A Whole Lotta Family - Person Sheet
A Whole Lotta Family - Person Sheet
Spouses
Birth12 Jan 1755, Antrim, Franklin Co, Province of Pennsylvania, BCA11
BurialLower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Cemetery, Gettysburgh, Adams Co, Pennsylvania2618
FatherCapt John Irwin (1725-1796)
MotherMary Ann Hoge (1730-1796)
Marriageabt 1801, Gettysburg, Adams Co, Pennsylvania13
Notes for Rev Alexander Dobbin
Backgrounds of Adams County BY B! A MACPHERSON 184. No. 7-Speaking of Genealogy
IN ANSWER to several requests, we will endeavor to institute a series. of sketches. on the geneology of a few of Adams county's old families.
It is hard to decide just what families to, write of, for naturally everyone will think his or hers important, and: worthy. of mention. However, we have decided in, this. first attempt, to wilte of a family as well, as a home well, known, in Gettysburg, to wit: the Rex. Alexander: Dobbin and the "Dobbin" house.
The Rev. Alexander Dobbin was born, in Londonderry, Ireland, Feb. 27. 1742, and died at his home near. Gettysburg, June 1, 1809.
He. was educated, in Glascow, and ordained the Reformed Presbytery of Ireland and sent as a missionary to this country, coming direct. to what is now Adams county, and. taking. charge of the "Rock Creek" congregation, that had “called” for him. When the Rev Mr. Murray, pastor of the "Old Hill" church, near the border of Carroll's tract left, Mr. Dobbin became, the pastor of that church also, dividing his time between the two congregations.
Mr. Dobbin, was a man of superior mind and education: In the early days of his residence in this county. he took up a tract of land, near what is now the southern portion of the borough, and built thereon, in 1776, a large stone house. From 1776 to 1801 the minister maintained, in this house, the first. classical school, west of the Susquehanna. Many men, prominent in their day and age, were students in this school. Evidently. Mr. Dobbin. was as. thorough a teacher as he was minister.
Nearly everyone is familiar with the exterior of the Dobbin house, but few of us ever had the opportunity to explore the interior. There are twelve large rooms in house, not counting the spring house. The majority of the wood work is oak. There are wide floor boards, mantles old oaken partitions, deep windows with small panes, doors on hinges, handmade by the blacksmith. Rafters are hewn logs, and some of the joists underneath the floor have bark on There are unsealed ceiltings, seven fireplaces running into the great. stone chimneys, flanking the house at either end. In the kitchen is a huge fireplace where the crane of another day hung. A stairway with an old-fashioned bannister, all this in an excellent state of preservation, with a sparkling spring of water flowing urider a flagstone in the spring room. The old house is haunted, but by very frendly, agreeable spirits, who will take you back in imagination to the times and scene. of one hundred and fifty. years ago.
If you will visit the Lower Marsh Creek Cemetery you will find the graves of the Rev. Mr. Dobbin, his two wives and several of his children. Little is known regarding the first wife of Mr. Dobbin. The name on the stone at her grave is "Isabella," and she "departed this life August the 19th, 1800, aged 49 years. At her death she left seven young. children, and probably the worthy divine was at his wit's end to care for them. At last, however, he decided to remarry and started looking for a second wife, not too young, who would be capable of caring for himself and his children.
ALONG the Fairfield road just beyond the Marsh Creek Church stands another stone house built by the pioneer, James Agnew. David Agnew, as son of James, lived in the house, and he had married on July 17, 1768, Mary Erwin, of Antrim Township, Franklin County. Mary was a daughter of John Erwin and his wife, Mary Hodge. A halfsister of Mary. Erwin Agnew was Mary Ramsey, who' married James Agnew, Jr., a brother of David. David Agnew was born July 17, 1743, his wife in July, 1753. He served as an ensign in the Revolution, and died not so long after his return from the war. Family records state that "David Agnew died young" but he could not have been so very young, for he left his wife, Mary, with eleven children.
In due course of time Mr. Dobbin, who evidently felt that he had found the right woman, proposed marriage to Mary Agnew and was accepted. Mary came with her eleven children to live in the Dobbin house. Mary's eleven and the minister's seven made just elghteen children in the household,. and family. history again records that they "dwelt in the utmost harmony."
For those who may be interested we add the names of Mr. Dobbin's children, which are as follows: John, James, Alexander Jr, William, Joseph, Daniel, Matthew, Mary (died young), Isabella, intermarried with John Edie, Jr. The children of David and Mary Erwin Agnew are as follows: Ann, James (died young), John, David, Rebecca, intermarried with Robert Hayes, Mary, intermarried with Samuel Reed, Robert, Samuel (killed July 1814 in war with England), Martha, Smith, James 2nd.
The Gettysburg Times
9/11/1937, page 4 31
IN ANSWER to several requests, we will endeavor to institute a series. of sketches. on the geneology of a few of Adams county's old families.
It is hard to decide just what families to, write of, for naturally everyone will think his or hers important, and: worthy. of mention. However, we have decided in, this. first attempt, to wilte of a family as well, as a home well, known, in Gettysburg, to wit: the Rex. Alexander: Dobbin and the "Dobbin" house.
The Rev. Alexander Dobbin was born, in Londonderry, Ireland, Feb. 27. 1742, and died at his home near. Gettysburg, June 1, 1809.
He. was educated, in Glascow, and ordained the Reformed Presbytery of Ireland and sent as a missionary to this country, coming direct. to what is now Adams county, and. taking. charge of the "Rock Creek" congregation, that had “called” for him. When the Rev Mr. Murray, pastor of the "Old Hill" church, near the border of Carroll's tract left, Mr. Dobbin became, the pastor of that church also, dividing his time between the two congregations.
Mr. Dobbin, was a man of superior mind and education: In the early days of his residence in this county. he took up a tract of land, near what is now the southern portion of the borough, and built thereon, in 1776, a large stone house. From 1776 to 1801 the minister maintained, in this house, the first. classical school, west of the Susquehanna. Many men, prominent in their day and age, were students in this school. Evidently. Mr. Dobbin. was as. thorough a teacher as he was minister.
Nearly everyone is familiar with the exterior of the Dobbin house, but few of us ever had the opportunity to explore the interior. There are twelve large rooms in house, not counting the spring house. The majority of the wood work is oak. There are wide floor boards, mantles old oaken partitions, deep windows with small panes, doors on hinges, handmade by the blacksmith. Rafters are hewn logs, and some of the joists underneath the floor have bark on There are unsealed ceiltings, seven fireplaces running into the great. stone chimneys, flanking the house at either end. In the kitchen is a huge fireplace where the crane of another day hung. A stairway with an old-fashioned bannister, all this in an excellent state of preservation, with a sparkling spring of water flowing urider a flagstone in the spring room. The old house is haunted, but by very frendly, agreeable spirits, who will take you back in imagination to the times and scene. of one hundred and fifty. years ago.
If you will visit the Lower Marsh Creek Cemetery you will find the graves of the Rev. Mr. Dobbin, his two wives and several of his children. Little is known regarding the first wife of Mr. Dobbin. The name on the stone at her grave is "Isabella," and she "departed this life August the 19th, 1800, aged 49 years. At her death she left seven young. children, and probably the worthy divine was at his wit's end to care for them. At last, however, he decided to remarry and started looking for a second wife, not too young, who would be capable of caring for himself and his children.
ALONG the Fairfield road just beyond the Marsh Creek Church stands another stone house built by the pioneer, James Agnew. David Agnew, as son of James, lived in the house, and he had married on July 17, 1768, Mary Erwin, of Antrim Township, Franklin County. Mary was a daughter of John Erwin and his wife, Mary Hodge. A halfsister of Mary. Erwin Agnew was Mary Ramsey, who' married James Agnew, Jr., a brother of David. David Agnew was born July 17, 1743, his wife in July, 1753. He served as an ensign in the Revolution, and died not so long after his return from the war. Family records state that "David Agnew died young" but he could not have been so very young, for he left his wife, Mary, with eleven children.
In due course of time Mr. Dobbin, who evidently felt that he had found the right woman, proposed marriage to Mary Agnew and was accepted. Mary came with her eleven children to live in the Dobbin house. Mary's eleven and the minister's seven made just elghteen children in the household,. and family. history again records that they "dwelt in the utmost harmony."
For those who may be interested we add the names of Mr. Dobbin's children, which are as follows: John, James, Alexander Jr, William, Joseph, Daniel, Matthew, Mary (died young), Isabella, intermarried with John Edie, Jr. The children of David and Mary Erwin Agnew are as follows: Ann, James (died young), John, David, Rebecca, intermarried with Robert Hayes, Mary, intermarried with Samuel Reed, Robert, Samuel (killed July 1814 in war with England), Martha, Smith, James 2nd.
The Gettysburg Times
9/11/1937, page 4 31