Isaac Dabbs facts for kids

Isaac Dabbs was an American politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates, a part of Virginia's government, from 1875 to 1877.

Early Life and Family

Isaac Dabbs was born into slavery on a farm in Charlotte County, Virginia. We don't know his exact birth date because slave births were not often recorded. However, he was likely born in the late 1840s.

He became a free person at some point. On December 29, 1869, he married Sarah Ann Brown. They had at least two sons together.

For much of his life, Isaac Dabbs could not read or write. But by 1900, it's believed he learned these skills, according to official records. After his wife Sarah passed away in 1884, Dabbs married again in 1898 to Sarah Catherine Howell. They did not have any children.

Around 1900, Dabbs moved to Baltimore. He was listed in the census there in 1910. It is thought that he died soon after this, as he was not found in later records.

Isaac Dabbs's Political Journey

Isaac Dabbs became involved in politics as a member of the Radical Republicans. This was a political group after the American Civil War. He ran for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1875. The House of Delegates is like a state parliament where laws are made.

Dabbs won the election and served as the representative for Charlotte County for two years. Even though he won the public vote, his party did not choose him to run again in the next election. However, he remained a loyal member of the party. He even helped campaign for other candidates in the 1883 elections for the House of Delegates. He worked as a canvasser, which means he helped gather support and votes for his party's chosen candidate.

See also

• African-American officeholders during and following the Reconstruction era