Benton Co., AR - Biographies - Jacob S. Dobkins

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        Date: 20 Jun 1998
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SOURCE:  Goodspeed Publishers, 1890.
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Jacob S. Dobkins, son of Hugh and Hannah (Neely) Dobkins, was born in Arkansas May 1, 1843. The
father was born in Virginia, but immigrated to Tennessee when young, and, although receiving a
limited education, he was a man of more than ordinary ability. He was quite a successful farmer,
and after coming to Arkansas was the owner of 320 acres of land. Hannah (Neely) Dobkins, the
mother, was born in Tennessee, and here married Mr. Dobkins, by whom she had eight children, six
now living: Mrs. Sarah J. Wakefield. Mrs. Margaret A. Newell, Robert, Mrs. ancy McPhail, Mrs.
Melvina Tucker and Jacob S. The two deceased were named James and Alexander. Shortly after his
marriage Mr. Dobkins moved to Missouri, where he made his first start in life, and where he often
worked hard all day for a peck of meal. which he carried home on his shoulder after night. He
remained in Missouri for about ten [p.829] years, rented land, and then moved to Arkansas, where
he rented land for one year. He then went to California, making the trip overland, and was away
from home eighteen months, being engaged in mining the greater part of the time. After returning
to Arkansas he purchased the farm that he had rented, and where he spent the greater part of his
life, selling out a short time before his death and moving to Cherokee City. He here died in
1882. The mother died three years later. The paternal grandfather of our subject was of English
descent, and the maternal grandparents were both of Irish extraction. Jacob S. Dobkins received a
fair common-school education, and remained with his parents until twenty-seven years of age. He
enlisted in Company H. Fifth Texas partisan Rangers, Confederate army, and served for two years.
During that time he was almost exclusively on frontier duty in the Chocktaw and Cherokee Nations,
was in many skirmishes, but no actual battle. After the war Mr. Dobkins went to California, where
he remained six months, when he returned home and resumed work on the farm. In 1869 he married
Miss Nancy McPhail, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth McPhail, the father of Scottish descent and
a native of Kentucky, and the mother a native of Tennessee. Grandfather McPhail was born in the
highlands of Scotland, and the grandmother was of English descent. To Mr. and Mrs. Dobkins were
born four children all now living: Kate, Hugh, James and Maud. After his marriage Mr. Dobkins
purchased his present farm, where he has since lived, and where he now has 103 acres. He has a
good home, and is surrounded by every comfort. In 1886 Mr. Dobkins was elected justice of the
peace, and he and Mrs. Dobkins are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is a member
of the Masonic lodge, and is Democratic in politics, casting his first vote for McClellan and his
last for Grover Cleveland.