1946. He was the fifth of seven children of Merritt (née Hale) and James Robertson. Because of financial setbacks during his childhood, the family lived in rugged conditions, having no electricity, toilet or bathtub. The family rarely went into town to buy groceries, and instead "lived off of the fruits and vegetables they grew in their garden; the meat from deer, squirrels, fish, and other game they hunted and fished; and the pigs, chickens, and cattle they raised".
  
  In his book Happy, Happy, Happy, Robertson recalls that "It was the 1950s when I was a young boy, but we lived like it was the 1850s... but we were always happy, happy, happy no matter the circumstances."
  
  Halfway between Vivian and Hosston is Robertson's restored log cabin birth home. The property is owned by Robertson's cousin, Nathan Hale.