Charles Edwin Willoughby Dobbs was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, August 12, 1840. He became a member of the Southern Baptist Church in Greensborough, NC in 1859 and entered the SBTS in Greenville, SC in 1860. He received the D.D. degree from Baylor University in 1878. He served as pastor of Court Street and Fourth Street Baptist Churches in Portsmouth, VA until 1866 when he moved to Kentucky, serving as pastor of Providence, Bryans Station, Richmond First and Tates Creek churches among others from 1866-73. He was Clerk of Tates Creek Association in 1868 and 1869.Dobbs served as pastor of Bowling Green First Baptist from 1874-80 and the First Baptist Church of Madison, IN from 1880-84. He was pastor of the Baptist Church in Columbus, MS 1885-90 and served as Associate Editor of the Baptist Record and Editor of the Indiana Baptist in 1894-95. He was pastor of First Baptist Church of Cartersville, GA 1892-93; South Street Church, Indianapolis, IN 1894-97; FBC, Washington, IN 1898. He served as Secretary of the Southern Baptist Convention 1878-1881. He was recording secretary of the Kentucky Baptist Convention 1871-1881. He became pastor of the Key West, FL Baptist Church beginning 1912. Author of Studies on Baptism, a compilation of articles by nineteenth-century Baptist ministers on the subject of baptism; and a variety of additional pamphlets dealing with the subject of baptism. He died in Louisville, Kentucky September 28, 1916.
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[From William Cathcart, editor, The Baptist Encyclopedia, 1881, p. 338; and various other sources including associational history and minutes. Provided by D. L. Brewer, Richmond, KY.]
Additional Miscellaneous Information
In July, 1866, Elder C. E. W. Dobbs became their pastor [Providence Baptist Church, Clark County, Kentucky], serving until October, 1867, and he was succeeded by Elder W. B. Arvin, in February, 1868.
[S. J. Conkwright, History of the Churches of Boone's Creek Baptist Association of Kentucky, 1923, p. 31.]_____________
At Boone's Creek Baptist Church, Fayette County, Kentucky, Elder C. E. W. Dobbs was pastor from January, 1867 until March, 1870. In a series of meetings held by the pastor in September, 1867, twelve were added to the church membership by experience and baptism.
[S. J. Conkwright, History of the Churches of Boone's Creek Baptist Association of Kentucky, 1923, pp. 49-50.]_____________
In 1871, the Elkhorn Baptist Association reported: "Introductory sermon by Elder C. E. W. Dobbs, from Rom. 1:16, 17." - Minutes._____________
C. E. W. Dobbs was the featured preacher at the 1878 Bethel Baptist Association meeting held at Bethel Baptist Church in Todd County, KY; his text was John 16:14. - Bethel Minutes._____________
C. E. W. Dobbs Index
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