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James Dobbyn |
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Margaret Ester Drake |
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James Dobbyn★ (Henry, Elizabeth) was born in April 1822
in “Canada English”, according to the 1900 census, which stated that his
parents were born in Ireland and that he was a farmer UN14. All other census records indicate the
same birth year and location, aside from the 1851 Canada census, which recorded
that he was twenty-nine years old (thus born about 1823) and born in Ireland CA85. The record of his birth in the Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths
at St. Thomas, U.C. stated that James was born on May 1, 1822 and baptized
with his older sisters on June 26, 1822 by Reverend Dr. Stewart at Dunwich, Ontario RE16. The death certificate for James “Dobbin” stated that he was born on April 11, 1822 in
“Canaday” to Henry Dobbin and Eliza Bobier. His death certificate seems to have a small error,
because it stated that he died at the age of eighty-three years, seven months, and
twenty-five days, on December 4, 1905. Eighty-three years, seven months, and
twenty-five days before the death date of December 4, 1905 was actually April 9, 1822. Most likely, the error was in the
number of days old he was at the time of his death, because his death
certificate was filed on December 5, 1905, so the date his death occurred was
certain, and without the knowledge of his birthdate, the calculation of his age
would not have been possible.
The death
certificate for Margaret Dobbyn stated that she was twenty years old when she
married, and his death certificate stated that he was twenty-two years old at
marriage, which indicates that their marriage occurred in 1844. The 1900 census
indicated that he married Margaret Drake circa 1845 and immigrated in 1860 UN14.
At the time of the
1851 Canada census, James “Dobin” was a Methodist
farmer from Ireland who lived in a one-story log house with his family CA85. Per the 1870
census, his son, George, was born in Canada about 1854, and his next child, Curtis,
was born circa 1858 in Michigan UN12, so this would seem
to indicate that the Dobbyn family immigrated after 1854 but before 1858, but the
1870 census may have recorded
inaccurate information regarding the ages of the Dobbyn children, which would
make this an unreliable document to estimate their immigration year. Their son,
John, was eleven in 1860, twenty-five in 1870, and thirty-two in 1880. Curtis
was not enumerated on the 1860 census, then was said to have been twelve years
old on the 1870 census, and then in 1880, he was only eighteen. The daughter of
James and Margaret, Jane Elizabeth Dobbyn, stated that she was born on October
5, 1853 in Mosey, Kent County, Ontario, Canada FE1, yet the 1870 census reported that she
was twenty. Captain O.W. Rowland stated that James, Margaret, and their family
immigrated to Michigan in April 1854 RO27.
He had emigrated
from Canada by April 1854, however, because three separate land office records
dated April 11, 1854, April 21, 1854, and April 26, 1854 show that he purchased
land in Van Buren County, Michigan CO39. General Land Office
records state that land patents were issued to James Dobbyn of Berrien County,
Michigan (and then later of Van Buren County, Michigan) on October 1, 1855 GE4. These land
patents were for 120 acres (the west half of the northeast quarter and the
northeast quarter of the northeast quarter in Section 32, Township 2 South),
eighty acres (the south half of the northwest quarter in Section 32, Township 2
South), and an additional eighty-acre parcel (the east half of the southeast
quarter in Section 31, Township 2 South) GE4. His three parcels in Section 32 were
adjacent to each other, and were located in the north
half of that section BO36.
His fourth parcel, which was in Section 31 (which is west of Section 32) was
located kitty-corner from his westernmost parcel in Section 32 BO36.
According
to Captain O.W. Rowland, James and Margaret purchased 320 acres of land in Section
32 RO27, but this does conflict with General Land Office Records and the
non-population agricultural censuses of 1870 and 1880. The book History of
Berrien and Van Buren Counties,
Michigan with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches agreed with Rowland regarding the date
that James moved to Michigan, but reported that James
bought 280 acres in Section 32 HI8.
The
Dobbyn family temporarily stayed with John Peters while James built a cabin,
and for six weeks, sixteen people lived under one roof HI8. James was a Justice of the Peace in 1857, the Deerfield Township
(now known as Covert) clerk in 1857 and 1860, and the treasurer in 1866 to 1867,
and 1877 to 1878 HI8. The
first schoolhouse in Covert Township was constructed near James and Margaret
Dobbyn’s farm; Geraldine Taft, age fourteen, was
the first teacher, and the age of her students ranged from four to fourteen FR18.
The 1870
non-population agricultural census recorded that he owned forty-eight improved
acres and sixty-two unimproved acres. He owned three horses, three milk cows,
two working oxen, three “other” cattle, five pigs, and twenty sheep. The 1880
non-population agricultural census showed that he owned 110 tilled acres, two
acres of pasture, five milk cows, eleven “other” cows, four calves, twenty-three
pigs, forty chickens, and eight sheep. James and Margaret lived next door to their daughter and
son-in-law, Jane and George Hale, in 1880 UN13. It is indeterminate if he was the “Mr. Dobbin
of Watervliet” who in August 1883 constructed a new type of plow “that for
beauty of workmanship, simplicity of structure, lightness of draft and
efficiency in the performance of its work is not to be excelled” TH10.
The
death certificate for James “Dobbin” stated that he
died at 10:00pm on December 4, 1905 in the village of Coloma or Watervliet
Township, Berrien County, Michigan (both locations were written as his place of
death). His death was caused by senility, according to the medical examiner.
James was to have been buried at Fish Cemetery in Covert Township. A
representative from the Berrien County Probate Court stated that no probate
record for James Dobbyn was located in their record
books.
·
1851 Canada Census: lived in Aldborough, Elgin County, Canada West (Ontario).
·
1860
US Census: lived in Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1870
US Census: lived in Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1880
US Census: lived in Covert Township, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1900
US Census: lived in Covert Township, Van Buren County, Michigan.
Margaret Ester
Drake★ (William, Hannah) was born in March 1824 in “Canada
English” according to the 1900 census, which indicated that her father was born
in New York State and her mother was born in New Brunswick. The other census
records in which she was enumerated concur with this information, except for
the 1851 Canada census, which stated that both she and her husband were born in
Ireland CA85. Her death certificate listed the first
and last names of her parents, and indicated that she was seventy-seven years,
seven months, and fifteen days old at the time of her death and was born on
March 11, 1824 in Canada. Margaret’s maiden name was also mentioned in A
History of Van Buren County Michigan RO27. Her father was in Charlotteville,
Ontario in 1816 LA11 and in Aldborough,
Ontario in 1833 LA9. The location of those two former townships, on the
northern coast of Lake Erie, are less than ninety miles apart, and Margaret was
probably born in or near one of those townships.
Margaret was the
mother of William, Henry Lesley, John, Richard Sylvester, Jane Elizabeth, George,
Curtis, Mary A., and Ella V. Dobbyn. Her death certificate
stated that she was the mother of eleven children, but just five were alive in
1901. William Dobbyn (or “Dobin” CA85) was born on April 5, 1845 WO1, about 1844 CA85, 1845 UN11, UN13, UN15, or April 1845 UN14 in
Canada CA85, UN11, UN13, UN14, UN15 and immigrated to
America in 1854 UN15.
William Dobbyn, thirty-three, married
Mary Ann Roby, twenty-one, on March 15, 1878 in Jackson County, Kansas WO1, KA2. William and Mary Ann lived in Liberty
Township, Jackson County, Kansas in 1880 UN13.
He was a widower by 1900, when he lived in Watervliet, Berrien County, Michigan
with his children, Maggie, Bertha M., and Charlie R. Dobbyn UN14. He relocated to Mancelona, Antrim
County, Michigan by 1910 with his daughter, Maggie UN15. The
Antrim County, Michigan death certificate for William Dobbyn stated that he was
born on April 5, 1845 in Canada to James Dobbyn and “Margeret”
Drake, and died at age seventy-three years, nine months, and twenty-one days on
January 30, 1919 from apoplexy MI21,
which is caused by a stroke or cerebral hemorrhage.
Henry Lesley Dobbyn
MI23, who was born on September 9, 1846 RO27, WO1, MI21, was allegedly a
twin to a brother who died in infancy RO27. Census records
indicate that Henry L. Dobbyn (or “Dobin” CA85) was born about 1846 CA85, UN13 or
1847 UN11, UN12, UN14, UN15, UN16
in Canada CA85, UN11, UN12, UN13, UN14, UN15, UN16.
Henry Lesley Dobbyn married Martha “Allan” Johnson on April 19, 1869 in
Watervliet, Van Buren County, Michigan; both were twenty-two years old and were
from Deerfield MI23.
According to her Van Buren County, Michigan death certificate, Martha’s middle
name was “Alice”, rather than “Allan”, and she was the daughter of Newton
Johnson and Alice Olds who died on April 1, 1932 MI21. Henry L. and Martha Dobbyn lived in
Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan in 1870 with their one-month-old
daughter, Ida Bell UN12.
They lived in Covert Township, Van Buren County in the census years of 1880,
1900, 1910, and 1920 UN13, UN14, UN15, UN16. The
Van Buren County, Michigan death certificate for Henry L. Dobbyn stated that he
was born on September 9, 1847 in Canada to James Dobbyn and Margaret Drake, and
died at age seventy-nine, eight months, and nineteen days on May 28, 1926 in
Covert Township, Van Buren County from senility MI21.
John Dobbyn (or “Dobin” CA85) was born about 1845 UN12, 1847 CA85, 1848 UN13, or 1849 UN11 in Canada CA85, UN11,
UN12, UN13. John
Dobbyn was enumerated with James and Margaret in 1870 in Deerfield and in 1880
in Covert Township UN12, UN13. The
Van Buren County, Michigan death certificate for John Dobbyn stated that he was
the son of James Dobbin and Margaret Drake and he died as an unmarried man of
heart disease at age forty-nine years, four months, and twenty-six days on
September 26, 1897 in Covert Township, Van Buren County MI21. If this information is correct, he was
born on April 30, 1848.
Richard
Sylvester Dobbyn was born on May 18,
1850 WO1. Census records indicate that Richard Dobbyn was born
about 1848 UN12 or 1850 UN11, UN13 in
Canada UN11, UN12, UN13. Richard Dobbin, age twenty-six of
Deerfield, married Amanda J. Willis, age eighteen of Bangor, on March 30, 1876
in Bangor Township, Van Buren County, Michigan MI23. Richard and Jennie “Dobyn” lived in Liberty Precinct, Valley County, Nebraska
in 1880 UN13.
He allegedly was killed while employed at a sawmill in Pinconning Township when
a circular saw malfunctioned WO1.
A gravestone for Richard S. Dobbyn, located at
Pinconning Township Cemetery in Pinconning, Bay County, Michigan, states that
he was born on March 18, 1850 and died on April 22, 1896 (a photo of the
gravestone can be found on the Find a
Grave website). A death record which shares similarities with this
account stated that “Jno. Dobbins”, a
thirty-six-year-old married man from England, died in an “accident” in
Pinconning, Bay County, Michigan on April 24, 1896 MI21. Jennie
Willis was enumerated in Bangor Township, Van Buren County, Michigan in 1900
with her sons, William and John Dobbins UN14.
Jane Elizabeth Dobbyn was born on October 5, 1853 in Mosey, Kent
County, Ontario, Canada, FE1.
George
Dobbyn was born about 1854 UN12, 1857 UN11, UN15, 1858 UN16, UN17, UN18, in May 1855 UN14, or in May 1857 MI21 in Van Buren County MI23,
Michigan UN11, UN12, UN15, UN16, UN17, UN18.
In 1900, George Dobins was enumerated in Comins Township, Oscoda County, Michigan with his wife
whose name began with the letter “E” (who was born in Wisconsin) and his three
sons, Frank L., Frederick R., and Albert C. Dobins UN14. He stated that he had been married for
seventeen years UN14,
which indicates that he married in 1883. The Oscoda County, Michigan death
certificate for his wife, Emily E. Dobbyn, stated that she was born on January
3, 1861 to John Eagar, and she died on May 31, 1906 in Comin Township, Oscoda
County. This death certificate stated that she was twenty-two years old when
she married, also indicating a marriage year of 1883. His son, Albert C.
Dobbyn, died at age nineteen from an accidental drowning on April 20, 1909 in
Frederick Township, Crawford County, Michigan; his death certificate stated
that he was the son of George Dobbyn of Michigan and Emma Eagar of Wisconsin MI21. George Dobbyn, age fifty-two of
Mancelona, Michigan, married Anna Davis, age fifty-four of Mancelona, on
December 16, 1909 in Mancelona, Antrim County, Michigan MI23. This marriage record stated that
George was born in Van Buren County, Michigan to “Jas. Dobbyn” and Margaret
Drake, and that each party had been married previously MI23. In 1910, George and Anna lived in
Mancelona, Antrim County, Michigan with Anna’s grandchildren, Glen O. and Ila N. Davis, as well as an eleven-year-old girl
named Glades Wood, whose relationship to George stated “home” UN15. They lived next door to James and Myrtle
Padget UN15.
They were still in Mancelona in 1920 UN16,
but Anna died before 1930, when George was listed as a widower in that census
year UN17.
He lived alone in 1930 and 1940 in Mancelona UN17, UN18. He died at age eighty-five on December
11, 1942 in Kearney, Antrim County, Michigan MI21.
Curtis
Dobbyn was born on November
6, 1861 MI5, WO1, MI21 in
Coloma, Michigan MI21. Census records indicate that Curtis Dobbyn was born about
1856 UN16, 1858 UN12, 1861 UN15, UN17, 1862 UN13, or November 1861 UN14 in
Michigan UN12, UN13, UN14, UN15, UN17. He married Rachel
Louise (or Louise Rachel) about 1884 UN15
or 1885 UN14
when he was twenty-three years old UN17.
Curtis was not enumerated with Rachel Louise in 1900; instead
he lived with his thirteen-year-old son, Lawrence, in Hillman Township,
Montmorency County, Michigan UN14.
Curtis and Louisa R. UN15,
Louise UN16,
or Rachel L. UN17
Dobbyn lived in Avery Township, Montmorency County, Michigan in the census
years of 1910, 1920, and 1930 UN15, UN16, UN17.
The Montmorency County, Michigan death certificate for Curtis Dobbyn stated
that he was born on November 6, 1861 to “Jas. Dobbyn” and “Marg… Drake” in
Coloma, Michigan, and died at age seventy-five years, four months, and three
days from apoplexy on March 9, 1937 MI21. Curtis
and Louise Dobbyn share a gravestone at Avery Cemetery in Avery, Montmorency
County, Michigan (a photo can be viewed
on the Find a Grave website).
Mary Dobbyn was born
about 1862 in Michigan UN12. Mary A. Dobbyn,
the daughter of James and Margaret Dobbyn, died at age six
years, ten months, and twenty-two days on
October 5, 1870 in Deerfield Township, Van Buren County, Michigan from diarrhea
MI3. Based on her age at the time of her death, Mary may
have been born on or around December 14, 1863 MI3. Another child named William Dobbyn, who was born about
1864 in Michigan UN12, was enumerated with James and Margaret in 1870, but was
not listed with them in 1880, and may not have been their son. Margaret was
said to have been the mother of Ella V.
Dobbyn, who died as an infant in 1867 WO1, but the death
record for Ella Dobbyn, which stated that she died at the age of one month and
six days on October 21, 1867 in Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan, also
stated that her parents were James and Jane Dobbyn MI3.
The Van Buren County, Michigan death
certificate for Margaret Ester Dobbyn, signed by her son-in-law, “G.W. Hale” of
Coloma, stated that she died at 8:30am on October 26, 1901 in Covert Township,
Michigan, from “Organic Heart Disease”, and her burial location was to have
been Fish Cemetery in Covert Township. The death
certificate stated that she was born to William Drake of New York and Hannah
Montrose of Nova Scotia on March 11, 1824 in Canada.
·
1851
Canada Census: lived in Aldborough, Elgin County,
Canada West.
·
1860
US Census: lived in Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1870
US Census: lived in Deerfield, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1880
US Census: lived in Covert Township, Van Buren County, Michigan.
·
1900
US Census: lived in Covert Township, Van Buren County, Michigan.