Samuel Arthur Robertson was born in Dewitt, Carroll County, Missouri on July 10, 1867, and died in Brownsville, Texas, on August 22, 1938. He served in World War I, achieving the rank of Colonel. He also served as Sheriff of Cameron County from January 1, 1923 until his resignation in 1926. In addition to the irrigation system known as the San Benito Land & Water Company, he established the San Benito Rio Grande Valley Interurban Railway Co., a network of feeder railroad spurs to transport crops to the main railroad tracks. He also established and operated the electric plant, telephone system, city water works and sewer system at San Benito. He also organized the San Benito Irrigation Company with J.C. Miller, Samuel Spear, and F.W. Hull, and the Los Indios Irrigation Company with R.L. Batts, Alba and O.W. Heywood, and R.E. Brooks. He was Vice President of the Rio Grande Construction Co. which constructed drains for San Benito Cameron County Drainage District No. Three, and Vice-President of the Espiritu Santo Irrigation Land Company. He also served as General Manager of the San Benito Land & Water Company, and served terms on the Board of Directors and as Vice-President, and President of the company. After the company was placed in receivership, he served for a time as one of the court appointed receivers. He was also a visionary who saw the potential of Padre Island and began the first resort on Boca Chica Island called "Del Mar" which blew away in the hurricanes of 1933. In 1904 he founded the city of San Benito.