John W. Bobbitt Jun. 1832 67 Kentucky
Julia H. Bobbitt (wife) Sep. 1834 65 Ohio
Eugene A. Bobbitt (son) Jan. 1877 23 Illinois
Ella Bobbitt (dau.in-law) Aug. 1878 21 Mississippi
Elsey Bobbitt (grand-dau.) May. 1899 1 Kansas
From a newspaper in Dawson, Nebraska, written on August 24, 1909.
"While in the act of climbing onto the spring seat of a wagon loaded with apples down in the orchard of 0. C. Ayers, last Thursday, John Bobbitt lost his balance and fell helplessly to the hard, dry ground. Mr. Ayers at once rushed in his automobile to Dawson for a doctor, and a phone call was made to Humboldt which brought Dr. Waggener at the same time. An investigation revealed that the hip joint was badly shattered, besides other internal injuries. Uncle John's legion of friends are hopeful that his indomitable pluck may take him over this sad mishap. It is generally conceded that his advanced age of 78 years makes the case seem a hopeless one.
"Later: Since preparing the above paragraph for the News, word comes that death has claimed the aged sufferer at 7 O'clock Tuesday morning in Dawson, Nebraska.
"John Bobbitt's death the morning of the Old Settlers picnic adds to the impressiveness of the fact that the sturdy old settlers who, in their vigorous young manhood, ventured into the trackless prairies forty and fifty years ago will soon have passed from the stage of action. Few indeed will have left a record for a more active life and checkered career than Honest John Bobbitt. Born in Kentucky about 78 years ago, he moved at an early age with his parents to Illinois. In the prime of vigorous young manhood he led a colony of industrious neighbors in settling the rich country around Dawson. He ranked with the most prosperous and progressive farmers of the west. Following the bent of an active mind, he engaged in the business of stock buying, and as his honest nature revolted at resorting to the "tricks of the trade", too often employed by less scrupulous competitors, after years of hard tusseling with cattle and hogs, he found that while his neighbors were enjoying the profits of his labor, he had only bitter experiences.
"Some twenty years ago with the idea of re-establishing himself and his family on a firm basis on land, he moved to western Nebraska, where he had only crop fail-