Thomas McIntyre Dobson and Amanda Gee Dobson

Amanda Mariah Gee 1861-1924

Amanda is the oldest child of Orlando Lysander Gee and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Bates.  Her family was living in Batesville, Tooele, Utah, when Amanda was born on March 19, 1861. She would be followed by; Mary Melvina, Orlando Lafayette, Laverne Emerette, Orrisa Elizabeth, Lysander Parley, Ella Diana, Ormus Adrian, Minnie Destimonia, Evelyn Venetta, and  Ardella Althera.  Being the eldest child, she probably was kept very busy, helping with household chores and tending the younger children.Both of Amanda's parents were among the Mormon Pioneers seeking shelter in the west, where they could practice their religion with out persecution.  She was a child pioneer.  Anyone being born in Utah prior to May 10, 1869 or arriving prior to that date are considered Utah Pioneers. After that date, the railroad was a big source for people traveling to Utah.
Batesville was named in honor of her Grandfather Ormus Ephraim Bates and later, changed to Erda, when the railroad came through.

Amanda met and married Thomas McIntyre Dobson on 28 of January 1878 in Tooele, Tooele, Utah.  They became the parents of 14 children.  

1.Annie Maria Dobson Alexander 1878-1958.   Annie Mariah Dobson was born in Kanab, Kane, Utah, on November 4, 1878, Her father and mother moved with their family to Circle Valley or Circleville, Piute, Utah. It was there that she met her future husband, Robert Angus Alexander, whose family had moved from Washington, Utah to Circleville.  She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and nurse. She used to go with the doctor and help with babies coming into the world and then stay and assist the mother and family for a time. She worked hard and did all those things that was necessary to care for a large family in pioneer times. She and her husband were among the first people to homestead land in the Uintah Basin.  They had a large family and while they went through many trials and challenges, such as losing some of their precious children in their infancy and younger years, they remained true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Annie  served as a primary president and other callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -day Saints.  She died July 12, 1958 in Salt Lake City, Salt lake, Utah, due to complications of diabetes.

2.Thomas Henry Dobson 1880-1951, Thomas was the oldest son.  He married his love, Sarah Alger Dewitt and helped her raise her two boys from a previous marriage.  He was born on the 20 of September 1882 in Kanab, Utah.  He died on the 15 October 1951 in Panaca, Lincoln, Nevada.

3.Mary Elisabeth Dobson Christiansen 1884-1940,  Mary was born on the 20th of March 1884 in Kanab.  She was born deaf and did not understand much about the world she lived in.  Still she married Hyrum Robert Christiansen and they had  a child named Nina Rose.  She was only married about a year when Hyrum died in 1918.  For a time Mary was hospitalized and her family helped raise her daughter.  She died on 11 January 1940 in Provo, Utah. She was buried in the Monroe City Cemetery in Monroe, Sevier, Utah.

4.Isabelle Dobson Cooke 1884-1948, Isabelle was born on December 8, 1885 in Kanab, Utah. She married Benjamin Cooke and was the mother of several children. She died on January 4, 1948 in LaPoint, Uintah, Utah,

5.Orlando L. Dobson 1886-1908,  Orlando was born on 24 April 1886 in Fredonia, Coconino, Arizona. His grandfather Thomas F. Dobson was among the first settlers of the area.  Consequently, Thomas McIntyre Dobson and his wife Amanda were living in the area too.  Orlando died from accidently shooting himself in the groin when removing his gun from a sheep wagon, while sheep hearding near Minersville on January 12, 1908, Beaver, Utah. See Death Certificate at Utah Death Index He was 21 years of age.

6. Joseph E. Dobson 1887-1906, Joseph was born in Circleville, Piute, Utah and died on May 1 1906 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, of Peritonitis.  He had appendicitis.  He was buried in Circleville on May 6, 1906.

7. George Watson Dobson 1890-1950,  George never married, he took care of the younger siblings after his parents passed away.  He was born on December 23, 1891 in Circleville, Piute, Utah. He died on the 24 of May 1950 in Circleville, Piute, Utah.

8.Parley Adrian Dobson 1892-1916,  Parley died in a Ogden Jail. He was found hung by a wire.  The death certificate was issued under the name of John Henry Dobson.  One or two of his brothers came looking for him, He was buried in a paupers grave.  They had the body exhumed, identified him as Parley and had his body transported to Circleville, where he is buried in the family plot. He was 26 years of age.  Some mystery remains concerning this incident and the story I heard from my mother was; Parley may have been robbed of his wallet and the money he had earned as a sheep herder. (See Utah Digital Newspapers for details.)

9.Vera Ardella Dobson 1896-1896, 

10.  Robert Lafayette Dobson 1898-1931, Robert Lafayette served in World War I, he  died from complications from Appendicitis while in the Hospital in Cedar City He was 32 years of age.

11.  Nolen Leonald Dobson 1900-1967,

12.  Pearl Amanda Dobson 1902-1979, 

13. Arland Darvel Dobson 1904-1970,  

14.Josephine Orissa Dobson Bird 1906- 1990.  

In 1914 A flood known as the Hatchtown Flood came through the area where they were living  near the mouth of the Canyon and demolished their farm, some newspaper accounts say that Thomas M Dobson had the greatest losses, including 50 head of cattle.  I can only imagine how this must have devasted the family, not only economically, but emotionally, perhaps, these hardships led to an early death and illness for Thomas McIntyre Dobson.

Thomas died of Nephritis on November 29, 1916.  This was a very hard time for the family as they had just learned of the death of Parley Adrian Dobson.  Burying one beloved member of a family at one time is hard enough, but this time there were two to bury. 

 Amanda lost several children and her husband before her death November 29, 1924 from heart failure.  Some of the chidren were still young and needed nurturing.  George Watson Dobson became the caretaker for these younger siblings until they were out of the home, including Mary Elisabeth’s daughter Nina Rose Christianson 1917-1991.

Left to right, Pearl Amanda Dobson, William Romine, Ida Gifford Cox Dobson, Nolen Leonald Dobson, Josephine Orissa Dobson Bird and George Watson.