[1] He was born on January 5, 1776 (date from Dobbins' headstone, Erie Cemetery) in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, near Lewistown.

Dobbins got tired of waiting, and hoping to frighten his friend a bit, pulled anchor and sailed around the island out of sight of the unsuspecting Barney.

He naturally planned to return after his friend had several moments of panic, but a sudden storm arose and forced Dobbins away from the island.

[8] After arriving back in Erie, a House Report from February 17, 1824, issued by the Committee of Naval Affairs noted that Dobbins took possession of the house of Jonas Duncan "and used it in storing the United States' iron in it, while building gun boats; that it was subsequently used as a block-maker's shop, until the summer of 1814, when it was accidentally burnt.

[10] When asked where the best place to build ships, Dobbin "unhesitatingly" said Presque Isle because "no finer oak grew than was to be found there, close to the water's edge, and in the land-locked harbor the vessels, when built, could ride in security.

"[11] Before Dobbins left Washington, D.C., he was given the dimensions of a small gunboat and was made a sailing master in the Navy.

Dobbins, being a Jackson Democrat, was removed from command and Knapp reinstated when William Henry Harrison, a Whig, was elected in 1841.

Dobbins was reinstated in 1845 by President James K. Polk and was put in command of the USRC Taney in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1845 to 1846.