TIME LINE FOR JAMES A. DOBBS

                                                   (compiled by Barbara McBride Vaughn)

Approx. 1825-born in Tennessee
 sources: 1850 Williamson Co, TX census
              1860 Claiborne Co, TN census
      1870 Parker Co, TX census (calculated birth-1822)
      1880 Jack Co. TX census

1850  Married Sallie A.___________ based upon the age of their first child.  (see 1870 census and added note)

1850 Milam, Williamson Co. TX census shows Chesley S. 33, Malinda 28, Sarah, 6, Leanna 4, Amanda 2, James 25, and George 27.  (it is believed this Chesley, James and George were brothers)

Approx. 1855- Married Ann_________. Had _____children.

1857-Daughter, Nancy Arminda Dobbs born Jan. 12 1857 in TN.  Her parents were James and Ann.  Ann passed away in TN.  She (Nancy) married a Mr. Paget but became a widow.  At 28 yrs. of age, she joined a group going North to Washington Territory to stake out land claims.  She met and married Henry C. Ehlers, one of the first settlers, Aug 16, 1885.  They had 4 children; John died at age 6 and two acres of land was donated to the community for a cemetery from their very large orchard.  Their other children were Frederick B., James P, and Laura.  Farming, gold mining and writing was their main occupation. (from "History of Palo Pinto County, TX, FHL-SLC  (book) 976.4552 H2p.)

1859-1919-Mary Ellen Dobbs married Reuben Randolph Bradford, 1859-1919.

1860-Ann died of winter fever at 30 yrs of age.  http://www.our-town.com/~brit
After death of Ann, James A., along with his brothers, William M. and Chesley S. and half-brother, George Lee, took James A.'s children, Mary Ellen, Nancy Arminda, James S. and William M. and herd of cattle south to Texas and settled in what is now Dobbs Valley.

1860 Claiborne Co, TN Census:  James Dobbs, age 32, born abt 1828, TN, home in 1860: Subdivision 9, Claiborne, TN, white, male, post office, Tazewell, wife, Sarah, age 28, William, age 10 and Lucy Dobbs, age 65 (could Lucy be James' mother?) There is another James listed in Claiborne Co after James A. left.

Note; Larry and I went to Tazewell in 2008. We searched records at the courthouse and the public library. We found some for Chesley and other Dobbs.  It was a pretty place but very steep hills, built in the mountains. We walked around one cemetery but did not have time on our schedule to do more and it was a very steep hill to climb for most cemeteries.  It is near the Cumberland Gap which makes me wonder if the Dobbs came through it and settled in Tazewell.

1870 Parker Co Census- J.A. Dobs, farmer, age 48, white, male, value of farm $500, born TN, wife, Sallie A., age 37, female, white, keeps house, born AL.; Jane, age 17, female, white, born Texas; William, age 14,male, white, born TX; Arminda, age 12, female, white, born TX; Mary, age 11, white female, born TX; Hillard, age 7, male, white, born TX; Julia A., age 5, female, white, born TX; Parker, age 3, male, white, born TX; Flora, age 2, white female, born TX; John, age 5 mos., male, white, born TX

(note: there is a possibility some of these could be Sallie's children by a previous marriage or for that matter some could have been James by a previous marriage. This census does not state how long they had been married to each other. No other marriages for James or Sallie have been found at this time.

1872- James A.'s brother, Chesley Dobbs was scalped by Indians. Dobbs Valley, TX named after our Dobbs.  James was one of the men that found him. (from history of Palo Pinto Co., TX, Family History Library-SLC,UT  (book) 976.4552 H2p) (also online-do a google search)


1880 Parker Co, TX census-
James A. DOBBS, white, male, age 45, born TN, father born NC, mother bn TN
Sarah J. DOBBS, wife, age 30, born AL, mo and fa bn MO.
Minda DOBBS, white, female, 23, daughter, born TX, fa bn TN, mo bn AR  
H.C. DOBBS, white, male, 17, son, farmhand, born TX, father bn. TN, mo. Bn AL.
Julia A. DOBBS, white, female, 15, daughter, bn. TX, fa. Bn. TN, mo. Bn. AL
James DOBBS, white, male, 13, son, bn. TX, fa bn TN, mo. Bn AL
Flora E. DOBBS , white, female, 10, daughter, bn TX, fa bn TN, mo bn AL
George DOBBS, white, male, 6, son, bn TX, fa bn TN, mo bn AL
Joanna DOBBS, white, female, 4, dau. , bn TX, fa bn TN, mo bn AL
Laurissa DOBBS, white, female, 3, dau. Bn TX, fa bn TN, mo bn AL

(since Sarah bn in AL, this probably means at least Minda  had a different mother, also Sarah would have been 7 yrs. old when Minda was born, 13 when H.C. born, 15 when Julia born. Census does not state how long James and Sarah had been married)

1954-His daughter, Julia's death certificate shows her father: Jim (short for James) DOBBS and her mother as  Flora Boatwright.  (Flora was Julia's sister.  The marriage certificate of James shows he married Sarah J. BOATRIGHT.  I believe Julia's daughter, Mrs. J.L. Willoughby, informant on Julia's death certificate may have gotten her grandmother's name wrong.