JOHN DOBBIN. Deceased. – It now becomes our privilege to place in these enduring chronicles of Union county a brief review of the career of the esteemed gentleman whose life was passed largely in this section, and who so lived that he won the respect and confidence of all, and our record would be quite incomplete did there not appear this memorial to this exemplary citizen and worthy man.
Native of Ohio, born March 3, 1841, he was removed at the age of three years to Illinois by his parents, William and Mahitable Dobbin, where he grew to budding manhood on the farm, and at the age of seventeen years turned to the west with an adventurous spirit and desire to explore its resources and search for himself its treasures. He landed in Pike’s Peak country in the midst of the excitement that prevailed there in early times and spent some time in frontier experiences and then returned to Illinois. In 1863 he started on the perilous and arduous journey across the plains to Oregon, where he embarked in farming and stock raising. A goodly measure of success attended his industrious efforts, and for years he was one of the substantial and stanch citizens of the county and prominent in political matters. He was a charter member of the Masonic lodge in Union, having assisted in organizing the first lodge there. August 6, 1891, at the age of forty-nine, he was called to lay down the cares and burdens of this life and pass to the world beyond. His funeral was a time of universal mourning, he being beloved and esteemed by all. The widow, Mrs. Florence Dobbin, with five children, was left to mourn the sad loss, and upon her has fallen the burden and cares of the family. Mrs. Dobbin is a native of Indiana, but was taken by her parents to Missouri when an infant, and when she was nine years of age was brought to Union county, her father, D.W. Johnson, being an early pioneer here. In this county occurred her marriage with Mr. Dobbin and they became the parents of five children as follows: Hattie, Margaret, John, William and James. Mr. Johnson resides in Union county, but his wife died here in 1892.