Elizabeth (Young) Dobbins (abt. 1832 - 1872)

Born about 1832 in Braxton, Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Dobbins — married 21 Aug 1850 in Braxton, Virginia, United states

Descendants

Died 23 Nov 1872 at about age 40 in Gilmer, West Virginia, United States

Biography

Elizabeth (Young) Dobbins was born in Appalachia, in Virginia.

Native Virginian (Born in Virginia, Now West Virginia as of June 20, 1863)

Her sister was Jane Young (1824 - 1911).

Elizabeth married Thomas Dobbins (1827 - 1887) on 21 Aug 1850 in Braxton. In the 1850 Census, the newlyweds were living in Braxton, Virginia: ^[1]

In the first decade, Elizabeth and Thomas had six children:

1. Eliza Jane born in 1851;
2. Mary Ann born in1852;
3. Susanna born in 1853, and died as a toddler in 1856 at age 3;
4. Nancy born in 1854;
5. Thomas born in 1856; and
6. Lucinda born in 1860.

The family lived in Braxton at the 1860 Census; the oldest was Eliza at 9 years old, and the youngest, Lucinda was 4 months old: ^[2]

During the Civil War, Elizabeth had two more children: Joel born in 1862; and Ella born in 1863.

While still living in the same location this became part of West Virginia in 1863. After the war, there were two more children born before the decade ended: #George born in 1866, and #Lue born in 1867. At the 1870 Census, the family is living in Lincoln, Braxton County, West Virginia: ^[3]

One more child was born to the couple, Martha born in 1871.

Elizabeth died on 23 Nov 1872 in Gilmer, West Virginia, given in the Death Register, Gilmer County. ^[4]

Research Notes

There is a second register recording Elizabeth's death here: Death Register.

In both death records, her age at death is shown as 35 years, 10 months and 4 days, which would make her birthdate 19 Jan 1837, not 1832.

Checking the parents, there is a birth record for Elizabeth Young born in 1856 to John Young and Suzannah Walker - "West Virginia Births and Christenings, 1853-1928", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5PG-FQ4 : 12 December 2019), Susannah in entry for Elizabeth Young, 1856.

It is possible that this Elizabeth is conflated and more research is needed regarding her birth based on the death record, and age differences shown in the Census records. There is an Elizabeth married to Thomas Dobbins; they did have these children, but are her parents correct?

She could not have been born in 1856, and married in 1850, so the 1837 birth is most likely correct, and the parents are not correct. There is no birth record found in the West Virginia archives, and may not exist from Virginia as many records were destroyed during the Civil War. More research is needed.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M88R-MB6 : 23 December 2020), Elizabeth Dobbins in household of Thomas Dobbins, Braxton, Braxton, Virginia, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSX-9K2G?cc=1473181&wc=7QY4-SFW%3A1589436503%2C1589436945%2C1589422206 : 24 March 2017), Virginia > Braxton > Not Stated > image 120 of 123; from "1860 U.S. Federal Census - Population," database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZHQ-72W : 29 May 2021), Elisabeth Dobbins in entry for Thomas Dobbins, 1870.
4. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F12R-65T : 11 February 2018), Elizabeth Dobbins, 23 Nov 1872; citing Gilmer, West Virginia, County Records, v 1 p 1D, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 808,255.

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 03 November 2020, 18:29), entry for Elizabeth Young (PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LWWK-76W ); contributed by various users.