James Bobbitt was born in Rutherford County, Tennessee on November 21, 1822. James was the fourth son of James and Mary (Gunn) Bobbitt. He moved with the family to Gibson County in 1830 where he attended the public schools of the area. He was one of a group of 51 who in 1848 organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and was a lifelong member of the church.
James Bobbitt was a planter and worked closely with his brothers, John William Bobbitt and Benjamin Franklin Bobbitt, in farming and marketing operations of Gibson County, Tennessee.
On February 19, 1845, James Bobbitt married Eliza Ann Province. Eliza was born on August 12, 1825. The family was first counted in Gibson County in the census of 1850.
Family # 1804, counted December 12, 1850
Benjamin F. Bobbitt 22 (1828) Tennessee James Bobbitt 28 (1822) Tennessee Eliza (Province) Bobbitt 25 (1825) Kentucky Mary Bobbitt 4 (1846) Tennessee Susan Bobbitt 2 (1848) Tennessee
Benjamin F. Bobbitt was married at the time to Martha Ann Dinwiddie who was staying at the home of her parents where she had given birth to their first child on December 4, 1850. \IaVtha died on December 22, 1850 and James and his family continued to make their home with Benjamin Bobbitt.
The children of James and Eliza Ann Bobbitt were:
Mary Ann Bobbitt born Apr. 25, 1846 Susan Jane Bobbitt born Dec. 3, 1848 Eliza Rebecca Bobbitt born Aug. 28, 1853Mary Ann Bobbitt m. William E. Orr Feb. 12, 1865 Susan Jane Bobbitt m. J. P. Snoddy Oct. 17, 1867
Eliza Rebecca Bobbitt m. Dr. James H. Drane May. 1, 1873
Eliza Ann (Province) Bobbitt died on October 22, 1853 just two months after the birth of Eliza Rebecca Bobbitt.
On February 7, 1854, James Bobbitt was married to a widow by the name of Melissa (Hale) Wyatt. The couple were married by the Rev. John M. Grier, the first pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Melissa was born on September 15, 1822 in Gibson County, and was the daughter of Stephen S. and Priscilla Hale.