Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Page 1097

WILLIAM JOHN DOBBIN. Among those agriculturists of Sedgwick County whose places manifest to the most casual observer the energy and ability of their owner in his chosen calling, is the subject of this personal history. His residence, which is a very handsome and neat one, is situated upon section 21, in Viola Township, where he settled in the fall of 1884. He was born in Washington County, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1836, and is the son of David M. and Charity (Graham) Dobbin, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this ALBUM.

    When our subject was but a small child, his mother died in Franklin County, Ohio, and in 1844 the family removed to DeKalb County, Ill., where William grew to manhood. He was reared to the avocation of a farmer, but having received a good education in the common schools of that portion of the Prairie State, on reaching maturer years he followed teaching for some three years. On the 9th of June, 1859, he was wedded to Miss Sarah A. Stewart, a native of Mahoning County, Ohio, born Aug. 8, 1837, and the offspring of Elijah and Agnes (McGathney) Stewart. After his marriage our subject commenced farming on his own account in DeKalb County, and pursued that, the oldest occupation of man, until he came to Kansas. While a resident of that portion of the country, our subject had the misfortune to lose his wife by death, Dec. 13, 1880. She left a family of six children, viz: Albert, Henry G.; Charity, the wife of Charles Stinson; Stewart and Mabel, twins; and Benjamin N. Feb. 28, 1882, Mr. Dobbin contracted a second marriage, being united with Miss Nancy M. Ferguson, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, April 2, 1837, and is the daughter of James and Nancy (Graham) Ferguson, who had settled in DeKalb County, Ill., in 1852.

    Our subject continued to till the soil of DeKalb County until he owned a farm of eighty acres of land, in 1884, when he came to Kansas and settled where he now resides in Viola Township, and where he has a fine farm of 160 acres of land, which is excellent and well improved, and in a high state of tilth. He carries on what is called mixed farming, giving considerable attention to stock interests, and is meeting with first-class success in this locality. In his political tendencies he was formerly a Republican, but now supports the Prohibition party. He has held township offices frequently in his Illinois home, and is the present Treasurer of Viola Township. Religiously, he is connected with the United Presbyterian Church, of which he is a sincere and earnest Christian member. He squares his life in accordance with the dictates of the Holy Scriptures, and is honored by his fellow-citizens to the fullest extent for his sterling integrity, earnest truthfulness and excellent intentions.

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