Miriam Elizabeth Dobyns

Miriam was the daughter of Judge James Perry Pierce, and Ella Cox Langley Pierce. Ellie had been widowed when John Langley, her first husband, died. She brought with her to the marriage a daughter, Berna Langley.

This was a second marriage for the judge whose first  wife had died in 1895.   So Miriam  had seven older half sisters and brothers: Florence E, Cortis Jackson, Ambie B , Cora W, Norval Lee, Ira Tilden, and George Collin Pierce. 

Miriam was a musician, a music graduate from the University of Louisville Conservatory, in Louisville, Kentucky. She was a music teacher and a Chetauqua performer and traveled around the country performing.

She married William Harold Dobyns about 1922 and they had one son James Harold Dobyns. William died in an accident when James was a youngster of about 7 years old , leaving Miriam a widow. She did not remarry.

She moved to Rochester, Minnesota for the last 28 years of her life. Her son Dr James Harold Dobyns was a specialist in hand surgery and lived in Rochester.

She died of pneumonia, with aspiration due to a left cerebral vascular accident at age 88 at the Bethany Samaritan Heights Nursing Home. She was survived by her son, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via William Harold Dobyns by SmartCopy: Jul 21 2015, 15:52:00 UTC