Untitled
Surnames: Gaskin, Parkin, Willis, Snowden, Mitchell, Kirkpatrick, Beers, Moon, Barber, Tucker
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette, Wisconsin, publ. 1901 - page 273-274
REV. FREDERICK DOBSON, a retired minister and farmer of the town of Platteville, Grant county, has had a long life, in which he has been a man of honor and character, filled with the lofty ambition of doing good, and helping men onward to the Kingdom of God, and has come to his old age commanding the respect and confidence of all who know him.
Mr. DOBSON was born in the County of Durham, England, Aug. 14, 1822, a son of John and Emma (GASKIN) DOBSON, who were born and reared in England. They had a family of eight children, and Frederick was the youngest. Thomas, the eldest son, went to New Mexico when a young man, and spent some few years in that country; returning home to England, he was taken sick on the voyage, and died on the high seas. Joseph, born in England, came first to the coal mines of Pittsburgh on the Ohio river, and two years later to Wisconsin, and settled at New Diggings, where he followed mining for some years. He later settled on a farm. He married Grace PARKIN, of England, and they have four children, Joseph, Emma, Sarah, and John. Ann (deceased) married George WILLIS, and always lived in England. John died in England, when a young man. William is still living in England, where he has for many years held the position of foreman in the iron stone mines. Henry came to Wisconsin in 1857, and worked in the powder mills of Platteville; and he is now living at Rockville, Grant county, where he is leading a retired life. He was first married in England, and has a large family - Thomas, Sarah, Henry (by this first wife), John, William, George and Mary (children of his second wife). James lived and died in England.
Frederick DOBSON during his boyhood received the benefit of the training afforded by the English schools, and was mainly engaged in mining while at home. In 1842 he crossed the ocean, in a sailing-vessel, and the voyage was tedious and protracted, seven weeks being required by the slow-moving vessel to reach the harbor of New York. He came West to Illinois by way of Buffalo and the Great Lakes, and when he reached this State engaged in mining. He was then appointed a preacher in the Primitive Methodist Church, having for his circuit New Diggings, Platteville, and other points. He was the first preacher of his denominational connection in Platteville, and he has frequently preached in the New Church; he has labored as a local preacher for over sixty years.
Mr. DOBSON and Miss Ellen SNOWDEN were married in 1844. Mrs. DOBSON was the daughter of Henry and Ann SNOWDEN, early settlers in Grant county, and was born in England in November, 1823. She grew to womanhood in Platteville, which was the home of her parents until their death. Mr. DOBSON purchased a farm one mile south of Platteville, where he lived until 1862, selling that year and moving to a farm in Iowa county, where he lived until 1895. That year he bought the old MITCHELL homestead, one mile east of Platteville, where he is now living a quiet and retired life. His excellent wife died in 1891. She united with her husband's church early in life, and lived as a devout Christian woman should live. She was the mother of children as follows: John H., born in Platteville in 1845, married Miss Julia KIRKPATRICK, and lived in Lima, where she died in 1891, leaving four children, Frank, Annie, Charles and John. Emma, born in 1847, married Albert BEERS; they settled in Lima, where she died in March 1890, leaving five children, Emma May (born in 1881), Evan (1883), Frederick (1885), Willie (1886), and Clara (1889); Willie, Clara and May being inmates of the home of their grandfather. Miss Elizabeth, born in 1849, is at home. William, born in 1851, died the same year. Mary, born in 1852, is now the wife of Willard MOON, and lives at Boscobel; they have had four children, George, Jesse, Ida and Minnie, the two last dying in childhood. Robert, born in 1854, married Miss Frances BARBER, and resides on Mr. DOBSON's old homestead; they have had five children, Orville, Adda, Maggie (who died when a young lady, in February, 1900), and Edward and Samuel, who died in infancy. Margaret, born in 1857, is at home. Clara, born in 1860, was educated in the schools of Iowa county, lives at home, and with her sister Margaret is rearing the two daughters of their sister, Mrs. BEERS; May, student at the Normal. Frederick, born in June, 1863, in Iowa county, married Miss Mary TUCKER, of Montfort, and lives in Iowa county; they have three children, Marcia, Ellen and Anna.
Mr. DOBSON has always been identified with the Republican party. He was elected justice of the peace in Iowa county, but refused to accept the position. All the family are members of the Primitive Church, in which the husband and father has labored in Christ's cause for over sixty years.
This biography generously submitted by Carol Holmbeck