In March 1936, Samuel Bobbitt had some extensive dental work done in the city of Richwood, some thirty miles from the farm. Whe

The Bobbitt Family In America

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In March 1936, Samuel Bobbitt had some extensive dental work done in the city of Richwood, some thirty miles from the farm. When he returned he went to hunt cattle on a cold and rainy day. The weakened physical system caused by the dental work and the overexposure to the elements, caused Sam Bobbitt to develop pneumonia from which he never recovered.

As soon as his illness was recognized a severe, his Uncle Lee Hill Bobbitt, 68 years of age, came to console the family and talk to Sam Bobbitt about religious matters. Lola Summers, sister of Sam Bobbitt came to nurse him, she was a graduate, registered nurse. His brother Sterling Bobbitt took charge of the farm, guided the family, and performed numerous chores while Sam Bobbitt was ill. His brother, Dr. 0. H. Bobbitt was in Florida on vacation at the time and returned as soon as he could, but too late to provide any medical assistance. Sam Bobbitt died at four o'clock in the morning on March 18, 1936. The household was stunned and all were in disbelief that this 47 year old, handsome, healthy man could be dead.

Snow began to fall and soon the ground was covered with twenty inches of snow, some in drifts of several feet. Relatives and friends arrived and the household was filled with people. The weather was so bad that the Tioga Lumber Company offered the use of their railroad cars and train to bring people to and from the house. Undertakers were brought to the home, and relatives from distant places were transported by the Company railroad. Sam Bobbitt was buried in Walker Memorial Park near the graves of his father and mother who had died in 1931.

The brothers and sisters of Sam Bobbitt were very concerned and offered every assistance possible to his widow and three children. Dr. 0. H. Bobbitt paid for all funeral expenses and doctor bills Sterling Bobbitt who was assistant Superintendent of Schools of Mercer County, kept in close contact and frequently drove to the farm on the week ends to give advice and comfort. On March 27th, 1936, he wrote in a letter, "I continue to think of you and wonder if your big snow is gone. The people here were talking of the big snow storm I was in Concord yesterday, attending a training school. The more I see of schools the more I am convinced that we do a pretty good job in the small schools."

Anna Bobbitt said that she knew of no one who could have been more like brothers and sisters than the brothers and sisters of her husband. Lola Summers and her son Charles spent the summer of 1936 on the farm. It was a happy summer, everyone worked hard and the year was a good farm year. The following winter was not so pleasant, the household was lonely and Anna Bobbitt began to want better facilities for the education of her children. Her son Bobby (Samuel Newlon Bobbitt) was attending college in Huntington. During the winter Anna Bobbitt decided that she would move to Huntington and give her children the advantages of better education.

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