While a resident of Culpepper County, Chesley enlisted in 1776 as a private in Captain Tutt's Company, attached to Colonel Edward Stephen's Regiment.  He served at various places in the State of Virginia until the fall of 1779.  During that same year, Chesley moved to Burke County, North Carolina and there he volunteered and served as a private in Captain Dobson's Company, attached to Colonel Lock's Regiment.  He participated in the Battle of Ramseur's Mills, after which they joined the brigade commanded by General Rutherford, who discharged all volunteers.  In August, Chesley Dobbs was taken prisoner by the Tories on his own plantation.  He was paroled by the Tory officer, Colonel Husbands and remained on parole until the end of the war.

     Chesley Dobbs married Hannah (surname not known) in Fauquier County, Virginia.  The children in this family were:  John, Mary, Lucy, Reuben, Mayson, James, Joel, the first mentioned, Phoebe Moire, Caleb and Joshua. Chesley died in 1834, Claiborne County, Tennessee.  His wife, Hannah, died there in 1838.
     Joel Dobbs served as a private in the War of 1812 in Captain William Huston's Company of Mounted Infantry, Colonel Samuel Bunch's Regiment, East Tennessee Militia.  He was a well known blacksmith.

     Miss Sarah (Sallie) Morgan became the bride of Joel Dobbs in 1815, Claiborne County, Tennessee.  Sallie was a native of North Carolina, and a member of the well know southern Morgans.

     Shortly after their marriage, Joel and Sallie removed to Casey County, Kentucky.  Children born of this marriage were:  Hugh H., married Lucy Hurst, Russel Lane, married Cynthia Hurst, Bethenia Posey, married William H. Parker, Anderson, married Diannah.  These marriages were in Putnam County, Indiana. Other children were Fidillo Hunter, married Mary Jane Schullenbarger; Orleana, married (1) Absolom Hurst and (2) John F. Goodman; William C.; Archibald; and Sally, married Thomas C. Cuzick.

     After the death of his wife, Sallie, in 1828 in Casey County, Kentucky Joel Dobbs married Elizabeth Langville.  Children of this marriage are Melinda, Mary, Annie, who married Samuel Gaskins, and Emilissa.

     In the fall of 1829, the family removed to Putnam County, Indiana where Joel entered eighty acres of land in Marion Township.  A cabin was first erected in which to shelter the family.  They resided there but a short time and then moved on to Mill Creek Township, Morgan County, now Putnam County.

     In 1837 Joel moved to the Ozark country in southwestern Missouri and located in the valley of the White River where Joel died in 1842.  Hugh, Russell, Bethene and Anderson remained in Indiana.