Members of the Bobbitt family of North Carolina in the early 1800's were active in politics, teaching, and newspaper reporting.

The Bobbitt Family In America

[26]
Members of the Bobbitt family of North Carolina in the early 1800's were active in politics, teaching, and newspaper reporting. Many members of the family lived and visited the state capitol in Raleigh. During these years we believe that William Bobbitt met and became a close friend of James Knox Polk who later became the eleventh president of the United States. James Polk was born in 1795 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He married Sarah Childress and moved to Maury County, Tennessee about the same time that we believe William Bobbitt moved from North Carolina.

In 1823 or 1824, William Bobbitt, along with his father, and sisters and numerous other North Carolina families moved from North Carolina to Tennessee. In 1823 William was 26 years of age and was the father of four daughters. William settled in Maury County, where he acquired several plots of land containing a large number of acres in each plot.

Between the years of 1824 and 1836, William Bobbitt and James K. Polk had mutual business interests. According to their correspondence they both owned land separately and together in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. During this period, James K. Polk was a Colonel in the army and shared military as well as political interests with William Bobbitt.

In 1834, Sarah Woody Bobbitt died. William and Sarah Bobbitt had the following children.

Eliza Ann Bobbitt born 1818 in North Carolina

Mary Jane Bobbitt born 1819 in North Carolina

Emily H. Bobbitt born 1820 in North Carolina

Peggy D. Bobbitt born 1821 in North Carolina

Julia F. Bobbitt born 1822 in North Carolina

Sarah M. Bobbitt born 1826 in Tennessee

Delitha C. Bobbitt born 1827 in Tennessee

Female (died young) born 1829 in Tennessee

John Benson Bobbitt born 1830 in Tennessee

Matilda V. Bobbitt born 1833 in Tennessee

Nine daughters and one son made the family of William and Sarah Bobbitt.

After the death of Sarah, William became interested in the property that he later purchased in Mississippi for the purpose of owning a cotton gin. In addition to being a farmer, a politician, and a soldier, William was a professional surveyor. The early records of Yalobusha County show many surveys made by William Bobbitt.

William Bobbitt and his family lived in Tennessee from 1823 until 1838 a period of fifteen years. William was 41 years of age when he left Tennessee for Mississippi.

[27]