Descendants of
John David Dobie & Isabella Russell

John Dobie (b. 1812, Dumfries, SCT., d. 1882, Chatsworth, Ont.) and Isabella Russell (b. 1813, d. 1886, Chatsworth). Photo by Wm. Craig, Owen Sound. Laser photocopy courtesy John McEachern.

John David Dobie, born about 1812, Dumfries, SCT¹ (son of William Dobie and Mary Murdock) occupation: Stonecutter, farmer, married in SCT² Mary Isabella Russell, born circa 1813, Scotland³ (daughter of John Russell and Elizabeth Murdoch) died 3-Nov-1886, Owen Sound, Ont.⁴ buried Chatsworth U.C. Cemetery, Grey Co., Ont.⁵. John died 16-May-1882, Chatsworth, Ont.⁴, buried Chatsworth U.C. Cemetery, Grey Co., Ont.⁵. A girl, Elizabeth, age 12, was shown living with this family in the 1881 census. This would probably have been Mary Elizabeth, daughter of William Currie Dobie. Information supplied by Mr. Brent Scollie, of Ottawa (January, 2000) is that two Port Arthur newspapers state that Mary Isabella Russell had just moved into her daughter's house on Boyd Street in Owen Sound. She fell into a cistern and was drowned.

The following is from a biography of John's son, William Currie Dobie, in History of Ontario, Vol 2, pages 796-6, published about 1907:
           "(John Dobie was) a stone cutter and builder by trade, and in 1849 he brought his family to Canada, residing for a year at Dunwich, on the Thames River, in Elgin county, where he engaged in farming, but the occupation proved uncongenial, and he removed to Toronto, where he resumed work at his trade. He was employed on the construction of a number of public buildings in Toronto, and confined his operations for five years to the building interests of that city and of Whitby. In 1855 he again resumed farming in Grey county. Family tradition is that he worked on St. James (Anglican) Cathedral in Toronto, as well as the Whitby Court House."
Ruth (Fleming) Larmour states birth date of 3 April 1812, but has no source (letter of 13 May, 1997). Name "David" from Althea Dobie, letter 1963.
Note on Mary Russell: This is the text of an e-mail sent me by George Ely Russell, June 26, 1997. It was in answer to a query I made about the family tradition that Isabella Russell was in some way connected to Lord John Russell:
           "According to the International Genealogical Index of Scotish parish registers, John Dobie and Isabel Russel had a child baptized at Dumfries 17 March 1835. Isabel Russel was baptized at Dumfries 22 Nov. 1813, daughter of John Russel and Elisabeth Murdoch. The Lord John Russell family has been well-studied and published, and you can be fairly certain that there was no Dumfries connection to that English family. I suggest that you arrange to have the Dumfries Parish Registers checked for all Russel entries. You can access them on microfilm via interlibrary loan at your LDS (Mormon) Branch Family History Library. There was also a marriage at Dumfries in 1829 of a James Russel and a Dobbie woman."

1. John Dobie, born circa 1835, Dumfriesshire, SCT⁶ died 3-Dec-1888, Thessalon, Ont.⁷ Single. Died of "Dropsy".
2. Annie Dobie². This Annie may not have existed. She is not listed with the family in 1841 census in Liverpool, nor is she mentioned in W.C. Dobie's account of his trip across the Atlantic -- he says "there were five of us". She is listed here only because she is in "The Dobie Family", produced by Barbara (Dobie) Kram.
3. David Russell Dobie, born about 1837, Scotland⁸ occupation: Land & insurance agent, married 26-Jan-1860, in Owen Sound, Ont.⁹ Charlotte Ann Shaw, born 4-Oct-1836, Toronto, Ont.¹⁰ (daughter of Thomas or Robert Shaw and Sarah Jane unknown) died 14-Oct-1923, Owen Sound, Ont.¹¹ David died 17-Jul-1900, Owen Sound, Ont.¹² Lived at West Street, Owen Sound at time of death. Mother's name given as "Ann" on marriage certificate. Marriage witnesses: Thos. Shaw, Wm. Dobie. Married by Rev. John A. Williams, Wesleyan Methodist, Owen Sound. Mother-in-law Jane Shaw living with David & Charlotte in 1891 census.
   1. Annie Dobie, born 4-Jul-1863, Ontario¹³ occupation: School teacher.
   2. Jennie Dobie, born about 1866.¹⁴
   3. Isabel Dobie, born about 1869, Owen Sound, Ont.¹⁵ died 18-Sep-1884, Owen Sound, Ont.¹⁶ Died of "Billious Fever".
   4. David Russell Dobie, born 9-May-1871, Owen Sound, Ont.¹⁷ occupation: Lawyer, publisher¹⁸ married 24-Oct-1924, in Owen Sound, Ont.¹⁹ Ruth Eliza Jean Fleming, born 27-Aug-1882, Kilsyth, Ont.²⁰ (daughter of Charles Fleming and Eliza Lydia Warren) died __-Apr-1971, Owen Sound, Ont.²¹ David died 25-Dec-1952, Owen Sound, Ont.¹⁸ buried 27-Dec-1952, Owen Sound, Ont.; Greenwood Cemetery²² See obituary of David Russell Dobie.
      Note on Ruth Fleming: "Eliza Jean" from Ruth (FLeming) Larmour, letter of 13 May, 1997.
   5. Mary Ida Dobie, born 12-Nov-1873, Owen Sound, Ont.²³ married 29-Mar-1899, in Owen Sound, Ont.²⁴ Alexander Stephens Butchart, born 22-Jan-1872, Owen Sound, Ont.²⁵ (son of George McLaughlin Butchart and Mary Chatwin) occupation: Merchant. Mary died __-Jan-1967, Beverly Hills, CA, USA²⁶ Alexander: Marriage witnesses: D. Russell Dobie, Thessalon; Bessie Scully, Owen Sound. Married by Rev. I. Somerville. Connected with the Canada Cement Co., moved to Beverley Hills, Ca. in 1907. Killed in a car accident, possibly 1950's. (Jay Nellis' documents, per Mora Hoskins, Desboro, ON).
      1. George Butchart, Living in Beverly Hills, CA in 1967 (mother's obit).
      2. Frank Butchart, Living in Beverly Hills, CA in 1967 (mother's obit).
      3. Constance Butchart, Living in Beverly Hills, CA in 1967 (mother's obit).
      4. Alan Butchart, died before 1967.²⁷
   6. Allan Cameron Dobie, born 5-Apr-1876, Owen Sound, Ont.²⁸ died 25-Dec-1880, Owen Sound, Ont.²⁹ Died of "Scarlatina Maligna".
4. William Currie Dobie, born 1-Sep-1839, Liverpool, Eng.³⁰ occupation: Police magistrate, married (1) 15-Apr-1865³¹ Sarah Dorothy Coatsworth, born 17-Jun-1842, Perrys Lead Mine, St. Francis County, MO³¹ (daughter of Joshua Coatsworth and Sarah Bowman) died 1-Aug-1879, Port Arthur, Ont.³² married (2) cir 1888³³ divorced, Mary Ann Dobie, born 13-Feb-1851, Ekfrid Twp., Ont.³⁴ (daughter of David Dobie and Flora Roy McRae) died 13-Oct-1931, Glencoe, Ont.³⁵ William died 13-Nov-1928, Port Arthur, Ont.³⁰ See listing of William Currie Dobie and descendants.
   
5. Elizabeth Dobie, born 15-May-1844, Canada⁸⁹ married 3-Apr-1866, in Chatsworth, Holland Twp., Grey Co., Ont.⁹⁰ John McKessock, born 19-Sep-1833, Scotland⁸⁹ (son of J. McKessock and M. Somerville) occupation: Farmer⁹¹ died 28-Sep-1892⁹² buried Chatsworth U.C. Cemetery, Grey Co., Ont.⁵ Elizabeth died 3-Jan-1922⁹² buried Chatsworth U.C. Cemetery, Grey Co., Ont.⁵ John: Marriage witness Wm. Rankin, Holland. Married by Rev. James Cameron of Chatsworth. Date on marriage cert. was 5 April 1866. Name was "John McKissock".
   See listing of Elizabeth Dobie and descendants.
   
6. Alexander Russell Dobie, born circa 1847, Liverpool, England¹¹⁰ occupation: Clerk, turnkey, merchant, married (1) 29-Jan-1875, in Sullivan Twp., Grey County, Ont.¹¹¹ Caroline Frances Cook, born about 1854, Canada¹¹¹ (daughter of Robert Cook and Hannah Dowling) married (2) 30-Aug-1883, in Lefroy, Algoma, Ont.¹¹² Alice Ann Wood, born about 1860, Ashfield (now Amberley) Huron Co., Ont.¹¹² (daughter of William Wood and Mary or Martha unknown). Alexander died circa 1917, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.¹¹³ Lived in Twp of Sullivan when married. Witnesses: Joseph Dobie, Sullivan; Mary Ann Cook, Sullivan. Married by N.D. McDiarmid, Methodist. Shown as widowed in 1881 census. Children Isabella and John not living with family in 1891 census, even though they were 10 & 13 years old.
   Caroline: Caroline had died by the time of the 1881 census.
   Alice: Marriage witnesses: Albert Moore & Etta Wood; Lefroy, Algoma. Married by George H. Kenny. Alice's religion listed as evangelist. Lefroy is about half way between Bradford & Barrie, just east of Hwy. 11, near shore of southern end of Lake Simcoe.
   1. Robert Cook Dobie, (son of Alexander Russell Dobie and Caroline Frances Cook) born 17-Nov-1875, Owen Sound, Ont.¹¹⁴ occupation: Clerk, married 28-Oct-1897, in Thessalon, Ont.¹¹⁵ Agnes Ella Thomson, born 29-Aug-1872, E. Wawanosh Twp., Huron Co., Ont.¹¹⁶ (daughter of William Thomson and Elizabeth McHue) died about 1965¹¹⁷ buried Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery¹¹⁸ Robert died 10-Nov-1945, Blind River, ON¹¹⁹ buried Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery¹²⁰ Marriage witnesses: A.R. Code, Maria Netterfield(?), Thessalon. Married by W.C. Armstrong.
      Agnes: Name is "Egnes" in marriage record. Residence at birth was Lot E-1/2 33, Con. 8, E. Wawanosh Twp.
      1. At least one child and one grandchild. Connected surname is Troke.
   2. Isabella Russell Dobie, (daughter of Alexander Russell Dobie and Caroline Frances Cook) born 5-Dec-1877, Owen Sound, Ont.¹²³ occupation: Teacher¹⁸ married (1) 27-Apr-1904, in Owen Sound, Ont.¹²⁴ William Leroy McMurchy, born 1878, Holland Twp., Ont.¹²⁵ (son of Archie McMurchy and Mary Jane Liddle) occupation: Millwright, died about 1908¹²⁶ married (2) about 1932¹²⁶ Robert Rankin, . Isabella died 3-Feb-1947, Toronto, Ont.; Women's College Hospital¹²⁶ buried 6-Feb-1947, Owen Sound, Ont.; Greenwood Cemetery¹²⁶
      William: Marriage witnesses: John A. Dobie, Mary Baines, Owen Sound. Married by Rev. G.R. Turk.
      1. Frances McMurchy, (daughter of William Leroy McMurchy and Isabella Russell Dobie).
   3. John Alexander Dobie, (son of Alexander Russell Dobie and Caroline Frances Cook) born 3-Feb-1880, Owen Sound, Ont.¹²⁷ died 3-Oct-1913, Owen Sound, Ont.¹²⁸ Died of typhoid fever.
   4. Mary Maude Lansdowne Dobie, (daughter of Alexander Russell Dobie and Alice Ann Wood) born 30-Apr-1884, Thessalon, Ont.¹²⁹ married¹³⁰ unknown Ferris, . Living in Edmonton, AB in 1947 (sister Isabella's obituary).
   5. Harry Wood Dobie, (son of Alexander Russell Dobie and Alice Ann Wood) born 27-Feb-1886, Thessalon, Ont.¹³¹ occupation: Scaler (?), married 21-Dec-1908, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.¹³² May Jones, (daughter of James Jones and Harriet Rapin) Marriage witnesses: Duncan Allieson, Belgren (?) Ont.; Wm. C.C. Scott (?), Sault Ste. Marie. Married by E.E. Scott, Methodist.
   6. Alice Minerva Dobie, (daughter of Alexander Russell Dobie and Alice Ann Wood) born 30-Dec-1887, Thessalon, Ont.¹³³ Living in Sault Ste. Marie in 1947, unmarried (sister Isabella's obituary).
   7. Frank Pringle Dobie, (son of Alexander Russell Dobie and Alice Ann Wood) born 26-Jan-1894, Thessalon, Ont.¹³⁴ died 22-Aug-1894, Thessalon, Ont..¹³⁵
7. Joseph Brydon Dobie, born 9-Feb-1850, Dunwich, Elgin Co., ON¹³⁶ occupation: Farmer, merchant, married 21-Oct-1886, in Keady, Ont.¹³⁷ Jessie Alice Ramage, born 4-Jan-1865, Strathavon, Grey Co., Ont.¹³⁸ (daughter of Thomas Howard Ramage and Janet Amanda Elliot) died 23-Mar-1948, Owen Sound, Ont.¹³⁸ Joseph died about 1940¹³⁸ Married at "Keady in Derby". Marriage witnesses: Mary Helen Stewart & Sarah Harbottle, both of Derby. Married by Rev. John Stewart. Lived at Lot 13, Con. 2, Sullivan Twp.
   See listing of Joseph Brydon Dobie and descendants.
   
8. James Barnes Dobie, born 20-Jul-1852, Toronto, Ont.¹⁶³ occupation: Merchant, married 18-Sep-1877¹⁶⁴ Mary Caroline Lobb, born 31-May-1854, Bruce Mines, Ont.¹⁶⁵ (daughter of Samuel Lobb and Ellen Trainor) died 25-Oct-1920, Thessalon, Ont.¹⁶⁶ buried 28-Oct-1920, Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery¹⁶⁷ James died __-Feb-1938, Sudbury, Ont.¹⁶⁸ buried Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery¹⁶⁹ Canadian Almanac 1875 lists J.B. Dobie as Postmaster of Bruce Mines, Ont. Lived in Sudbury, Ont. in 1928 (W.C. Dobie death notice). NOTE -- check marriage record for number.
   See listing of James Barnes Dobie and descendants.
   
9. Mary Currie Dobie, born 15-Aug-1854, Ontario²⁰⁴ married 3-Sep-1889, in Thessalon, Ont.²⁰⁵ Thomas Buchanan, born 11-Dec-1858, Ontario²⁰⁶ (son of Thomas Buchanan and Mary Jane Warnock) occupation: Merchant, died about 1932²⁰⁷ buried Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery²⁰⁸ Mary died about 1934²⁰⁹ buried Thessalon, Ont.; Little Rapids Cemetery²¹⁰ Lived in Thessalon in 1928 (W.C.Dobie obituary). Birth date of 15 Aug 1857 given on 1901 census (Thessalon), but age stated as 34 on marriage record, making birth year 1854/55. John McEachern states her birth year as 1854. Thomas: Name spelled "Buchannan" on marriage certificate. Witnesses: Charles Dickson and Elizabeth Ervin or Evans, Thessalon. Married by Fred Woodger, Methodist. 1901 census (Thessalon) shows Mary McKessock, born 15-March-1875, living with the family and listed as a "lodger".
   See listing of Mary Currie Dobie and descendants.