As a bit of background:  John Dobkins came from the Rhine Valley (I believe), with Jost Hite in the 1700s.  They came through Pennsylvania and settled on part of Jost's land grant in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, about 1746.  Somewhere I have a picture of the Dobkins house in Winchester, Virginia; and perhaps my sister has this on her computer.
 
John A. Dobikin/Dobkin/Dobkins, Sr.was the father of Reuban Dobkins/Dobkin/Dockins/Dobyns/Dobbins/Docking.
 
I have seen his name spelled all of these various ways on documents; and I know it was Reuban they referred to.
 
Reuban L. Dobkins  was born about 1749; married Elizabeth Holeman/Holman about 1770.  She was the daughter of Jacob Holeman/Holman and Rachel Gember.  Rachel's middle name was Margaret, I think.
 
Reuban and Elizabeth had several children; and some family members have two Reubans running around--one born in 1783 and one born in 1792.  I'm sure this is true, as our family has driven us all crazy by each male in each family having a Thomas, a William, a James, a John, etc.
 
The Dobkins males tended to marry late by today's standards; and my records indicate that Reuban L. Dobkins had a son, Reuban, born in 1792 in North Carolina.  The family had now begun the migration from Virginia, which would lead them into Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri; and points beyond.  By this time, Reuban L.'s son, James had married and also, apparently had produced a Reuban.
 
I show Reuban Dobkins, son of Reuban L. Dobkins and Elizabeth Holeman, marrying Rhoda Hankins on March 14,1821, in Lebanon, Tennessee (Wilson county).  I have no information as to whether this was his first marriage; but neither do I show any children other than those he and Rhoda had.
 
These children were:
Louisa Dobkins, born 1826
Susan Dobkins, born 1830
Reuban Dobkins, born 1834, married 9-19-1872 Caledonia Reed (this was probably a second marriage)
Rhoda Dobkins, born 1846.
 
Reuban and Rhoda are shown in the 1850 census of Grainger County, Tennessee, with these children.
 
Apparently, like most of the early Dobkins (and some of the latter ones), they moved frequently--every time the census taker or tax assessor appeared too frequently in their neighborhood.  They were, and still are, a very private "tribe".  They were in Overton county, TN, Gibson and Grainger counties; and some of the records have become mixed between this Reuban and James' Reuban.
 
As a result of all this mix-up, my line is not 100% sure of which one of the male children of John A. Dobkins, Sr. we are descended from--there were Evan, James, John, Reuban and Jacob.  We have pretty well ruled out everyone but Evan; but can find no documentation to fill in our gaps.
 
Some of my documentation has come from a publication entitled "Life Along Holman's Creek", family records, "Bible Records and Tombstones"--by Acklen; Tennessee Newspaper excepts; census records; marriage records of Tennesee and Virginia.
 
Thomas Dobkins married Mary Brickey Mc Adams.
Their son John married Sarah Thompson, d/o of Lovel and Mary Thompson.
Joshua T. the son of John and Sarah, married Juliana Brittania (Anna) Goad, and their son
William DeVol Dobkins, married Ora Mae Gregory, d/o Winfield Scott and Susan Jane Compton Gregory. 

Marvin Richard, son of William and Ora Mae Gregory Dobkins, married B. Helen Palmer, and their children include Carol and Myself (Beth).

Dobkins Group

Sarah Thompson Dobkins