from Kentucky: A History of the State by Battle, Perrin & Kniffin 3rd edition, 1886

Judge Robert B. Dohoney was born in Adair County, Ky., 14 Sep 1834, and is the second of a family of nine children born to Payton and Polly (Hindman) Dohoney, both native of Adair County, Ky, of Irish-English descent, born in Aug 1807 and 28 Feb 1812, respectively. Payton Dohoney received a very limited education in youth at the primitive schools of his native county. After attaining his majority, he engaged in agricultural pursuits in his nataive county on his own account, and continued the same until 1875, when he left the farm and came to Edmonton, Metalfe County, Ky. The grandfather of Judge Dohoney, Hezekiah R. Dohoney, was a native of Virginia, and immigrated to Adair County, Ky. when a young man, where he was among the early pioneers. Mrs. Polly Dohoney's father, Robert Hindman, was also a native of Virginia. At an early day, he, together with his father, Alexander Hindman, immigrated to Adair County, Ky., where he entered and improved a farm. The fourth generation of the family are now living in the house which he erected.

Judge Robert B. Dohoney received a good common school education in youth, and was employed constantly on the home farm until he was twenty-one years of age. He then took a special scientific and mathematical course of two years at Columbia High School. This he did upon his own resources, having secured the means by teaching. He also taught two years in the institution, occupying the cair of mathematics for one year. In Sep 1859, he and his eldest brother, E.L. Dohoney, immigrated to Paris, Texas, where he taught school and read law with his brother for two years. There also, in Jun 1860, he was admitted to the bar. In the early part of 1861 he and his brother, with others, made a bold and determined fight against the ordinance of secession in Lamar County. This county was one of the only three in the state whose delegates held out against secession and refused to sight the ordinance to the last.

In Aug 1861, he left Texas under Jeff Davis' order for all Union men to leave the Confederacy within fourteen days, and returned to his native county in Kentucky. In Jul 1862, he came to Edmonton, where he entered upon the practice of law, and has since been so engaged. In 1863-64, he was United States Provost-Marshal for Metcalfe County. He was frist appointed and afterward elected County Attorney, which position he held for five years - from 1862 to 1867. In 1874 he was elected County Judge of Metcalfe County, and held the office for over three years....

Mr. Dohoney married, in Johnson County, Texas, 21 Jul 1865, Fannie E. Poindexter, a native of east Tennessee. She was born 16 Sep 1841, and is the daughter of Thomas C. and Nancy (White) Poindexter, both natives of Virginia, the former being descended from the Poindexters of England. Judge and Mrs. Dohoney were engaged to be married before the war, but were separated by the army lines for four years, only being able to hear from each other at long intervals. Mrs. Dohoney is a finished scholar and an accomplished lady, having taught some five years in the high schools of the State of Texas. Their union has been blessed by four children - one son and three daughters, viz: Robert Bruce, Lula (deceased), Angia and Fannie May. Judge Dohoney is independent in politics, not being identified with any of the political parties of the day, but is an active and earnest prohibitionist, and a leading and prominent citizen.