Greensville-Sussex-Isle Of Wight County Virginia USGenWeb Archives Biographies.....Dobie, Lucan Irene 1861 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 24, 2008, 8:02 pm Author: Leonard Wilson (1916) LUCAN IRENE DOBIE DOBBIE, or Dobie (as it is commonly spelled), is an old Scotch name which genealogists tell us was derived from the given name of Robert. It will be remembered that until the twelfth century, only personal names, or, as we call them, given names, were used. The name Robert was by the Scotch used as a nickname in the form of Dobbie or Dobie; and by the English in the form of Bob. When men began to take surnames, many of these familiar nicknames came in use, and thus we find the English family of Bobbs, derived from Robert, and the Scottish family of Dobie from the same name. The Dobies were evidently people of consequence in Scotland, for they were classed among the gentry. The family has never been numerously represented in America, but at least one family came to Virginia, probably just prior to the Revolutionary War, for one Dobie served in the Revolutionary State Navy, his given name being left blank on the records. Samuel Dobie, and Ann, his wife, were residents of Richmond in 1782. He was a chemist by profession and a slave owner and was at that time fifty-two years of age. In the same year, Nathaniel Dobie was returned as being a resident of Sussex County and was also a slave owner. A representative of this scarce family name, who is now a very prominent citizen of Emporia, Greenesville County, is Lucan Irene Dobie, born in Sussex County, Virginia, about four miles from the court house, in April, 1861, son of John Smith and Mary E. (Briggs) Dobie. Mr. Dobie's grandfather was William Dobie, who lived in Sussex County, and had two sons: John Smith Dobie and Richard Latimore Dobie. William Dobie was probably the son either of Nathaniel or Samuel, as these appear to have been the only two men of the name in Virginia at the time he was born. Of William Dobie's two sons, the younger, Richard Latimore Dobie, was twice married. Richard Augustus Dobie, of Norfolk, Virginia, present Superintendent of Public Schools in that city, was the second son of Richard Latimore Dobie by his first marriage. Louis Taylor Dobie, also of Norfolk, engaged in the insurance business, was the only son by the second marriage of his father with India B. Taylor, a most accomplished lady, daughter of William D. Taylor, a leading merchant and land owner of his day, who lived at Comans Well, a village in Sussex County, Virginia, four miles southwest of the court house. For many years Richard L. Dobie was one of the leading citizens of Sussex County, filling the offices of sheriff and treasurer and other positions of importance and trust many times- always with honor and credit to himself, and to the advantage of the public. He was a leader in the Baptist Church and most highly esteemed by the people of his day. The elder son of William Dobie, John Smith Dobie, spent his entire life in Sussex County; and reared, by his marriage with Mary E. Briggs a family of seven sons and two daughters. The oldest of these, John W. Dobie, married Miss Amanda Moore. He was a Confederate soldier and was mortally wounded in the last day's battle of the desperate struggle at Sailors Creek, Virginia, in 1863. His remains were never recovered and were probably buried with the unknown dead on the field. The second child, Joseph H. Dobie, graduated from Randolph-Macon College with honor and distinction. He had been teaching school several years prior to the outbreak of the War, when he entered the Virginia Cavalry and served the full four years, returning home without injury. He was honored by his people with the position of Clerk of the Court of Sussex County, which office he held for nearly eighteen years. He married Anne E. Cocke, the accomplished daughter of Judge Charles L. Cocke, of Sussex County, Virginia. Joseph H. Dobie, a man of large means, was of high personal character and reputation, and was one of the influential men of his section. His widow yet lives near Sussex Court House, with her two daughters: Mary and Laura Dobie. The third child of John Smith Dobie was Almonte Theophilus Dobie, a graduate of Randolph-Macon College and also a school teacher. He served through the war with his brother, Joseph H. Dobie, in the Virginia Cavalry, and, returning from the army, resumed his occupation of teaching. He married Mrs. Susie F. Greene, widow of the late Dr. James W. Greene. He and his wife are both deceased. The fourth child, Rosa A. Dobie, like her brothers and sisters, was well educated. She married Mr. Romulus Magee, a leading farmer of Sussex County. She and her husband have both died, leaving no children. The fifth child, Adis E. Dobie, served as a soldier for the last two years of the Civil War. He was engaged in the last battle of the Army of Northern Virginia in that disastrous retreat from Sailors Creek, near Richmond. He married Anna Clements, daughter of John Clements, a prominent farmer of Sussex County. He has passed away, but is survived by his widow and their only child, May Dobie, now Mrs. J. W. White. The next child is Lucan Irene Dobie, the subject of this sketch. Arriving at manhood, he engaged actively in business, meeting with a most abundant measure of success in his undertakings, and greatly prospering in his native County which he left in the winter of 1905 to settle in Emporia-where he has since resided. He married, in Isle of Wight County, Nora Lee Moody. Mr. and Mrs. Dobie have one son, Otis P. Dobie. Lucan I. Dobie is counted in his community as one of the best business men of Greeneville County. He is a large holder of real and personal property in both Sussex and Greeneville Counties, a director of the First National Bank of Emporia, and is largely interested in the Equitable Life Insurance Company of New York City, which ranks as one of the leading insurance companies of the world. He is a member of the Methodist Church. While a most unassuming man in every way, democratic in habit, thought and action, he yet wields a strong influence due to his sound judgment and sterling character. Mr. Dobie is the sixth child of this remarkable family. The seventh child, Richard Mason Dobie, lived in Sussex County. He died July 12, 1914, honored and respected. A capable and good business man; he accumulated a fine estate, was highly esteemed in his community, a member of the Methodist Church and unmarried. The eighth of the family was Samuel D. Dobie, who married first, Eugenia J. Moody, and of this marriage there is a son, Samuel M. Dobie, of Petersburg, and a daughter who is a school teacher in the city of Norfolk. He married, secondly, Gracie E. Hood, who died in 1911. The only child of this marriage is Frank, who lives with his aunt, Mrs. L. M. Lee, in Richmond. Meda Briggs Dobie is the ninth and youngest child of John S. Dobie. She married James S. Davis, of Isle of Wight County. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are both living at their residence in Isle of Wight County, where they are highly respected. It is seldom that one finds so large a family as this in which every member, sons and daughters, have proved to be such useful citizens. It is evident that John Smith Dobie and his wife were people not only of sterling worth, but of much force of character. That they were wise in the training of their children is certain and they are entitled to much honor for so great a service. Lucan I. Dobie is justly proud of the splendid family of which he is a member, and to his credit be it said he has clone his full share in sustaining the high standard which seems to regulate the conduct of the entire generation of his family. The Dobie Coat of Arms is described as follows: "Argent, a helmet azure between three crosses crosslet fitchee gules. "Crest: An eagle displayed proper. "Motto: Non minima sed magno prosequor." Additional Comments: Extracted from: MAKERS OF AMERICA BIOGRAPHIES OF LEADING MEN OF THOUGHT AND ACTION THE MEN WHO CONSTITUTE THE BONE AND SINEW OF AMERICAN PROSPERITY AND LIFE VOLUME II By LEONARD WILSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSISTED BY PROMINENT HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WRITERS Illustrated with many full page engravings B. F. JOHNSON, INC. CITY OF WASHINGTON, U. S. A. 1916 Copyright, 1916 by B. F. Johnson, Inc. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/greensville/photos/bios/dobie58gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/greensville/bios/dobie58gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/vafiles/ File size: 9.0 Kb