Laura Bobbitt was the mother of four sons and three daughters, who were all born in Hill County, Texas. The last of her childre

The Bobbitt Family In America

[20]
Laura Bobbitt was the mother of four sons and three daughters, who were all born in Hill County, Texas. The last of her children was Mattie Martha Bobbitt who was born on August 31, 1895. Mattie was the first of Laura's children to be born during the busy, serious, harvest season. Probably due more to overwork and physical exhaustion, Laura Abigail (Duff) Bobbitt died on December 7, 1895. Her oldest son was only twelve years of age and her youngest child was only four months old.

During this difficult period, Captain James and Malinda Bobbitt, parents of Joseph Bobbitt joined the family and helped to run the household and look after the children.

Norman Haynes Bobbitt a brother of Joseph Bobbitt was married to Sallie Stowell Ficklin. They lived in nearby Floyd County, Texas. Norman and Sallie frequently visited their family in Hill County, and on several occasions Irene Ficklin, a sister of Norman Bobbitt's wife went with them on these visits.

On December 3, 1896 Joseph Alderson Bobbitt married Irene Ficklin in Hillsboro, Texas. Irene was the daughter of William Alexander and Eliza (Stowell) Ficklin of Freestone County, Texas. Irene Ficklin was 23 years of age at the time of her marriage and a woman who was fearless of work, responsibility, and what surely must have looked like an awesome task to be the wife of Joseph Bobbitt and a mother to his seven children.

Irene (Ficklin) Bobbitt was an attractive woman with the appearance of being frail. She had the devotion to her husband and their family which comes only from absolute unfaltering love. She had the ability to keep the family from feeling separated and all the children grew to maturity with the feeling of being full brothers and sisters and unified in one family. Irene Bobbitt was the mother of six sons and three daughters, and a devoted mother to the six surviving children of Joseph Bobbitt's previous marriage. In the year of 1900 the household consisted of Joseph, Irene, the eight children, and Captain James and Malinda Bobbitt. The "Plum Hill Ranch" raised cotton, cattle, and produced dairy products as a means of supporting the household. Long hours of hard work was an ever present necessity for each and every member of the household during all the week days. Sunday was carefully observed with as much attention paid to the preparations as was frequently required on a so called day of work.

"Faith in God" was the only hope these large families had to keep them from facing the realities of life that were always on the brink of disaster, death, illness, and possible starvation. Faith, education, and work were so constantly stressed that the fifteen mature children of Joseph Bobbitt were all recognizable for their excellent personalities and in many instances for their outstanding character, ability, and accomplishments.

[21]