Richard Percy Dobbins, one of the largest real estate owners at Long Branch, died at that place on Tuesday night of last week from a complication of diseases. He had suffered for some time, but had been in bed only three days. He was 36 years old and was a son of the late Richard J. Dobbins. Richard J. Dobbins was a contractor and builder. He put up the buildings for the centennial exhibition in 1876 and made a fortune out of that contract. He invested most of the money thus made in property at Long Branch and in 1878 he moved to that place with his family. He died in 1893 and since then his son, Richard Percy Dobbins, had had entire charge of the property. The Dobbins property includes the Howland , Scarboro and Atlantic hotels, about a score of cottages and a lot of unimproved real estate. Richard Percy Dobbins was always active in public affairs at Long Branch and he served three years as commissioner. He was a member of the Free Masons lodge of Long Branch. He leaves a mother , a sister and two brothers. All of the family excepting one brother, who lives in Philadelphia, are spending the winter at Pasadena, Calilfornia.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, Feb 13, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

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