Hello “Flint,”

With the additional information you provided, I think I have found some of your Dobbins family. And I am also beginning to understand your frustration/difficulty with locating them on the censuses. I apologize if anything presented here is info you already have found or know.

At the outset, here, though, would you please tell me your source for Dave Dobbins being b in Baton Rouge, LA? The two censuses I found for him give MS as his birthplace, though this could be incorrect.

However, beginning with the best clue that your father Louis was b. 1919 in Leflore Co., MS, I searched the 1920 Leflore Co., MS census for black children b in MS c 1919 and found this family:

1920 MS LEFLORE Beat 5 ED 165 [same ED as Rollins Wimley family in 1920]
13 March sh 21A beg ln 15 dw 345 fam 468
Farm
Dave Davin [sic] head black 40 md MS MS MS farmer wkg on own acct farm 520 on schedule
Ella wife black 30 md MS MS MS
Willi(e or s) son black 4-1/12 single MS MS MS
Charlie son black 1 single MS MS MS
L.W. son black 5/12 single MS MS MS

The name variation, DAVIN, might be explained as enumerator error. I’ve been told that enumerators went door-to-door taking notes which were later transcribed onto the census schedule forms. The accuracy of the census, therefore, depended on the accuracy of their notes and their ability to later decipher what they’d written. But then there’s also the problem of the child, Charlie, a son, when you indicated there was a daughter, Sarah. Though a bit of a stretch, I can see that Sarah might have been recorded as Charlie. Nevertheless, this family is the best fit.

I checked both the WWI Draft Registration Cards and the WWI Civilian Registration Cards and found these Dobbins in Leflore Co.:

WWI CIVILIAN DRAFT REG – not original images, just transcriptions
1. Aaron Dobbins b 8 Jun 1897 in Natchez, Sunflower, MS Black
2. Aaron Dobbins b 8 Jun 1897 in Dad B. [sic], Woodville, MS Black
3. David Dobbins b 14 Mar 1882, birth place not given, Registered Leflore Co., MS black

WWI DRAFT REGISTRATION CARDS – includes images
Will Dobbins 27
Res: Schlater, MS
b 10 Jan 1890, Macon MS
Occ: Farming for Shellm(anna) Planting Co., in Schlater, MS
Dependent: Wife
Race: Negro
Registered in Leflore, MS
Black

Isreal [sic] Dobbins 28
Resides Ruleville, MS
B Nov 10 1889 Natchez, MS
Occ: Farming for George (Yeager) near Ruleville
Dependent; Wife
Married, Race: African
Signed with his mark, “X”
Registered Sunflower Co., MS

Aaron Dobbin 21
Res: Ruleville
B June 8 1897 Natchez, MS
Father’s birthplace: Woodville, MS
Employer: Geo Yeager, in Drew, MS
Nearest rel: Maggie Dobbins, Ruleville

Presuming these men might be related, I searched for them and found the family of Ed and Sarah Dobins:

1910 US MS LEFLORE Beat 5 Dist 75
3 May sh 10A beg ln 38 dw 285 fam 269 [NOTE: Peter & Allis Wimbley are on lns 20 & 21]
Ed Dobins head black 44 md 27y MS MS MS farmer/genl farm employer rents farm #2335 on schedule
Sarah wife black 44 md 27y motherof 7/5 living MS MS MS
Rosa dau black 18 single MS MS MS laborer/farm wage
(Ar)on son black 12 single MS MS MS
Charlie son black 10 single MS MS MS
Henry son black 7 single MS MS MS
Mary dau black 3 single MS MS MS
Dave boarder 24 single MS MS MS laborer/farm wage

1900 US MS ADAMS Beat ED 11
16 & 18 June sh 7A beg ln 24 dw 161 fam 161
Ed Dobbins head black b June [no yrs given except for Lemar] 38 md 16y MS MS MS farmer/rents farm #63 on Schedule
Sarah wife black b May 36 md 16y mother of 7/6 lvg MS MS MS farm laborer
William son black b Apl 15 single MS MS MS at sch
Odie son black b Oct 13 single MS MS MS at sch
Israel son black b Jan 11 single MS MS MS at sch
Aaron son black b Dec 4 single MS MS MS [1920 lvs in Wayne Co., MS – pars bp listed as USA]
Rosanna dau black b June 9 single MS MS MS
Lemar son black b Dec 1900 5/12 single MS MS MS
James Pearls boarder black b Oct 23 single MS MS MS farmer/rents farm #64 on schedule
Alsi(e) Nichols boarder male black b Mch 25 single MS MS MS farm laborer

Regretably, Dave does not seem to be with Ed and Sarah on the 1900, unless he is "Odie." This 1900 entry is the ONLY census hit for a name "ODI* DOB*" adding weight that it probably is him.

That Dave is listed as a boarder on the 1910 rather than a son, is also interesting, but may simply indicate that he was in fact working for his father and actually paying board. Notice that the family was in Adams Co. in 1900.

I’m still looking for any of these Dobbins on other censuses. Dave & Ella’s family seem to have left Leflore Co before 1930. Do you know when they relocated to Chicago? Do you think they should be on the IL 1930 Census?

On the Wimberly side, I found these, which, again, you may already have:

1930 US MS LEFLORE Beat 5 Dist 19
22 Apr Sh 22A beg ln 18 dw 479 fam 509
(Roslie?) Wimley [sic] head female negro 22 wid MS MS MS
Annie dau negro 4-(4)/12 single MS MS MS
Rollin son negro 2-8/12 single MS MS MS
Luther J son negro 3/12 single MS MS MS
NEXT DW #480, fam 510
Rollin S. Wimley head negro 53 md 1x@21 GA GA GA
Amie wife negro 40 md 1x @19 MS MS MS
Minnie dau negro 18 single MS GA MS
Joseph son negro 15 single MS GA MS
Alex [indexed as Oley] son negro 8 single MS GA MS
Pinsie [indexed as Pressie] dau negro 13 single MS MS MS
Sarah Dobins [indexed as Dobias] g.dau. 13 single MS MS MS
Abbe Sanders g.son negro 5 single MS MS MS
(Mane) C Dobins g.son negro 5 single MS MS MS
Jimmie Sanders g.son negro 4 single MS MS MS
Tommy Sanders g.son negro 4 single MS MS MS

1920 US MS LEFLORE Beat 5 Dist 165
12 March Sh 20A beg ln 22 dw 330 fam 449
Farm
Roll(i)ns Winley [indexed as Robina] black 53 md GA GA GA farmer/genl farm wks own acct farm #499 on schedule
Annie wife black 50 md MS AL SC
Minnie dau black 14 single MS GA MS
Bettie dau black 12 single MS GA MS
L. Emma dau black 8 single MS GA MS
Pinkey dau black 6 single MS GA MS
Elin son black 5/12 single MS GA MS
1920 US MS LEFLORE Beat 5 Dist 59
7 Jun sh 3B beg ln 81 dw 67 fam 68
Roland Whimley [sic] black Apr 1870 30 md 10y GA GA GA farmer rents farm #58 on schedule
Annie wife black March 1862 38 md 10y mother of 4/2 living GA GA GA farm laborer
Leanna Alfred sister black June 1881 18 single MS GA GA farm laborer
ELLA WHIMLEY dau black Jany 1890 10 single MS GA GA farm laborer
Follie dau black July 1896 3 single MS GA GA

1910 US MS LEFLORE Beat 5 Dist 75
27 Apr sh 2A beg ln 31 dw 34 fam 35
Roland Wimble head black 35 md 17y GA GA GA farmer/genl farm wks own acct farm #34 on schedule
Annie wife black 29 md 17y motherof 7/7 living MS MS MS
Eva [indexed as Ena] dau black 17 single MS MS GA [enumerator reversed parents’ birthplaces for all children]
A(?)na dau black 14 single MS MS GA
Fannie dau black 9 single MS MS GA
Minnie dau black 6 single MS MS GA
Bettie or Bittie dau black 5 single MS MS GA
Henry son black 3 single MS MS GA
Emma R dau black 4/12 single MS MS GA

MS Marrs 1776-1935
Roland Wimberly md Anna Alford 5 Feb 1892 Leflore Co.


I look forward to hearing your feedback. I let you know what else I can find.

Regards,
Susan Bork