[or-roots] David Dobbie So Far

[Connie Guardino]

David Dobbie, 88, resident of Grants Pass, Oregon for nearly half a
century, died December 6, 1973 in Portland, where he had resided near
his sisters since 1968.

Born January 14, 1885 in Glasgow, Scotland, he was a grocery clerk most
of his life, working at Truax and Kinney's grocery for many years, later
at Milledge's grocery. He came to Southern Oregon in 1918, and married
his first wife, Clara Adella Engel, in 1919.

Before moving to Grants Pass, David Dobbie homesteaded in Southwestern
North Dakota, about 25 or 30 miles north of Bowman.

His father, Alexander King Dobbie, a carpenter by trade, followed in
1909, hoping to get work building homes--maybe even bards and sheds.
"Apparently, there was a slump of available jobs in the Hartsdale area,"
said his niece, Virginia Smith Lewis Hanson, a resident of Grants Pass.
He stayed a couple of years then returned to Hartsdale, New York, where
his wife kept boarders in their home.

While homesteading in North Dakota, Alex and Dave Dobbie raised grain in
the "hail belt." Dave said the day he went to Dickinson in Billings
County to file his claim, it was 62 below zero. "Locomotives were frozen
to their tracks," he recalled.

In 1913, he went back to Hartsdale to recuperate from a broken leg.
"Apparently he had been thrown from a horse and dragged quite a
distance," Hanson related. "If I correctly recall, he was taken to the
nearby train depot to be transported to the nearest hospital. He had to
wait two or three days for a train to arrive. His injury resulted in a
permanent limp."

"Dave's brother, Robert, did not join the North Datoka Adventure,"
Hanson said. "Of course, the family blamed Rob's wife, Beth, who was
never a family favorite, for that decision. Whether or not it was truly
her fault, I do not know."

Services for David Dobbie were held at 1pm Monday in Hull and Hull
Chapel with the Rev. O.E. Summers of Assembly of God officiating.
Mausoleum entombment will be at Hawthorne Memorial Gardens in Portland.

Surviving his death were two sisters, Helen Dobbie Radke and Catherine
Dobbie Smith, both of Portland; three nieces,  including Virginia Smith
Hanson and Harriet Smith Guardino, aunt and mother of the author.

David Dobbie was married twice. His second wife was Anne Murphy
Patterson. They were married by Rev. Catherine Dobbie Beresford, first
cousin to Helen and Harriet.

Clara Adella Engel Dobbie, first wife of David Dobbie, died September
25, 1938. She was born November 7, 1882 in Pepin, Wisconsin. She was 55
years, 10 months and 18 days of age.

She lived in Wisconsin and Marmarth, North Dakota, a little town about
25 miles northwest of Rhame, before coming to Grants Pass in 1918 to
become the bride of David Dobbie. They were married in the Newman
Methodist parsonage by Rev. M.T. Wire, then pastor of the Methodist
church in Ashland.

Clara Dobbie was survived by her husband, David Dobbie of Grants Pass;
one sister, Mrs. Lavina "Vinnie" Engel Howard of Keno, Oregon; and three
brothers, Will Engel of Pepin, Wisconsin; Bert Engel of Chippawa Falls,
Wisconsin; and John Engel of Madison, Wisconsin.

"Both of Uncle Dave's wives were buried in Hillcrest. Not sure why he
chose a mausoleum. Perhaps his second wife Anne was buried beside her
first husband. Who knows? Anne died in 1964," according to Harriet Smith
Guardino.

Helen Rose Dobbie Radke, the younger sister of David Dobbie and
Catherine Dobbie Smith, was born July 17, 1894, in Harsdale, New York.
She died March 29, 1994 in Grants Pass, Oregon. Her body was shipped to
Portland, Oregon to be buried in a vault at Lincoln Memorial Park next
to her husband, William Radke.

Helen Dobbie was the second wife of Will Radke. He was previously
married to Clara's sister, Gustie. Radke and Dobbie married in Grants
Pass following her death.