Contents

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Introduction

Welcome to my family history website.  This page covers the family of John Angus' mother, Judith Dobson.  The Dobson family comes from Lancashire, England where their ancestry can be traced back to the mid-1700s with some uncertainty. Unfortunately we don't know very much about the early history of this family.  If you are just arriving here for the first time then you may wish to start here.

Please Note: This page is intended only as a narrative historical overview of this family.  There is additional detailed information available for almost ever person presented on this page.  To avoid the unnecessary work of double-entering some data, the additional information can be found in the accompanying GEDCOM database.  Please make sure you click on the INDEX button at the bottom of the page so you don't miss out on potentially valuable additional information.

Acknowledgments

The research presented on this page is not mine alone.  It contains information submitted by all the Fellow Researchers listed below.  I am indebted to them for their generous contributions.  This page is intended as a place for researchers to freely and cooperatively share our research with each other.  It would be too cumbersome a task to reference each piece of data as to which researcher it has come from.  The information shown on this page should be understood as a product of ALL of the Fellow Researchers.  I am merely the editor and not the sole author. - Ryk

The Origin of the Surname Dobson

The surname Dobson has two known origins. 

1. The first is Scots and/or Welsh in origin. In southern Scotland and northwest England (especially Cumbria) "Dob" is a nickname form of "Robert", similar to the modern "Bob".  Thus, Dobson means "son of Robert".  In southern Scotland Dobson is associated with the Robertson Clan.

2. It has been suggested that the surname can also be found as an Anglicization of the an early Norman or French Huguenot name, "D'Aubison", meaning "from Aubison", however no such place can be found.  It may also be a derivative of "d'Aubigne" which is a place in France where the Reformation had a strong influence and many Huguenots did come from this area.  (More information can be found on the Huguenots here.) 

Given that our family came from Lancashire, it seems more likely that the first origin pertains to our family.

Click here to learn more about surnames.

The Dobson Family in Lancaster, Lancashire

Richard Dobson and Margaret Geldart

The earliest verifiable ancestor for our Dobson family is Richard Dobson, a weaver, who was born in England around 1760.  It is believed that he was born in Lancaster as the son of another Richard Dobson, but this is not certain.  A vast number of possible Richard Dobsons exist in the IGI. The following entry has the most promise:

RICHARD DOBSON, Male, Christening: 07 JUN 1766 Saint Mary, Lancaster, Lancashire, England, Father: RICHARD DOBSON, Batch No.: P005901

It is believed that Richard Dobson, the weaver, had the following siblings:

1. Mary DOBSON b: ABT 1768 in England.  She married on 22 SEP 1793 in Bolton Le Sands, Lancashire, England to Jonathan DODD b: ABT 1768 in England, a coal dealer from Tewit Field coal yard.  They had the following children:
   1. John DODD b: 17 AUG 1800 in Borwick, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   2. Ann DODD b: 16 FEB 1802 in Borwick, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   3. William DODD b: 16 OCT 1803 in Hutton, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   4. Thomas DODD b: 30 MAY 1805 in Hutton, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   5. Mary DODD b: 17 MAY 1807 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   6. Robert DODD b: 13 DEC 1808 in Hutton, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   7. Rebecca DODD b: 13 MAY 1811 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   8. Elizabeth DODD b: 18 APR 1813 in Hutton, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   9. James DODD b: 8 FEB 1815 in Hutton, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
2. William DOBSON b: ABT 1773 in England.  He married on 2 JUL 1798 in Warton, Lancashire, England to Mary DICKINSON b: ABT 1773 in England.  They had the following children:
   1. John DOBSON b: 28 OCT 1798 in Silverdale, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   2. Robert DOBSON b: ABT 22 NOV 1807 in Silverdale, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
3. Margaret DOBSON b: ABT 1769 in England.  She married to Thomas RICHARDSON b: ABT 1769 in England, a farmer and animal husbandman.  They had the following children:
   1. Rachel RICHARDSON b: 21 JAN 1803 in Camforth, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   2. Isabella RICHARDSON b: 13 JAN 1806 in Camforth, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   3. Thomas RICHARDSON b: 14 MAR 1808 in Camforth, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   4. Elizabeth RICHARDSON b: 12 MAR 1814 in Carnforth, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   5. Thomas RICHARDSON b: 20 FEB 1816 in Carnforth, Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England

Richard Dobson, the weaver, lived in Silverdale, west of Warton on the west coast of Lancashire.  Richard married on 4 FEB 1788 in Warton Near Lancaster, Lancashire, England to Margaret GELDART.  She was born ABT 1768 probably in Warton, Lancashire, England as the daughter of Rev. William Geldart, curate of Silverdale in Warton parish.  Richard and Margaret had the following children:

1. Mary DOBSON b: 13 FEB 1789 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England of whom nothing is known.

2. William DOBSON b: 12 JAN 1796 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  William was baptized by his grandfather, Rev. William Geldart: Lancashire: Warton - Parish Register, 1568-1812, County: Lancashire, Country: England, Wm s. of Richd & Margaret Dobson of S[ilverdale]; 12 Jan 1796 23 Jan 1796 N. B. Both grandsons of Revd Wm Geldart, curate of S[ilverdale] & baptd by him.  William is believed to be found in Blackburn in 1841 and shown as born in Westmorland.  To be followed up.

3. John DOBSON b: 18 MAR 1798 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England of whom nothing is known.  It is believed that in 1841 he was working as an innkeeper and caring for his nephews Geldart and Richard. (to be followed up)

4. Richard DOBSON b: 9 FEB 1800 in Warton near Lancaster, Lancashire, England who married Ann, whose birth surname is unknown.  They had the following known child:

   1. William DOBSON b: ABT 19 MAR 1836 in St. John's, Preston, Lancashire, England

5. Geldart DOBSON b: 20 OCT 1802 in Silverdale, Warton Near Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  He married Jane Knowles and the story of their family continues below.

6. Edward DOBSON b: 13 MAY 1807 in Lonsdale, Yorkshire, England of whom nothing is known.  It is not certain that Edward is from this family.  Believed to be the Edward Dobson shown in 1841 living in Blackburn and having been born in Westmorland.

Geldart Dobson and Jane Knowles

Geldart Dobson was born 20 OCT 1802 in Silverdale, Warton Near Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  His unique name comes from his mother's maiden name.  Some records mistakenly refer to him as "Gilbert Dobson".  Geldart married firstly on 3 SEP 1826 in Samlesbury, Lancashire, England to Anne RIGBY.  It is presumed that Anne died shortly after they were married.  There are no known children from this marriage. Geldart married secondly on 11 SEP 1830 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England to Jane KNOWLES, who was born 24 SEP 1806 in Preston, Lancashire, England, probably the daughter of Thomas Knowles of Preston, Lancashire.  The 1851 census records Geldart as a cotton factory manager.  The 1861 census records his widow, Jane, as a "publican's widow".  A publican was the owner of a public house, or "pub".  Strangely, his family was living in two separate houses next door to each other with the adults residing at one address and the children at the other.  Perhaps one address was the pub and the other was their residence.  They had the following children:

1. William G. DOBSON b: 1830 in Preston, Lancashire, England.  In 1851 he is recorded as a cotton factory mechanic, presumably working for his father.  He cannot be satisfactorily identified in later census records and may have died or emigrated.
2. Jane DOBSON b: ABT 6 FEB 1831 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England.  Jane married before 1861 to a man whose surname was CLEGG, but whose first name is unknown.  They have not been found in later census records and nothing more is known about them.
3. Geldart DOBSON b: ABT 23 DEC 1832 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England.  He worked as a cotton factory millwright, presumably for his father.  He married ABT JUN 1874 in West Derby, Lancashire, England to either Ellen GRAHAM or Dorothy JONES.  Geldart has not been identified in the 1871 or 1881 census and thus nothing more is known of him.
4. Richard DOBSON b: ABT 12 OCT 1834 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England.  He married ANN, b: 1827 in Eton, Cheshire, England.  He worked as a cotton factory mechanic and engineer, presumably for his father.  Richard and Ann had the following child:
   1. Robert Clarke DOBSON b: 1846 in Bury, Lancashire, England.  It is suspected that Robert may have been a child from a previous relationship of his mother. Richard would have been only 12, but Ann would have been 19 when Robert was born. Thus it is presumed that either the 1861 census has his age wrong, or Robert is actually the step-son of Richard Dobson.
5. Thomas DOBSON b: ABT 11 MAR 1839 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England
6. Margaret DOBSON b: ABT 23 APR 1841 in St. John, Preston, Lancashire, England
7. Isabella DOBSON b: 26 JUN 1843 in St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
8. John Preston DOBSON, born in Lancaster, but baptized on 29 NOV 1845 in St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.  He married Alice WILKINSON.  Their story continues below.
9. Mary DOBSON b: 1 FEB 1848 in St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England
10. Thomas DOBSON b: 11 FEB 1851 in St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England

John Preston Dobson and Alice Wilkinson

John Preston DOBSON was born in Lancaster, but baptized on 29 NOV 1845 in St. Peter, Liverpool, Lancashire, England.  He lived most of his life in the Castle district of Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  In his teens, he worked as an apprentice millwright, presumably with his brothers in his father's factory.  Later he worked as a coal carter and then as a general cart driver.  He married firstly ABT SEP 1868 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England to Alice WILKINSON b: 1848 in Glasson, Lancashire, England.  It is believed that she died sometime between 1881-1884, possibly in childbirth with Isabella.  John married secondly ABT DEC 1886 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England to Rachel Elizabeth BORWICK b: 1848 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  There are no known children from the second marriage.  John Dobson and Alice Wilkinson had the following children:

1. William DOBSON b: 1870 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  There are too many William Dobsons to accurately identify him in 1891/1901 census.
2. Thomas W. DOBSON b: 1873 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  He is believed to be the Thomas Dobson found in 1891 working as a printer's labourer and boarding with the family of John Dickinson in Castle, Lancaster, Lancashire, England.
3. John DOBSON b: 1875 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  He is believed to be the John Dobson who was an inmate in a reform school in Dolphinholme, Bleasdale, Lancashire, England in 1891.
4. Judith DOBSON b: ABT 22 OCT 1876 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  She married ABT JUN 1895 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England to Thomas Robert ANGUS b: 11 NOV 1875 in Castle, Lancaster, Lancashire, England.  They had the following children and then immigrated to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  This is the author's family and their story is continued on the Angus Family Page.
   1. Thomas W. ANGUS b: 15 NOV 1895 in Lancashire, England
   2. John ANGUS b: 19 MAY 1898 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England
   3. Ethel ANGUS b: MAY 1900 in Lancashire, England
5. Margaret Alice DOBSON b: 1880 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England
6. Isabella DOBSON b: ABT 18 DEC 1881 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England

This ends the known descendants of our Dobson family in Lancashire.

Fellow Researchers

People researching this family include the following.  If you wish your name added to the fellow researchers' list, please contact me.

Index & Personal Information Pages (GEDCOM)

For more information on any individual person featured on this page, please:
1. click on the INDEX button below,
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Legend

Contact

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This page was last updated on March 11, 2009