James appears the first time in the 1870 Federal Census as a six year-old, living with two brothers and a sister on his parents farm in Lampasas County, Texas. His father had, for just a few months, been the first sheriff in the county, but returned to farming his land. In 1880 James, now 16, has an additional brother. The census says he was a student, having attended school during the census year. On 27 Oct 1886, at the age of 22, he married Mary Lulu Adams. One year later, his father passed away. His mother, Sarah Ann (Sallie) Dobbins, moved in with her son, Walter Nathaniel Dobbins.

James and Lulu's marriage produced three children between 1888 and 1894, William (Willie) Robert Dobbins, James Montgomery Dobbins (Jr), and Evelyn Dobbins. In the 1900 census his wife is listed by her middle name, Lulu. They were living in Jeff Davis County, renting a home and James was working as a farm laborer. His wife, Lulu, passes away in Mar 1905. James meets Jennie Margaret Perry and marries her 31 May 1906. She brings into the household her daughter, May Belle Scott, her daughter by her first husband, Claude Elmer Scott. In 1908 James and Jennie have their first child together, Addie Lucille Dobbins.

By 1910 the family has moved to Gatesville, Coryell, Texas. He is still renting a home there and working as a farm laborer. His mother has moved into her own home in the city of Lampasas. In September that year they added a new daughter, Jennie Lee Dobbins. Sometime after the 1910 census record James has decided it is time for a move to improve his family's life, away from Gatesville to the Hemphill County, in the Texas panhandle. His mother has decided to move with them. She was 77 in 1910. The year of the move is not know for certain, but is likely in 1913 because in 1913 the third child of James and Jennie was born in Lake Victor, Burnet, Texas.

The family, traveling by wagon, makes it to Whiteflat in Motley County, Texas sometime in late spring or early summer of 1913. While there, on July 4th, James' mother passes away and is buried in the Whiteflat Cemetery.

The family arrived in Canadian, Texas in 1917. The 1920 Federal Census shows that James now lives in Canadian, Hemphill, Texas and works as an engine oiler in a Santa Fe railroad round house. By this time three more children have been added to the family, Daisy Margaret Dobbins, Ruby Josephine Dobbins, and Louise Victora Dobbins, who the family called Babe. James must not have worked for the railroad long, because in the 1930 census shows him a a "common" laborer. It must be understood that this is at the beginning of the Depression and he is 66 years old.

His wife, Jennie, dies 7 Jan 1939. In 1940, James is listed as the head of his household, but living with him is his daughter Josephine and her husband Lee Gilstrap with their children, Bill and Sylvia.

Near the end of his days he suffered from senile dementia, likely what we would call alzheimers today. The informant for his death certificate was his daughter Jennie Lee (Dobbins) Cain. She could not remember his mother's name and gave the wrong name of his father, listing him, in error, as Frank P Dobbins. His occupation is listed as a retired farmer. He died at the age of 87.

His obituary says he was a member of the Baptist church and was a good neighbor, husband and father.