This is a photograph of my grandfather James M Dobbs and his first cousin Christine, daughter of Evan Prothro Dobbs and Margaret Hulda Hahr. Evan was a brother of my great-grandfather. Both James and his half-sister, Emita, lived with their uncle Evan when their father was traveling overseas. In fact, Emita spent practically all of her childhood living in the household of her cousins. Emita’s … Continue reading Georgia Cousins
This one is of my maternal grandfather, James M. Dobbs, Jr., taken when he was a teenager in the late 1910s. The inscription on the back reads: “Taken in street in front of Uncle Clif’s house in 1917 or 1918.”“Uncle Clif” refers to Herbert Clifton Dobbs, younger brother of my great-grandfather. While my great-grandfather spent a number of years in South America, Herbert stayed close … Continue reading Jimmy Dobbs (1917?)
In one small photo, my grandfather is wearing a cadet uniform. I know that this is not Georgia Military Institute (GMI) because Sherman’s army burnt it to the ground and there is a golf course there now. My grandfather’s great-grandfather, David Dobbs, was one of the founders of GMI and his grandfather was in the class that graduated two years before the Civil War. GMI … Continue reading Cadet Dobbs
The back of this photo is marked “Helen S. Dobbs – Mexico City”. She was my great-grandmother. There is no date; however, I believe that this photo was taken in the first decade of the 20th century. During that time my great-grandfather was still working for the U.S. Foreign Service. He spoke fluent Spanish and he specialized in Latin America. In the 1890s he was … Continue reading Helen Spiegel Dobbs (1872-1954)
Two photos are of a woman carrying a baby. The house that she is standing in front of looks like Spiegel family home in Dallas. The inscription on the back reads: “Helen M Dobbs and son James M. Dobbs Dallas Texas”. The year would be 1901. There is a very dark photo of a smiling boy standing in front of a picket fence. On the … Continue reading More Dobbs Photos
I have seen this postcard before, but without anything written on it.This photo is of my grandfather, James Monroe Dobbs, Jr. when he was about 4 years old. The date on the card is August 1905 – that would make him 3 1/2. The inscription reads: “Dear Grandma: This is my last photo out gunning. Your loving grandson, Monroe” This obviously was not written by … Continue reading A Postcard From the Past
The following is a excerpt from Gathering Leaves – 2nd Edition My father told me that his paternal grandmother, Della Gaume DeBacker, was born in Ohio before later moving to Kansas. This is all that I knew about my great-grandmother before discovering on my own the story of her family. In 1985, I made a trek to the National Archives branch in southern California. At the … Continue reading My French Connection
The following is a excerpt from Gathering Leaves – 2nd Edition While growing up I knew almost nothing about my maternal grandfather, James Monroe Dobbs, Jr. My grandparents divorced when my mother was about ten years old. I knew that my grandfather had been born in Dallas, Texas July 4, 1902; that he had an older stepsister; that his father was involved in some business … Continue reading Finding the Long Lost
Gathering Leaves is more than just a history of my family. Its original working title was “How I Did It!” Besides all of the detail and footnotes, I hope to convey to the casual reader my tips and tricks for how anyone with access to the Internet can find their ancestors and connect with long-lost cousins. This began as a labor of love twenty-five years … Continue reading Gathering Leaves – The Book
Gathering Leaves 