▁An trim , ▁who ▁was ▁soon ▁to ▁become ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁An trim ▁in ▁ 1 6 9 4 ▁and ▁Mary ▁Stewart ▁from ▁Ball into y . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁neighbour ▁and ▁family ▁friend ▁of ▁Jonathan ▁Swift ▁despite ▁their ▁political ▁differences . ▁ ▁He ▁served ▁briefly ▁in ▁a ▁drag oon ▁regiment ▁in ▁the ▁Irish ▁Army , ▁and ▁after ward ▁managed ▁his ▁family ▁estate . ▁ ▁Dob bs ▁became ▁an ▁engineer ▁and ▁Survey or - General ▁of ▁Ireland , ▁super vis ing ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁Parliament ▁House ▁in ▁Dublin , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁Irish ▁public ▁buildings . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁High ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁An trim ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 0 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 2 7 , ▁was ▁elected ▁Member ▁of ▁Parliament ▁for ▁Car rick fer g us , ▁a ▁seat ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 7 6 0 . ▁ ▁Wh ilst ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁Parliament , ▁Dob bs ▁purchased ▁ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁acres ▁( 1 , 6 0 0   km 2 ) ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 7 4 5 ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁settlement ▁in ▁the ▁col ony , ▁especially ▁by ▁Sc ots ▁Irish . ▁Following ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁governor ▁Gabriel ▁John ston , ▁Dob bs ▁was ▁confirmed ▁to ▁succeed ▁him ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁January ▁ 1 7 5 3 . ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁arrive ▁to ▁assume ▁his ▁duties ▁until ▁October ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Governor ▁of ▁North