James C. Dobbin

For other people named James Dobbin, seeJames Dobbin (disambiguation).

James Dobbin
22ndUnited States Secretary of the Navy
In office March 8, 1853 – March 4, 1857
President	Franklin Pierce
Preceded by	John P. Kennedy
Succeeded by	Isaac Toucey
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNorth Carolina's5thdistrict
In office March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847
Preceded by	Romulus Saunders
Succeeded by	Abraham Venable
Personal details
Born	James Cochran Dobbin (1814-01-17)January 17, 1814 Fayetteville, North Carolina,U.S.
Died	August 4, 1857(1857-08-04)(aged 43) Fayetteville, North Carolina,U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill(BA)

James Cochran Dobbin(January 17, 1814 – August 4, 1857) was a nineteenth-century politician and lawyer who served asUnited States Secretary of the Navyfrom 1853 to 1857.

Born inFayetteville, North Carolinain 1814, the grandson ofcongressmanJames Cochran,Dobbin attended Fayetteville Academy and the William Bingham School and later went on to graduate from theUniversity of North Carolinain 1832. While at Carolina, Dobbin distinguished himself as a member of thePhilanthropic Assembly.He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1835, commencing practice in Fayetteville.

Dobbin later got involved in politics and was elected aDemocratto thetwenty-ninth congress,serving from 1845 to 1847. He later served in theNorth Carolina House of Commonsin 1848, 1850 and 1852, also serving asspeaker of the housein 1850.

In 1852, he was a delegate to theDemocratic National Conventionwhere he helped secure the nomination ofdark horse candidateFranklin Piercefor thepresidency.Pierce appointed DobbinUnited States Secretary of the Navyas a reward for his work in the presidential campaign. A firm believer in a strongNavyas an insurance forpeace,Dobbin instituted reforms throughout the Navy. Eighteen of the finest ships of their class in the world were built during his tenure as Navy secretary. Under his auspices, the Perry expedition to Japan was carried to a successful termination and the treaty with that country signed. He ordered U.S. Navy LieutenantIsaac Strainto command a U.S. Darién Exploring Expedition to map and survey theDarién Gapfor aPanama Canalto link theAtlanticand Pacific Oceans.

After his term as Navy secretary expired in 1857, Dobbin returned to Fayetteville where later that year he would die; he was interred atCross Creek Cemeteryin Fayetteville. He was memorialized when a ship, present at theattack of Pearl Harbor,was named in his honor theUSS Dobbin (AD-3).

External links

• United States Congress."James C. Dobbin (id: D000381)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• James C. DobbinatFind a Grave

This article incorporatespublic domain materialfrom websites or documents of theNaval History and Heritage Command.