Author Topic: Dobbins (Dobbyns) family..where do they come from ?  (Read 12285 times)

Offline Robert Stedall

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Re: Dobbins (Dobbyns) family..where do they come from ?
« Reply #18 on: Friday 23 June 17 09:11 BST (UK) »
Have any of you come across a Dobbin family in County Antrim in the late 17th Century, who were the tenants of the O'Neills. They are mentioned in Fighters of Derry by W. R. Young. Captain Peter, Lt. Thomas, Lt. William and Lt. Henry were from Drumseugh and fought in the Jacobite Army. This resulted in their estates being confiscated.

There were also Major John Dobbin, Lt. William Dobbin (an advocate and probably John's son), Captain C. Dobbin and Anthony Dobbin (a magistrate) who all defended Derry. Major John was a great hero after his part in the attack to recover Windmill Hill.

Major John was also the overseer of a will of Nicholas Downing of Drumard near Bellaghy, who died in 1698 and he is described in the will as a cousin of Nicholas. I believe that Nicholas was the son of George Downing the head tenant on the Fishmongers' Proportion at Ballykelly, who moved to Bellaghy in about 1659 and was buried at the island Church at Lough Beg in 1663. I am trying to find the name of George's wife. I do not think that George had a sister in Ulster, who could have married a Mr. Dobbin, so it is more likely either that a Miss Dobbin married George Downing or that Major John Dobbin's mother and Nicholas Downing's mother were sisters. Are you able to identify them?  Robert