Solano County
Biographies
OSCAR P. DOBBINS
District Attorney of Solano County, was born in Vacaville, same county, May 8, 1854; graduated at the Jesuit’s College at Santa Clara in 1873, and for several years assisted his father in the management of his ranch near Vacaville. During the winter of 1875-’76 he was clerk in the State Legislature. In 1880 he commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. Joseph McKenna, now the member of Congress from the Third District of the State. After eighteen months of study he was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court. He continued in the office of his preceptor until 1884, attending to business for himself and Mr. McKenna. Being then elected District Attorney, he has since devoted his energies to the duties of that office, having been twice re-elected, although his party was defeated both times in the county, owing to the navy yard at Vallejo being under Democratic control, and he is again at this writing the candidate for the fourth time of his party for the same office. During his official career, over fifty men were tried for felony and all but six were convicted and sentenced; and out of eight cases tried for murder during his term of office, only one was acquitted, and that was during the first two weeks of his term. It was the case of J.W.A. Gilmore and George Taylor, wherein Henry E. Highton, of San Francisco, Hon. Joseph McKenna, now a Congressman, and George A. Lament were all pitted against him. It was of such a nature as to appeal strongly to the sympathy of the jury as well as presenting strong evidence in favor of defendant.
Mr. Dobbins has always been a stanch supporter of the Republican party and prominent in its councils in his county. He is a member of Suisun Lodge, No. 55, F. & A.M.; also of Solano Chapter, No. 43, R.A.M., of Naval Commandery, No. 19, K.T., of the N.S.G.W., and of the K. of P.
Mr. Dobbins was married, in 1878, to Miss Mollie R., daughter of Caleb and Priscilla Wells, natives of Virginia, who came to California in 1860. They have one child, Brantly W., born in 1879. The subject’s father, W. J. Dobbins, was a native of Kentucky, and his mother, nee Eliza E. Hunt, a native of North Carolina, who came to California in 1850.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
pp 511-512
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler