- [Announcer] "Chronicles" is made possible by a grant from the Erie Community Foundation, the Community Assets Grant provided by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, support from Springhill Senior Living, and the generous support of Thomas B. Hagen.

- [Speaker] This is WQLN.

(gentle music) - [Narrator] Daniel Dobbins has exceeded in building a fleet on Lake Erie in time to defeat the British in the battle of 1813.

While he wasn't a part of the action, he was unquestionably instrumental in its outcome.

As disappointed as Daniel may have been to have missed the battle he had foreseen so early on, he would have to process that later.

Just 12 days after the defeat of the British, his wife Mary, gave birth to their sixth child Eliza.

Having so many children was common for the time.

As they grew older, they would help with work, providing economic stability for a family and care for aging parents.

But not all your children were expected to outlive you, and the frontier was a hostile environment.

While Daniel had worked so hard to defend Erie from the British Navy, he couldn't defend Erie from the very navy he had fought hard to create.

(pensive music) They had brought a victory back with them, but also disease.

While at anchor, the sailors would drop their sewage into the lake and then draw water back out to drink and cook with.

One in five of those in the fleet got sick.

Most likely it was typhoid.

And then all those crewmen came back to Erie.

They didn't have the medical knowledge or treatments that we have now.

So Daniel and Mary had to stand by and hope that they would all survive.

But this disease finds its way into their home, and young children are vulnerable And they start getting sick.

Typhoid causes fever, abdominal pain, internal bleeding, septicemia, delirium, and it can take weeks before a person recovers or for them to die.

October 22nd, 1813, one month to the day after Eliza Dobbins was born, Daniel and Mary watch on as Eliza's older sister, Eleanor, weak, scared, confused, draws her last breath.

Just 25 days before her third birthday.

The joy of victory, the joy of newborn life pushed aside and suddenly filled with grief at the loss of their daughter.

But Eleanor wasn't the only one sick.

Daniel and Mary are desperately trying to save their other children.

Before they even have a chance to bury Eleanor, Elizabeth, their first born, Daniel's daughter, who no doubt followed him to the shipyards, who laughed at the dining table, who brought many a smile to Daniel's face, whose body quietly went limp.

She died just one day after her younger sister.

(gentle dramatic music) (gentle music continues) In the 1800s, it was highly likely that you would have to bury a child.

These were simply the realities of life before modern medicine.

And Erie was still a frontier region, as were the other settlements across the Great Lakes.

And while the battle for control of the waters had been won, there was still an ongoing war with the British.

So pretty soon after, Daniel is back on the water.

He's instructed to transport military suppliers across the lakes, time he can no doubt use to process the loss of his two young daughters.

He was also processing his mixed feelings towards the war.

Despite his sense of pride for his contributions, he questioned the sacrifices made.

The wreckage of bodies he witnessed at the battle site haunted him.

He grieved the family time lost to building the fleet, but his time away continues.

He has orders to intercept any enemy supply ships he encounters.

He was also charged with dropping spies on Canadian shores and later extracting them after they completed their intelligence missions.

His shipbuilding skills were kept sharp with the repairing of the damaged fleet and refitting of captured British ships for use on the lakes and ongoing war.

And after the war's conclusion in December of 1814, Daniel was tasked with taking many of these war ships and sinking them in the lagoon on Presque Isle called Misery Bay.

After the victory over the Royal Navy, the US government paid out reward money to Perry and his fleet for each of the British ships captured.

But as Daniel wasn't present in the battle, he was omitted from any prize money awarded to the victors.

Prize money that would've been very useful.

Mary was pregnant.

This time, she would deliver a baby boy, Stephen Decatur.

Born September 24th, 1815.

Daniel had already established his willingness to fight for his beliefs, and he believed he deserved a share of the reward money for the role he played.

Had he not been on the supply run, then he would've been present.

He argued that Commodore Chauncey, Commander of the American Navy on the Great Lakes, was also not present for the battle, and yet was the recipient of the lion's share of the prize money.

Daniel raised the issue with Chauncey, with Perry, with Elliot's replacement Captain Sinclair.

And when things didn't move fast enough, he wrote to Congress.

He passionately stated his case, the principle of the matter, the fight he endured to give the American Navy the ability to even take the fight to the British.

And Congress agreed with him.

He was issued $2,295, roughly $55,000 today, along with the recommendation of investing in a bank to build his wealth.

So Daniel took that money and he built himself a large house.

It sat on the northeast corner of Erie's State and 3rd, that served as a tavern.

He didn't trust the banks and wanted to put his money back into his community.

While this certainly wouldn't generate huge wealth, it further cemented the role Daniel and Mary played as part of this growing settlement.

The tavern became a prominent venue that later played host to the Marquis de Lafayette during his visit to Erie in 1825.

While he was successful in receiving a share of the prize money, Daniel was left out of the honors list.

President Madison presented swords to the midshipmen and sailing masters involved in the conflict.

But Perry had omitted the OSS Ohio, the ship Daniel commanded, from the list of ships involved.

Daniel returned to his writing table and began petitioning for a correction.

Once again, he argued that he had been ordered away from the line.

He had sailed out with the fleet and actively engaged in ensuing skirmishes to take back Detroit and Fort Malden.

Surely this warranted his inclusion.

He was playing an active role, even if his cannons hadn't fired.

He wrote and wrote, and wrote, Congress seemingly didn't share his concerns.

Continued employment as a sailing master from the Port of Erie did allow Daniel to stay active in other arenas.

And so, on October 29th, 1817, Daniel and Mary welcomed a third son, David Porter.

Such was Daniel's love for the Navy that he named these two sons after prominent American naval commanders.

Commodore David Porter was known for being the first to capture a British warship after the outbreak.

He would go on to capture more ships by flying British colors until invited on board, where he would then reveal his intentions of seizure.

Commodore Stephen Decatur commanded the heavy frigate USS United States and was a close friend of Oliver Hazard Perry and someone Captain Jesse Elliot didn't get along with.

Did Daniel give this name in part to antagonize Elliot?

It's unlikely, but not impossible, not for Daniel.

America faced financial hardship after the war and the fledgling country was moving quickly to get itself established.

Daniel's distrust of the banks made him opposed to paper currency, and he wanted to protect his crew from any potential banking collapse.

He felt passionately about this, so much so that his objections to another sailing master using paper currency to pay a crew led to a physical altercation.

Daniel was highly regarded, considered one of the best commanders on the lakes and charged with the largest and finest vessels.

But in 1820, Daniel found himself on the wrong side of his new commanding officer, Captain David Deacon.

Daniel's reputation for ignoring chain of command, stubbornness and outbursts while well intentioned were about to bear down on him.

Citing the prior altercation, Captain Deacon had Daniel arrested for assault and was made to relinquish his sidearm.

Following a court martial, Daniel Dobbins was suspended from service for 18 months without pay, confined to the city limits and publicly reprimanded at the Erie Naval Yard.

No doubt the lowest point of his career.

This was the same year that Mary bore a fourth son, Leander Dobbins, born July 12th.

Being a creature of habit, Daniel turned to his pen and paper and began petitioning people of influence, imploring them to help get his punishment overturned and his reputation restored.

While he received some report, the disciplinary action remained.

Home was hugely important to Daniel and with 400 acres to his name, but its value dependent on the success of Erie, Daniel involved himself in many parts of his community.

He served as an officer in the local fire company.

He became a member of the Freemasons, and he helped organize St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

And while he didn't have a run for political office himself, he was actively engaged in party business and used his influence wherever he could to either support his favorite candidate or work against the ones he had concerns about.

He was also concerned for the future of the Naval station in Erie.

The US had established the Revenue Cutter Service in 1790 as a means to enforce maritime law, mitigate rampant smuggling, and increase import revenues.

With the growing lake trade, Daniel hoped that the US government would establish a Revenue Service at Erie and give him command of a Revenue Cutter, a medium-sized ship designed for speed to chase down other vessels.

This would satisfy his desire to keep sailing while staying close to home and his family.

Come 1826, a year after Daniel and Mary had welcomed Marcus, their fifth son and 10th and final child, Daniel hung up his blue uniform and resigned as sailing master.

This was largely motivated by an order to report to Chauncey in New York for sea duty.

But Daniel didn't want Chauncey and he didn't want the sea.

At the age of 50, Daniel wasn't ready to leave the maritime world entirely.

He helped construct peers in Ashtabula, Ohio, and represented the government in assessing improvement costs at Dunkirk Harbor in New York.

By 1828 in need of a more meaningful income, he finds employment as Inspector of Customs for the Cuyahoga District of Ohio.

With a salary of just three pounds a day, but it would appear that Daniel's lobbying was about to pay off.

Rumors were circulating at the Revenue Cutter Service stationing a branch in Erie.

The following year, the Revenue Cutter Service of Erie was ready to get underway.

Daniel was ready for it.

And Daniel was left utterly dismayed when news broke - the command had been given to a friend of President Adams's administration.

Captain Knapp.

Dobbins had once again fought hard only to be passed over.

So he wrote a letter.

But with the shift from the Adams to the Jackson administration later that year, the appointment in Erie was reassigned.

Daniel was finally where he wanted to be after years of dogged lobbying.

Daniel could stay on the lakes he loved, return home to the family he loved and continue to help build the town that he loved.

It would stay this way for the next 12 years.

A time where Daniel could really embrace family life and the challenges that come with it.

Like the challenges of parenting.

Stephen Decatur Dobbins was regarded as being somewhat of a problem child, and records indicate that he never escaped this reputation.

He failed to make it through the United States Military Academy at West Point... twice.

Daniel, now an expert in his letter writing, was able to secure a position within the United States army for his son.

Now, in his early twenties.

Decatur was soon married and expecting a child of his own, but he could never quite get control of his finances.

So Decatur turned to his parents and asked for their support.

What parent could refuse?

Daniel continued to be a highly respected figure in the maritime world.

He served as a director on Rufus Reed's Steamboat Company.

And when Rufus, Daniel's friend of over 40 years spearheaded the construction of the Erie Extension Canal, it was Daniel who was consulted on the best location for the terminus.

No one knew the topography of the Lake Erie coastline better than Daniel.

And when ground was finally broken on July 4th, 1838, Daniel led the grand procession that was part of the holiday celebrations.

Daniel loved the parade, especially when he was in it.

Daniel and Mary now in their sixties, were well positioned to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

But Decatur soon put an end to that.

It would seem that he shared his father's kind nature, but lacked the good judgment on how it should be administered.

While serving as disbursement officer at Fort Manning, Florida, he had loaned $900 to some officers - taken from the regimental fund.

Some of these officers were then dismissed for poor conduct, and Decatur was left to balance the books with money he didn't have.

Facing reputational ruin, Decatur threatened suicide if Daniel could not help him pay back the debt.

Daniel and Mary were distraught, and the mere thought of losing another child was heartbreaking.

They raised the money and settled the issue with the army, but they were unaware that this was not the end of their son's financial woes.

Decatur was also indebted to several military officers and with limited funds, Daniel bailed him out once more.

This cost was made easier through Daniel's continued tenure with the Revenue Cutter Service.

But in 1841, a change in political leadership saw Daniel removed from his post and replaced by Knapp, the same man originally appointed to the position 12 years earlier.

Daniel couldn't fathom that his appointment would've been politically motivated.

He believed he had earned the position regardless of the country's leadership.

So as he had always done, he wrote furiously to anyone he could... but to no avail.

Daniel could do nothing but wait patiently.

And four years later, with the next change in the administration, he was once again appointed to command the Erie Cutter Service.

The timing was fortuitous.

In 1847, Decatur now caring for his mother-in-law was caught issuing himself a double payment for his monthly salary.

This corresponded with allegations of frequent intoxication, gambling, and neglecting his family.

He was facing court martial and Daniel was close to disowning his troubled offspring.

It came around the time that Decatur had been slightly wounded in action in Mexico, but had successfully killed at least 12 of the enemy.

This could be grounds for a promotion, and with that, an increase in pay.

He just needed his father to influence his political friends.

So once again, Daniel came through for his problematic son.

His debt to the regiment was paid off and a promotion soon granted.

Decatur wrote to his father to thank him, declaring his appreciation for the many acts of kindness and support, and stating his intentions to mend his ways.

But a few months later, another shared trait emerged, the lack of respect for chain of command.

Decatur claimed that an intoxicated superior officer was picking on him.

He responded by stabbing the officer with a fork and striking him with a board.

He was arrested, confined to his quarters, and in the process struck another fellow officer.

He was court-martialed and found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman, being drunk and hitting a superior officer.

Perhaps encouraged by the previously declared desire to turn his life around, Daniel and Mary felt compelled to call in every favor they could, writing letters to people of authority, including then Secretary of State, James Buchanan and Secretary of War, William Marcy.

Their impassioned pleas were a success, and their son was restored to rank and command.

Daniel was well versed in persistence paying off.

And so perhaps now after everything, he and Mary could watch their son make a success of himself.

And for the next few years, it seemed their commitment to their child had paid off, but it wasn't to be.

Decatur again found himself in an argument.

This time with a wagon master by the name of Wakeman.

Wakeman picked up a plank of wood and advanced on Decatur.

Decatur, an expert shot, drew his six shooter and cautioned Wakeman to stand down.

Wakeman drew closer.

Decatur commanded him to stop.

Wakeman drew closer still.

(gun fires) Decatur let out a shot aimed just below the knee.

Injured, Wakeman still drew closer.

(gun fires) Decatur fired another round into the lower thigh.

Wakeman fell, wounded and no longer able to stand.

Decatur could have aimed for the stomach, the heart, the head.

He didn't.

He voluntarily handed himself into the authorities and all witnesses declared that it was an act of defense.

Decatur was duly released from custody, but eight days later, Wakeman died from his injuries.

Decatur is consumed with guilt.

Two more shots ring out.

(gun fires twice) Decatur killed himself January 27th, 1851.

The Dobbins family read about his suicide in the paper.

The loss of another child proved too much for Daniel's aging body.

His health declined rapidly, reducing him to a shadow of his former self.

Heartbroken and tired, his health never returned, and he remained frail until finally he was reunited with Eleanor, Elizabeth and Decatur.

Daniel Dobbins held in the highest esteem who never lost a vessel, mastered the lakes and championed his community.

A doting husband and father drew his very last breath.

February 29th, 1856.

- Hi, I'm Val, one of the researchers here at WQLN Chronicles.

Our episode may deal with some very difficult subjects, one of them being suicide.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please know that you can reach out by calling 9-8-8.

This lifeline is 24/7, is free and confidential.

Thank you.

(gentle music) (gentle music continues) - [Announcer] "Chronicles" is made possible by a grant from the Erie Community Foundation, a community assets grant provided by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, support from Springhill Senior Living, and the generous support of Thomas B. Hagen.

- [Speaker] We question and learn.