My Genealogy Hound

HOBSON, THOMAS, farmer and stock raiser, Sec. 29, P.O. Carrollton. One of the most energetic and wealthy citizens of Greene County is Thomas Hobson, a native of Cumberland County, England. In 1809, in his thirteenth year his parents, James and Elizabeth Hobson, whose maiden name was Goldsmith, a descendant of one of the best families of England, crossed the Atlantic. During the Autumn of 1822, land having been previously purchased, the little party of emigrants settled down to farm life in Greene County. On their arrival the family, consisting of the husband, wife and six children: Peter, John, Thomas, Robert, Mary and Jane; the homestead comprised 320 acres, was unbroken save three acres, on which was erected a small cabin comprised of logs; the neighbors of those days were few, but generous to a fault, and all were on an equal footing as regards finances or nearly so. During the first winter the family endured many hardships; of wheat they had none and consequently no flour, during the first cold winter mainly subsisting on corn bread or what was more familiarly known as corn dodgers. Years afterwards St. Louis became the trading point for supplies. In 1839 James Hobson departed to a home not made with hands. A true type of the hardy Briton, of an extremely energetic disposition, he accumulated wealth for the period of time in which he lived, erecting during the days of his earlier manhood the substantial brick building where the subject of this sketch now resides. Three years after the death of this pioneer the wife and mother, a most estimable lady, also passed away; Thomas was then in his thirty-third year, married, having united his fortunes to Catherine Choran, by whom he had two children, now living, James and John. Mrs. Hobson died March 6, 1854, and was laid at rest in the Mount Pleasant cemetery, a worthy monument marking the spot. March 11, 1858, Mr. Hobson was married to Miss Elizabeth Ann Tribble, by whom he had two children, not living, whose names were Elizabeth G. and Mary O. The career of Mr. Hobson on our Illinois prairies has been fraught with no ordinany interest. He is today a representative of his class and the owner of nearly 1200 acres of land; thus through great industry the pioneer boy who had in his early days scarcely clothing or shoes has reaped the reward of the diligent.