Joseph Dobson

Joseph Dobson was born Aug 26, 1804 in Oulton Lowe, England to Thomas and Ellen Ravenscroft Dobson. Joseph served in the Mormon Battalion. Joseph is a Pioneer of Richmond.

Early Life and Conversion

Joseph married Elizabeth Fernyhough on Feb 9, 1836 in St. George, England, and together they had four children with only two living to adulthood: Thomas Frain and William Frain. 

The family was converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839. Joseph's son Thomas writes the following:

"My father first heard the Gospel preached in England by Joseph Fielding, Heber C. Kimball, and some other of the brethren when they first opened the mission of the church in England. There was considerable excitement about a strange religion being preached by some young men from America, first in the little chapel of which Joseph Fielding’s brother James was the Pastor. Later meetings were being held in private homes. Feelings were running high as this strange religion was winning many followers. 

"Father and mother went to hear the new preachers, more out of curiosity than real interest. Father said that as soon as he heard them preach and bear their testimonies, he knew within his own heart that it was true. 

The Dobson family began preparing to move to Nauvoo, Illinois in 1841 when Joseph moved by himself to prepare for his family to move west. He sailed on the same ship as President Brigham Young.

"Father was very sad and worried at leaving his young wife with three small boys; I, Thomas, the oldest, next William, and our small baby brother Joseph. Many of our friends as well as most of our family felt that Father was making a terrible mistake, but Mother felt as Father did, that the Lord would see them through if they did the bidding of those whom had been chosen to lead and direct the Church. 

"In due time, after a long tedious trip, Father together with the company of Saints arrived in Nauvoo. Here father found work cutting timber and helping to clear land so the Saints could build homes. He also assisted with the work on the Nauvoo Temple."

In 1842, the remaining Dobson family members began their trek to Nauvoo, meeting Joseph in New Orleans, Louisiana.

"We children were a little shy of the heavy bearded man at first, but soon we got over that when we saw how happy our Mother was to see him. 

"From New Orleans we went by steamboat to what was called South Missouri, where Father obtained work for a short time. It was here the first real sorrow we knew came into our lives. My little brother, Joseph, took sick and soon died; we buried him there in St. Louis. He was such a sweet little baby to leave alone so far away. Shortly after his death, we continued our journey to Nauvoo. Here father constructed a small house from timber that he had cut previously." 

Life in Nauvoo

"Our house was located in the northeast part of town and right at the edge of the timber. We were very happy here. I can still remember my Mother singing about her work and smiling at us children as we played. Father and mother were so happy to be with the Saints; they dearly loved the Gospel and the leaders of the Church. Father worked on the temple part of the time, and he worked part-time wherever he could get work so as to help support his little family. 

"One summer he cleared a piece of land and raised some crops. Father said life looked good to them once more, but it seemed it was only a lull in the storm for amid all the persecutions of the mobs and disturbances that were continually being carried on my Mother suddenly passed away [on Sep 25, 1843] in giving birth to a baby girl which lived only a few hours after her mother died. Both were buried in the same grave on the west side of the temple."

After his wife's death, Joseph did his best to take care of his children and be their provider, first selling their home. The boys were passed from family to family to be taken care of while Joseph worked, and he did so working for John Taylor's father, James Taylor. He was able to purchase a small log home from the Taylors that was close to his work.

While working, he "split his foot wide open with the axe." He was first taken to a doctor in Nauvoo, then was forced to go to a doctor twenty miles south to see another doctor who could treat him. He stayed with this doctor all winter long.

"The next spring father came back up the river looking for his children. It took some weeks before he located us. As he was still crippled, he had to walk with crutches. He was very weak, and his health was poor. We moved back into the little log cabin, and father tried to take care of and provide a living for us. His foot went bad again, and he ran a fever off and on for several weeks. I am sure the reason his foot did not heal was because of improper care and damage done to it before it had healed. 

"The next summer father placed us boys in families to live so he could go to work and get out of debt, as well as provide for us children."

While this was all going on, Joseph Smith was assassinated on June 27, 1844. The Dobson family reunited and moved out to Winter Quarters for protection in 1846.

The Mormon Battalion

On July 1, 1846, Catpain James Allen arrived in Winters Quarters to speak to President Brigham Young with a request from United States President James K. Polk to have 500 men enlisted to help fight in the Mexican-American War. President Young accepted the call, and asked for men in the area to enlist. After taking his sons to trustworthy people, Joseph enlisted.

"For some reason father spoke very little of their long trying experience the following months before reaching their destination in California, except to say there was much sickness and suffering among the company. There were a few children and women in the group. All the soldiers tried to make things as comfortable as possible for those brave souls, but they too suffered much. 

"After the soldiers were released from the service, many wanted to search for gold, but father was anxious to get back to the headquarters of the Church and find out what was happening to his boys. However, he had to work some along the way in order to get means enough for transportation. He walked a great part of the way and occasionally got rides with people who had procured a team of horses or mules. He became very ill at one time while working along the way." 

While trying to go back to Utah, Joseph found it very difficult with sickness and people not helping him due to them only wanting gold. Finally, after some time, he made it to the Salt Lake Valley in the fall of 1848.

Life in the Salt Lake Valley

While in Salt Lake, Joseph purchased a plot of land in Salt Lake City, and worked building his home and on church property. After he did not find his boys in Salt Lake, he went east to Winters Quarters, got them back, and moved back to Salt Lake in 1850.

On Aug 30, 1852, Joseph married Janet Aircheson in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah. Janet was a widow, and already had three children: Jane Tinto, Joanna Murray, and Richard J. M. It's possible that the couple were actually married in the East before being sealed to each other in Salt Lake. Soon after their arrival, the family moved to Lehi, Utah.

Life in Richmond

Joseph and family were asked by Church leaders to move to Richmond. While there, Janet died in 1868.  To help keep himself busy in his old age, Joesph would visit his sons.

Epilogue