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GEORGE W. DOBBINS.    One of the enterprising and progressive business men of Christiansburg, this county, is George W. Dobbins, who is engaged in the lumber and sawmill business and the manufacture of lumber.  He was born at Conover, Miami county, Ohio, on Sept. 10, 1869, and is a son of William and Molly (Brown) Dobbins, both of whom were natives of the Buckeye state.      William Dobbins was born in Ross county. Ohio, and came with his parents to Miami county when a small boy, and was reared on a farm there, early in life learning the lessons of diligence and frugality.  After leaving the farm he started in a small way in the lumber business in Miami county, later coming to Champaign county, locating in Christiansburg, where he started a mill near the county line between this county and Miami county.  Later he purchased the mill which had already been established in Christiansburg previous to his coming there, and was conducting a very successful business here when the Civil War broke out, and he enlisted for service in the Union army by joining Company C, Thirteenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on May 24, 1862.  He was honorably discharged from the service on Aug. 1, 1862, but again re-enlisted and served with honor until the close of the war in 1865.  After returning from the army, he again engaged in the sawmill business for many years, retiring from active business operations only about three years before his death, which occurred Sept. 11, 1915.  Molly Brown was a native of Miami county, Ohio, born on a farm southwest of Troy, the daughter of George Brown and  wife, who were pioneers of that county.  William Dobbins and wife were the parents of five children, all of whom grew to maturity, and four are now living: George W., the immediate subject of this review; Effie, deceased, was the wife of Charles Gruber, of Troy, Ohio; Alonzo, employed in the sawmill at Christiansburg; Arthur, a miller of Shandon, Ohio, and Osie, who is the wife of Clifford Jenkins, of Christiansburg.  The family were earnest and faithful members of the Christian church. William Dobbins always took an active interest in the welfare of his old comrades of Civil War days, and was a prominent member of the Marion A. Ross Post, Grand Army of the Republic at Christiansburg.  He was also a member of Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 226, Free and Accepted Masons.  He was a Democrat in politics, and prominent in the councils of his party in local public matters.      George W. Dobbins received his education in the public schools of Miami and Champaign counties, and from boyhood was employed in his father's mills, being actively identified with the business in connection with his father for many years, or until the latter's retirement from active business life, at which time, 1905, G. W. Dobbins, formed a partnership with Adam Bright, which partnership lasted until 1911, or until the death of Mr. Bright, when Mr. Dobbins took over the entire business himself, since which time he has conducted it alone.  At one time he conducted both a stationary and portable mill, but is only operating one mill at the present time, and has been very successful in his line of business.  Besides his mill property, Mr. Dobbins is the owner of some town property in the village of Christiansburg.      On Mar. 4, 1898, G. W. Dobbins was united in marriage to Laura Long, the daughter of Volney and Sybia (Johnson) Long, the former of whom was born in Miami county, Ohio, and the latter in Champaign county, near Christiansburg.  The Johnson family came from Clermont county, Ohio, to Champaign county, at an early date, while the Long family originally came from Blount county, Tennessee, Moses Long coming here as a young man. where he met and married Martha Howell, whose family were the first settlers of this community from Christiansburg, Virginia, whence the village gets its name.  Volney and Sybia (Johnson) Long were the parents of two children, Laura, the wife of Mr. Dobbins, and Charles, of Mansfield, Ohio.  Both Mr. and Mrs. Long are still living and make their home in Christiansburg, where they have spent the most of their lives.  Mr. Long is a member of the Order of Owls at Springfield, Ohio. Source:  History of Champaign County, Ohio, Vol. II - publ. 1917 - Page 620

HIRAM G. DUNN, a farmer of Rush township, Champaign county, was born in the house he now lives in, Nov. 23, 1851.  He has fully appreciated the opportunity of spending his life on the home acres, a privilege not granted to many.  He is a son of Nelson and Mary A. (Garwood) Dunn.  The father was born in Pennsylvania in 1816.  The mother was born in Logan county, Ohio.  When a child Nelson Dunn was brought by his parents to Hampshire county, Virginia, and about 1840 he moved to Rush township, Champaign county, buying land where the subject of this sketch now resides.  He cleared and improved about two hundred and thirty-five acres himself.  He was very industrious, managed well and became a leading farmer of Rush township.  He was a Democrat, and belonged to the Presbyterian church.  His death occurred Aug. 25, 1896, at the age of eight years.  His wife died Apr. 24, 1876, at the early age of forty-six years.  His wife died Apr. 24, 1876 at the early age of forty-six years.  He subsequently married for his second wife Angeline Warren Garwood, a native of Champaign county, Ohio.  Her death occurred a number of years ago.  Two children were born to the first union, namely:  Hiram G., of this sketch, and Virginia A. who married Wilton Bales, first, and later William Winder, of North Louisburg, this county; her death occurred on Feb. 22, 1917.      Hiram G. Dunn worked on the homestead when he was a boy, and he received a common school education.  He has remained on the home farm and has kept it under a fine state of cultivation and improvement.  He carries on general farming and stock raising.  He owns one hundred and eight acres.      Mr. Dunn was married on June 17, 1878, to Susie B. Cockrell, who was born in Berkley county, West Virginia.  To Hiram G. Dunn and wife, one child, a daughter, Mary E., was born.  She is the  wife of LeClare Dukes, and they live on a farm in Hancock county, Ohio.  They have one daughter, Helen Dukes.      Politically, Mr. Dunn is a Democrat.  Fraternally, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias at North Lewisburg.  He attends the Methodist Episcopal church.      The Dunn emigrant came to America from England with William Penn and helped found the colony at what is now Philadelphia.  Members of the family served in the Revolutionary War and descendants have been prominent in various walks of life throughout the United States. Source:  History of Champaign County, Ohio, Vol. II - publ. 1917 - Page 166

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