Hunt, Herbert and Floyd C. Kaylor.  Washington: West of the 
Cascades.  Vol. III.  Chicago, S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917.  
p. 156-157.

DOBBS, JOHN EVANS, secretary and manager of the Citizen's 
Independent Telephone Company, has been a resident of Washington 
for almost thirty years and throughout the entire period has made 
his home in Port Townsend.  He was born in Bridgend, Wales, May 29, 
1874, a son of Milson K. Dobbs, a native of England, who was a 
successful contractor.  Coming to America in 1878 the father settled 
first in Troy, New York, where he engaged in the retail grocery 
business, having been active along that line before coming in the new 
world.  In 1888 he arrived in Washington, establishing his home in Port 
Townsend where he engaged in the contracting business to the time of 
his death which occurred April 22, 1915, when he had reached the age 
of sixty-seven years.  He married Margaret Evans, a native of Wales, 
and unto them were born four sons: Jacob M., a retired government 
official living in Baltimore, Maryland; Milson I., connected with the 
United States customs service in Alaska; John Evans; and David S., who 
died in Port Townsend in 1898 at the age of fourteen years.  The wife 
and mother passed away in 1899 when forty-three years of age.
	John Evans Dobbs was but a young lad of four summers when brought 
by his parents to the new world.  His education was largely acquired in 
the public and high schools of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, supplemented by 
study in the Business College of Port Townsend.  He was afterward 
employed as a bookkeeper until 1911, and in 1912 he became manager 
for the Citizens Independent Telephone Company, which office he has 
since capably filled, and in 1913 he was also elected secretary of the 
company.  In this connection he largely controls the interests of the 
service and has developed the business along progressive lines.  His only 
absence from Port Townsend since coming to the west in 1888 covers 
two years spent as deputy collector of customs at Saint Michael, Alaska.
	On May 16, 1906, Mr. Dobbs was married in Port Townsend to Miss 
Harriette Eloise Heath, who was born in Muscotah, Kansas, a daughter of 
Joseph C. HEath, a merchant of Port Townsend and one of its early settlers.  
They reside at No. 641 Filmore street and they have two interesting 
daughters, Nanette Eloise, born March 9, 1907, and Florence Margaret, born 
January 22, 1913.
	Mr. Dobbs has an interesting military record, having served as a member 
of Company I in the National Guard of Washington of which he was second 
sergeant for six years.  His political support is given to the republican 
party and he has served as deputy assessor of Jefferson county, yet has 
never been an office seeker.  He belongs to the Port Townsend Commercial 
Club and prefers that his public service shall be done as a member of that 
organization or in a private capacity.  His religious faith is that of the 
Episcopal church.  He is serving as a vestryman and is very active in the 
church work.  He is also a valued member of the Masonic lodge of Port 
Townsend in which he is now filling the office of junior deacon.  His has 
been an active and well spent life, varied in its interests and at all 
times in harmony with those progressive movements which tend toward 
the uplift of the individual and the betterment of the community.

Submitted by: Jenny Tenlen

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project.  Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.