DESCENDANTS OF
JOHN DOBIE & JEAN THOMPSON

This is transcribed from a photocopy obtained from the Dobie Clan of North America. Following the transcript is a genealogical chart with the information contained in the document.

James Dobie, of Crummock, F.S.A., Scot. Procurator-Fiscal, writer and bank agent in Beith, was eldest son of James Dobie, of Grangevale, merchant and bank agent in Beith, by Janet, eldest daughter of William Wilson, of Bourtrees, in the parish of Lochwinnoch. His great-grandfather, John Dobie, who owned a farm in the parish of Kirkconnell, being involved in the cause of the Covenant, had to flee his country for a time, - having made over his property temporarily to a friend. On his return, his friend, who had turned loyalist, had also converted his temporary trust into permanent posession, and the Covenanter settled in Douglas, where he married Jean Thompson of Glenim.

His son John, born 1693, married Jean White, grand-daughter of James White, of Egerton, in the parish of Douglas, whose family had been occupiers of that farm for about 200 years prior to the Revolution. James White, of Egerton, had also been a sufferer for his Covenanting principles, and was charged as guilty of rebellion at Bothwell, and in 1680 was prosecuted in absence, forfeited, and ordered to be executed whenever apprehended. In 1681 a proclamation was issued for apprehending him and others, and in 1684 he was ordered for transportation to America. After the Revolution he is named in the Act of William and Mary, which rescinded the fines and forfeitures of the preceding reigns of despotism and persecution (vide Wodrow, [sic] App. Vol. II., Note 160).

His son James, who lived in Kennoch-head, married Elizabeth Broadfoot, by whom he had three children, the eldest of whom, Jean, married John Dobie as above. His great-grandson, John White, for many years Resident Surgeon in the Madras Presidency, latterly member of the Oriental Club, died, unmarried, in London, on 13th November 1873.

Bookplate of Wilson Dobie Wilson

John Dobie and Jean White had two sons and two daughters. James, the eldest son, settled in Beith in 1777, and married, secondly, Janet Wilson (as before stated), then relict of John Fulton, of Barcosh and Auchinlodmont, and mother of the late John Fulton, of Grangehill. He purchased, in 1800, a part of the lands of Hill of Beith called the Common, which he sold in 1802 to John Fulton, of Grangehill, from whom he and his spouse acquired in 1808 the small property, part of that estate, and afterwards called Grangevale, where they resided. By her he had James, the Annotator; William, who latterly resided at Grangevale, and occupied himself in antiquarian and literary pursuits, author of "Parish Churches and Burying-grounds of Ayrshire" of "Kilhirnie" in the Statistical Account of Scotland, and was a contributor to various antiquarian works and periodicals; he died in 1868; Robert, died unmarried in Jamaica; Jane, married Lieut. William Lyons, now Captain R.N., and died in 1867, leaving issue, Janet Wilson, and Wilson Dobie Wilson, in the Board of Trade; Fulton, died unmarried in Honduras, 1813; Elizabeth, died at Grangevale, in 1846, unmarried; and Wilson, who, on the death of his maternal uncle, Robert Wilson, M.D., of Chapel Place, Cavendish Square, London, for many years Resident Surgeon in the Presidency of Bengal and at Oude, succeeded to his fortune, by destination and royal sign manual taking the name of Wilson in addition.

Wilson Dobie Wilson, Advocate, F.S.A. and F.R.S.E., married Georgina, fourth daughter of John Bird Sumner, Bishop of Chester, afterwards Primate of England. He died suddenly at Grangevale in 1838, leaving issue, Mary, who died in 1851, and Robert Dobie, Barrister-at-Law, London. An essay on an ancient cross at Kilmory, in Argyleshire, which has been read by him at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries, was, with a preliminary notice of the author, privately printed at Edinburgh in 1839. James Dobie, of Grangevale, died in 1819. He was of a literary turn of mind, and left, among others, a MS. "History of Beith", quoted by the editor in the article on "Byith Kirk," ante.

James Dobie (the Annotator) married Margaret, second daughter of John Shedden, of Morishill (see Art. "Pedderland"). Besides attending to his public duties, the town and parish were indebted to him for many gratuitous services, more particularly when distress or disease overtook the community, and the inhabitants were not ungrateful. They invited him to a public meeting, and presented him with a silver claret jug, bearing the following inscription:- "Presented to James Dobie, Esquire, writer in Beith, by his fellow Townsmen, as a mark of their gratitude for his many and valuable gratuitous services to the Public during a period of upwards of 20 years. 1835".

In 1836, on the death of William Wilson, of Crummock, Mrs. Dobie's uncle, this property was vested in her and her husband, and became thenceforth his family residence. His leisure hours were almost wholly devoted to literature and antiquarian research, and he was a zealous member of the Maitland and Spalding Clubs. His "Examination of the Claim of John Lindsay Crawfurd to the Titles and Estates of Crawfurd and Lindsay", published by Blackwood, Edinburgh, in 1831, met with a favourable reception from legal critics, and was regarded generally as a complete exposition of the groundlessness of these claims. He was the author of sundry pamphlets on Sabbath Observance, Reform, etc., and he contributed largely to the Statistical Accounts of Beith, Largs, and Milwinning, and in the form of Essays and Reviews to periodicals of the day. His unpublished MSS. are numerous, and on various subjects, - and his "Beith Papers", a collection in MS. and type, of Acts, Law Papers, Inventories, Pedigrees, Pamphlets, Placards, and Broadsides, constitute a grotesque series of eighteen folio volumes. The only work intended for publication, left unfinished, was that on Cuninghame, now published. Since the year 1825 it had occupied his winter evenings, and was long and familiarly known as "Pont". He died at Crummock, suddenly, on 29th June, 1853.

James Dobie and Margaret Shedden had issue:-

1. James, W.S., Edinburgh, who died in 1840.
2. John Shedden, now of Grangevale (the Editor).
3. Barbara Wilson, died 1845.
4. Janet Wilson, died 1842.
5. William Wilson, author of "Recollections of a Visit to Port Philip, Australia, in 1852-55." published by Murray and Son, Glasgow, 1856. He was latterly a merchant in Genoa, and died at Exeter, 14th December, 1864.
6. Jane Elizabeth; and
7. Robert Shedden, drowned while attempting to cross on horseback the ford of Garnock, near Kilbirnie Kirk, during a sudden flood, caused by a thunderstorm, on "Brinnan's Day," 1842.

Following is a genealogical chart derived from the information contained in the above document.

John Dobie, occupation: Farmer, m. Jean Thompson.  Owned a farm in the
parish of Kirkconnell, being involved in the cause of the Covenant,
had to flee . . . lost his property. On his return he settled in
Douglas. Jean: Of Glenim.
     I.   John Dobie, b. __-___-1693, m. Jean White, (daughter of
          James White and Elizabeth Broadfoot) John Dobie & Jean White
          had 2 sons & 2 daughters, of which James was the eldest son.
          Jean: Grand-daughter of James White of Egerton in the Parish
          of Douglas.
          A.   James Dobie, m. (1) unknown, m. (2) Janet Wilson,
               (eldest daughter of William Wilson and unknown; widow
               of John Fulton). James died __-___-1819, Grangevale.
               1.   James Dobie (son of James Dobie and Janet Wilson)
                    occupation: Writer and bank agent, m. Margaret
                    Shedden, (second daughter of John Shedden and
                    unknown). James died 29-Jun-1853, Crummock.  "The
                    Annotator" of the Cuninghame document.
                    a.   James W. S. Dobie, d. __-___-1840.
                    b.   John Shedden Dobie, Of Grangevale -- the
                         editor of "Cuninghame".
                    c.   Barbara Wilson Dobie, d. __-___-1845.
                    d.   Janet Wilson Dobie, d. __-___-1842.
                    e.   William Wilson Dobie, occupation: Author,
                         merchant, d. 14-Dec-1864, Exeter.  Author of
                         "Recollections of a Visit to Port Philip,
                         Australia, in 1852-55", and latterly a
                         merchant in Genoa.
                    f.   Jane Elizabeth Dobie
                    g.   Robert Shedden Dobie, d. __-___-1842,
                         Kilburnie Kirk.  Drowned while attempting to
                         cross on hoseback the ford of Garnock, near
                         Kilburnie Kirk, during a sudden flood, on
                         "Brinnan's Day".
               2.   William Dobie (son of James Dobie and Janet
                    Wilson) d. __-___-1868.  Author of "Parish
                    Churches and Burying-grounds of Ayrshire",
                    "Kilbirnie", etc.
               3.   Robert Dobie (son of James Dobie and Janet Wilson)
                    d. Jamaica.  Unmarried.
               4.   Jane Dobie (daughter of James Dobie and Janet
                    Wilson) m. William Lyons, Capt., occupation:
                    Officer, Royal Navy.  Jane died __-___-1867.  Left
                    issue.
               5.   Fulton Dobie (son of James Dobie and Janet Wilson)
                    d. __-___-1813, Honduras.  Unmarried.
               6.   Elizabeth Dobie (daughter of James Dobie and Janet
                    Wilson) d. __-___-1846, Grangevale.  Unmarried.
               7.   Wilson Dobie (son of James Dobie and Janet Wilson)
                    m. Georgina Sumner, (fourth daughter of John Bird
                    Sumner and unknown). Wilson died __-___-1838,
                    Grangevale.  Upon the death of his uncle Robert
                    Wilson, Wilson Dobie took the name of Wilson Dobie
                    Wilson, and inherited Robert's estate.
                    a.   Mary Dobie, d. __-___-1851.
                    b.   Robert Dobie, occupation: Barrister at Law.
                         Practised law in London in 1870's.