HOBSON FAMILY HISTORY
Submitted by chapter member, Robert Hobson
August 2009
Richmond, Salem Twp. Jefferson County, Ohio

Hobson Farm House

The description given on some 1841 tax receipts that were saved for some reasons as well as what is shown on an 1871 map of Salem Township. In November of 1841 Stephen Ford Hobson paid taxes on 160 acres located in Range 3 Township 10 Section 10 as well as 200 acres in Range 3 Township 10 Section 16. It would look like between the taxes in 1841 and the map of 1871 the 200 acre tract of land was sold. There is a black dot, indicating a house, just south of a fork in the road on S.F. Ford's 160 acres located just west of the town of Richmond.

Please acknowledge that the pictures of the family farm/homestead were received from Jill Irvine whose husband John is a grandson of John Hobson and a great grandson of Stephen F. Hobson.

Click to view larger map.

Click to view larger map.

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Subject: Hobson Farm,Richmond,OH Of Stephen Ford Hobson-Tom&John Farmed Homestead

Hobson farm: The house was built in 1837 by James Hobson (19 March 1797 - 20 Oct. 1837) and his wife Sarah Ford (17 March 1803 - 1 May 1881). It was the home of Stephen Ford Hobson (1 Jan. 1833 - 5 Jan 1918). It was located in Section 10 of Salem Township. As far as I know the last Hobsons to occupy the farm were John and Thomas Hobson, sons of Stephen Ford Hobson and Nancy Jane Andrews (15 March 1840 - 26 Jan 1892). I am wondering if any of the buildings are still standing. I know that Tom Hobson died in 1959 and John lived until 1966 but I don't know when they left or sold the farm.

Submitted by chapter member
Bob Hobson

HobsonFarm,Richmond,O OfStephenFordHobson-Tom&John FarmedHomestead

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Submitted by Bob Hobson
Seeking identification of the following photo:

I am sending this to as many of you as possible to see if anyone may have an idea who this is. I found the picture among family history things my mother had collected. It has a date stamp of 15 September 1865 on the back. It was taken by J. Q. A. Tresize, in Zaneville, Ohio. I have no idea who this is. I don't even know whether she is a paternal or maternal ancestor. So, I am sending this out in the hopes that someone may recognize her.

If you have any clues or thoughts as to who this might be please let me know.

Robert Hobson, Ed.D.
rhobson@cox.net
Researching the following families: Hobson, Horn, Hague, Turner, McGlumphy, Hopping, Stewart, McCullough, Andrews, Russell, Beebout, Clay, Scoggin,Brubaker, Ross, Shields, Brelsford, Paxson, Clark, Akerly, Vernooy, Cope, Coats, Barton,

Unknown

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The Hobson family has been a part of Jefferson County and Salem township since well before the township was formed in 1807. Joseph Hobson, Stephen Ford, John Andrews and John McCollough are all my direct ancestors and they were all part of the original group of residents when Salem township was formed. Adam Stewart , Mary Stewart Hobson's father, was the first mayor of Richmond when it was incorporated in 1835. I have found that Joseph B. Doyle's "20th Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County and Representative Citizens" has some great information on many of these people as well as information on my great great grandfather Stephen Ford Hobson. I am told that John M. Hobson, one of Stephen F. Hobson's seven sons, lived on the family farm until his death in 1966. My father and several of my cousins have visited the old family farm. I have seen some brief family movies of the place. I don't know its exact location other than it was in section 10 of Salem township. At the Schiappa Library there is a non-circulating book about the Hobson clan. It was written by Marcia McGuire Kutys of Martins Ferry, Ohio.

It would be wonderful if the article generated some contacts with other people researching the same families.
Robert Hobson, Ed.D.
rhobson@cox.net

Researching the following families: Hobson, Horn, Hague, Turner, McGlumphy, Hopping, Stewart, McCullough, Andrews, Russell, Beebout, Clay, Scoggin,Brubaker, Ross, Shields, Brelsford, Paxson, Clark, Akerly, Vernooy, Cope, Coats, Barton,

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THE HOBSON FARM
SALEM TOWNSHIP, JEFFERSON COUNTY, OHIO

If anyone has any information about this homestead, still existing building or would like to share family information, please contact Robert Hobson at rhobson@cox.net. Here are some other surnames Bob is researching in Jefferson County, Ohio: Hobson, Horn, Hague, Turner, McGlumphy, Hopping, Stewart, McCullough, Andrews, Russell, Beebout, Clay, Scoggin,Brubaker, Ross, Shields, Bresford, Paxson, Clark, Akerly, Vernooy, Cope, Coats, and Barton.

The picture below is of the Hobson farm located on 160 acres in Section 10 of Salem Township adjacent to the western edge of the village of Richmond, Ohio. The land was entered from the government by James Hobson. James Hobson was born on 19 March, 1797 on his parent’s farm three miles south of this farm. James was the son of Jefferson County pioneers Joseph Hobson and Anna Scroggins. This picture and many others were sent to me by Jill Irvine, whose husband John is a distant cousin. Jill has been a great source of information and the following photos were shared by Jill Irvine.

The house (above) was built in 1837 by James Hobson (19 March 1797 - 20 Oct. 1837) and his wife Sarah Ford (17 March 1803 - 1 May 1881). It was the home of Stephen Ford Hobson (1 Jan. 183- to 5 Jan. 1918). As far as I know the last Hobson’s to occupy the farm were John and Thomas Hobson, sons of Stephen Ford Hobson and Nancy Jane Andrews (15 March 1840 - 26 Jan 1892). I am wondering if any of the buildings are still standing. I know that Tom Hobson died in 1959 and John lived until 1966 but I don't know when they left or sold the farm.

James Hobson and his wife Sarah “Sally” Ford (17 March 1803 - 1 May 1881) built the two-story house on the farm in 1837. Sarah Ford was the daughter of Squire Stephen Ford and Ruth Stevenson. On 20 October 1837 James died at the age of 40. James and Sally had six children – Ann, Joseph, Ruth, James, Stephen F., and Leticia. I believe Sally continued to live on the farm until her death in 1881.

(Auto Bus, below, Richmond, Salem Twp., Ohio)

Around 1860 the Hobson farm became the property of James and Sally’s youngest son, Stephen Ford Hobson who married Nancy Jane Andrews on 14 November 1861. Nancy Jane Andrews (15 March 1840 – 26 January 1892) was the daughter of William Andrews and Jane McCullough. Stephen and Nancy raised seven sons on the Hobson farm – William Andrews, James Lincoln, John McCullough, Joseph Hudson, Stephen Franklin, Thomas N. F., and Abraham Dana. A daughter Jane Bell died in infancy. Stephen Ford Hobson operated the 160 acre farm raising sheep and other livestock. He operated a carding mill on the farm. Stephen was a prominent farmer and businessman in Salem Township until his death on 5 January 1918.

Stephen and Nancy Hobson’s son John, who married Julia Cunningham in 19 October 1892, took over the operation of the farm with his brother Thomas N. F. Hobson. Thomas married Constance Beebout on 26 September 1900. The farm remained in the hands of Thomas and John. Thomas died on 18 August 1959 at the age of 83. John died on 24 October 1966 at the age of 99.

View of Richmond from the Hobson Farm	Thank you to Robert Hobson for sharing his photos.
Above Photo taken at Richmond College. Man holding hat John Hobson, others unidentified.