In 1854, Dr. William Mobley was elected to the Legislature. His grandfather, Jeremiah Mobley, came to Edgefield just after the Revolutionary War from North Carolina, and settled near Fruit Hill. His father, John Mobley, married Lucretia Simkins. They left three sons, William, Eldred, and John. William was born in 1809. He first married Harriet Goode, of Centre Springs. She died soon. He then married Susannah Neal, daughter of Hugh Neal, a wealthy gentleman of Irish descent. Dr. Mobley was a deacon of Red Bank Church for a long time. He was a man of very fine appearance, pleasing manner, and remarkable for his kindness to all classes of persons; traits of character which made him very popular both as neighbor and physician. He was first elected to the Legislature in 1854, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Mr. John C. Allen, of Fruit Hill. He was re-elected several times, and was a member at the time of his death in October, 1866.
Source: Chapman, John Abney; History of Edgefield County from the earliest settlement to 1897; Newberry, S.C.: E. H. Aull, 1897.