Résumé

Stenographer, Legal office, Greencastle, IN, 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, Indiana; Roll: T624_375; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 0103; FHL microfilm: 1374388, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Principal, Roy H. Dobell, Architect, Corvallis, OR, c. 1914. In later 1914, Dobell relocated from Corvallis to Portland, OR.

Principal, Roy H. Dobell, Archtiect, Portland, OR, c. 1915. A note in Dobell's fraternity magazine said in 12/1914 that he "...changed his address from Corvallis to Room #22 in the Amsworth Building, Portland, OR." (See "Alumni Notes," The Phi Gamma Delta, vol. XXXVII, no. 3, 12/1914, p. 268.)

Principal, Roy H. Dobell, Architect, Aberdeen, WA,

Principal, Roy H. Dobell, Architect, Salem, OR, 1940.

Architect, Louvering, Halvorsen and Sletten, Camp Adair near Corvallis, OR, 04/1942. Dobell worked on the planning and construction of Camp Adair near Corvallis, OR. Army usage of Camp Adair began c. 08/1942 and continued until 07/1944, when the facility was transferred for use as a hospital by the US Navy and later as a POW camp until 1946. (See Benton County Historical Society.org, "Swamp Adair," accessed 05/12/2022.)

Principal, R.H. Dobell, Architect, Tacoma, WA, 1951. Dobell had an office at 4305 North 42nd Street in Tacoma, WA, in 1951. (See Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1951, p. 1410.)

Teaching

Associate Professor of Architecture, Oregon Agricultural College (OAC), Corvallis, OR, c. 1913. (See "Alumni Notes," The Phi Gamma Delta, vol. XXXVII, no. 3, 12/1914, p. 268.)

College

A.B., DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, c. 1906. According to the 1940 US Census, Dobell had completed five years of college. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Salem, Marion, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03375; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 24-72A, accessed 05/12/2022.) At DePauw, Dobell belonged to the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.

Relocation

Roy Herbert Dobell was born in Evansville, IN, in 1887. Between 1900 and 1910, at least, the Dobells had a home at 519 Anderson Street in Greencastle, IN. His father worked as a university instructor, according to the census. In addtion to Roy and his parents, his maternal grandmother Mary E. Cooper lived with the family. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Greencastle, Putnam, Indiana; Roll: 399; Page: 19; Enumeration District: 0077; FHL microfilm: 1240399, accessed 05/12/2022 and Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Greencastle Ward 2, Putnam, Indiana; Roll: T624_375; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 0103; FHL microfilm: 1374388, accessed 05/12/2022.)

At some point during the 1890s, Dobell's father accepted a position as principal of the schools at Atchison, KS, where the family lived until about 1900.

Like his father, Roy Dobell would move periodically for a new job, shuttling among various cities in OR and WA. He lived with his wife and two children on Arnold Way in Corvallis, OR, in 1915. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center for Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon; Oregon, Birth Records, 1903-1918, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Dobell relocated his practice to Aberdeen, WA, by at least 1920, where the family lived at 507 North 5th Street. Family members residing at this address were Roy, Alice, Alice, Joseph, and Roy, Jr., (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Aberdeen Ward 5, Grays Harbor, Washington; Roll: T625_1923; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 73, accessed 05/12/2022.) The architect and his family remained in Aberdeen in 1930, living in a rented house at 402 1st Avenue, but the effects of the Depression may have dried work up in that community, necessitating that they move again. (Monthtly rent was about $35 per month.) (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Aberdeen, Grays Harbor, Washington; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0004; FHL microfilm: 2342222, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Youngest daughter Shirley was born in Corvallis, OR, in 1934, so it is likely that the family had resettled here by that time.

As per the 1940 US Census, the Dobells lived in Corvallis, OR, in 1935.

The Dobells resided in Salem, OR, by 1940, with a residence at 825 North 15th Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Oregon, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 29, accessed 05/12/2022.) At that time, the household consisted of Roy, Alice, Doris and Shirley Dobell. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Salem, Marion, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03375; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 24-72A, accessed 05/12/2022.) The Dobells remained in Salem between the late 1930s and 1946.

The family moved to Tacoma, WA, from Salem in 1946, and Roy and Alice remained here for the rest of their lives. The architect died in Tacoma on 11/27/1953. (See Department of Health, Death Certificates, July 1, 1907-1996 - Roy H. - Joseph T. Dobell - Alice Cooper, Department of Health, Death Certificates, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, ccessed 0512/2022.) He was buried at the Lakewood Memorial Park, Lakewood, WA.

In 1971, Alice Dobell resided at 5340 North Bristol Street in Tacoma, WA.

Parents

His mother was Alice Pauline Cooper (born 01/13/1853 in Greencastle, IN-d. 04/08/1912 in Greencastle, IN), his father Joseph Tomsett Dobell (born 11/09/1851 in Cincinnati, OH-d. 12/07/1924 in Greencastle, IN). They wed on 11/05/1874 in Putnam County, IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Putnam County, Indiana; Index to Marriage Records 1850-1920 Part One A-G I, Original record lecated in the County Clerk's Offi; Book: 5; Page: 409, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Joseph T. Dobell earned an A.B. degree from Indiana Asbury University (a Methodist Episcopal-affiliated school that changed its name to "DePauw University in 1884) in 1874 and went on to become the principal of several Indiana school systems including those of Gosport,(1876-1878), New Castle, (1879-1880), and Greentown, (1881-1887), By 1887, he worked as a teacher in the Evansville High School, but moved to become principal in Atchison, KS where he remained for an unknown length of time during the 1890s. (See "XXXV, Class of 1874," Forty-Ninth Year-Book of DePauw University, for the Year 1886-87, [Geencastle, IN: DePauw University, 1887], p. 58 and and Alumni Register of Officers, Faculties and Graduates, 1837-1900, [Greencastle, IN: DePauw University, 1901], p. 101.) He moved to his wife's hometown of Greencastle, IN, by at least 06/13/1900 (the date the 1900 US Census was taken), during which time, he taught mathematics at the Greencastle Preparatory School, an institution affliated with the DePauw University and at DePauw itself. Between c. 1902 and his death in 1924, Joseph also served as DePauw's Registrar. (See "DePauw Registrar, J.T. Dobell, Dies," Indianapolis Star, 12/08/1924, p. 8.)

Joseph's parents immigrated to the US from England, and had eleven children by 1860. They resided in Cincinnati, OH, by 1860, where his father was a furniture dealer who had amassed some real estate and savings by that time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Cincinnati Ward 4, Hamilton, Ohio; Roll: M653_971; Page: 358; Family History Library Film: 80397, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Alice's family had deeper roots in the US. Through her father Milton J. Cooper (1831-1896) she was related to Apollos Cooper (d. 1777 in VA) a Revolutionary War lieutenant. Alice's mother was Mary E. Allen.

According to the 1900 US Census, Alice had had three children by that date, of whom only Roy remained alive. Siblings included Frederick W. Dobell (born 09/17/1875 in IN-d. 08/14/1892 in Greencastle, IN) and Milton G. Dobell (born 02/27/1882 in IN-d. 03/07/1886 in Greencastle, IN).

Spouse

He wed Alice Elizabeth Porter (born 02/06/1891 in Wooster, OH-d. 06/1971 in Tacoma, WA). in Multnomah County, OR, on 02/12/1913. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center For Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon, Usa; Oregon State Marriages, 1911-1945, accessed 05/12/2022.)

The 1940 US Census recorded that Alice had finished two years of college. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Salem, Marion, Oregon; Roll: m-t0627-03375; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 24-72A, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Children

He and Alice had the following children: Alice E. Dobell (born c. 1914 in OR), Joseph Porter Dobell (born 07/28/1915 in Corvallis, OR), Roy Herbert Dobell, Jr. (born 08/05/1918 in Corvallis, OR), Diana June Dobell Raymond (born c. 1920 in WA-d. 03/29/2011), Doris Winifred Dobell Taylor (born c. 1923 In WA-d. 02/14/1969 in North Saanich, BC, Canada) and Shirley Esther Dobell (born 06/18/1934 in OR-d. 06/19/1989 in OR).

(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Oregon Center for Health Statistics; Portland, Oregon; Oregon, Birth Records, 1903-1918, accessed 05/12/2022),

In 1940, Roy, Jr., attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Oregon, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 29, accessed 05/12/2022.)

Biographical Notes

His World War II draft registration card listed Dobell as Caucasian with a light complexion, blue eyes and blonde hair. No height or weight were included on the card, but pictures of the architect indicated that he was tall. His son, Roy Dobell, Jr., stood over 6-foot, 3-inches tall at age 22. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 32, accessed 05/12/2022 and Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Oregon, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 29, accessed 05/12/2022.)

The DePaul University Bulletin of 1911 included this brief note on Dobell: "Roy H. Dobell, Associate Professor of Architecture in the State Agricultural College of Oregon, is spending a part of his vacation this summer with home folks." (See "Personal," Bulletin of DePauw University, New Series, vol. VIII, no. 3, 08/1911, p. 27.)

Dobell sent a biographical update to the publication of the Phi Delta Gamma Fraternity in 1914: "Roy H. Dobell, '06, formerly an instructor of architecture in the Oregon State Agricultural College, and at present located in business in Corvallis, Ore., is making an extended visit at Greencastle with his father, Bro. Joseph T. Dobell, '74, registrar of the university." (See "Alumni Notes," The Phi Gamma Delta, vol. XXXVII, no. 3, 12/1914, p. 268.)