The progenitors of the Wilson County Hobbs family were Joseph and Anna Hobbs, who emigrated to Texas from Indiana in 1840 with several of their large family (see miscellaneous note attached to the file of Anna’s brother, Lewis Jones).

Joseph Hobbs was born in Maryland on November 29, 1789.180,181 The state and approximate year of birth is confirmed by the 1850 and 1860 census listings.

The exact place of his birth, as well as the names of his parents, is not known. He emigrated to the Indiana territory as a young man and settled in what is now Daviess County in about 1810. On July 12, 1811, Joseph Hobbs married Anna Jones, daughter of Ebenezer Jones. Ebenezer was newly arrived from North Carolina with his wife Mary and several of their 15 children, including Anna.

Early in 1811, the Indians in the Northwest Territory, prompted by British influences, became increasingly aggressive. [The discussion of the Battle of Tippecanoe and the Indian Troubles of 1811-12 that follows was taken from: Francis A. Thuis, History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1886.] General William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana Territory sent a message to the Chief Tecumseh threatening him with arms if he did not control his braves. The message was received by Tecumseh and his brother, the Shawnee Prophet. Tecumseh brought a large force of Indians to visit Harrison at Vincennes on July 27, 1811. This show of force created alarm among the inhabitants of the Vincennes area. There was another conference between Harrison and the Indian Chiefs in Vincennes on September 25, 1811, at which the Indians declared their willingness to comply with the wishes of the Government. However, Harrison suspected them of duplicity and on September 26 he led 750 militia, which he had raised and armed during the summer, and two companies of dragoons on a march toward Prophetstown, the Indian village on the Wabash River, with the intention of dispersing the large Indian assemblage.

Harrison and his force marched in the direction of Prophetstown, stopping near Terre Haute on October 3 to build Fort Harrison, which was completed on October 28. Harrison continued on, arriving in the vicinity of Prophetstown the next day. There was a conference with the Indian Chiefs, in which the Prophet manifested surprise at Harrison's hostile appearance. Harrison and his troops made camp and the army settled in. At 4 am on November 7, the Indians attacked, initiating a pitched battle that resulted in 72 deaths or mortally wounded for the army and a similar number for the Indians. This action came to be known as the Battle of Tippecanoe, and played an eventual role in the election of Harrison as President of the United States.

Joseph Hobbs was a member of Captain Andrew Wilkins' company of infantry in the march that left Vincennes on September 26.185 However, on October 30, after arrival at Prophetstown but before the battle, Hobbs became disabled and was allowed by General Harrison to employ a substitute to serve in his place, one Reuben Alsop, who served until the militia was disbanded in Vincennes on November 11. This information comes from affidavits filed by Joseph and Anna Hobbs in 1855-73 in Texas attempting to gain a land grant to which they believed Joseph to be entitled because of his service in the War of 1812. On March 3, 1855, the Congress of the United States passed an Act granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who had engaged in military service for the United States. On October 13, 1855 Joseph Hobbs filed an application for land in Gonzales, Texas. In this document, Joseph Hobbs swore that he was a private in the Company of Captain Andrew Wilkey or Wilkie in the Battle of Tippecanoe, having mustered into service on September 18, 1811 and continuing in actual service for fourteen days and was honorably discharged at Vincennes on November 16, 1811. This application was not granted, the notation on October 25, 1856 being "No evidence of Capt Wilkey or Wilkie on Indiana roles on file in this office. Not on roles of Capt Andrew Wilkins of Indiana Mounted Riflemen from Sept to Nov 1812.” A second affidavit was filed in Guadalupe County Texas on March 14, 1860. In this affidavit, Joseph stated that he enlisted about September 8, 1811 and served until he became disabled on October 30, at which time General Harrison permitted him to employ Reuben Alsop to serve in his stead until his honorable discharge on November 18. The application was accompanied by a written deposition by Reuben Alsop that he did serve Hobbs' tour of duty from October 30, 1811 until the day of rendezvous at Vincennes.

In 1816, Joseph Hobbs homesteaded his own farm, about a mile east of the Ebenezer Jones farm. The Jones and Hobbs lands were in the southwest corner of present Daviess County, which was incorporated out of Knox County in 1817.

Joseph was still living in Daviess Co IN in 1830:

1830 Census of Daviess Co IN

Joseph Hobbs:
2 males <5 [Amory Oliver (2), Pleasant Howe (5)]
1 male 5-10 [Dudley Vance (10)]
1 male 10-15 [Preston Walter (12) or Joseph A (14)]
1 male 15-20 [Ed Lawson (15) or Benedict (16)]
1 male 40-50 [Joseph (50)]
1 female <5 [Rachel Josephine (<1)]
2 females 5-10 [Corilla (7), Emza Jane (8)]
1 female 30-40 [Anna (38)]

Missing is Polly Hobbs, who was 18, either Benedict or Ed Lawson, and either Preston Walter or Joseph A. Francis Marion and Talman Hugh were not yet born.

In a contract dated July 25, 1834, apparently made when the Hobbs family still lived in Indiana, P. H. Hobbs and Joseph Hobbs agreed to locate on a one-third league tract on the Guinand Creek in Bexar County Texas. A copy of the contract is found in the Joseph Hobbs pension application file. The contract reads as follows: "Received of H. M. Crabb one certificate for one third of a league of land which we bind ourselves to locate on a certain tract of land on the Guinand Creek in Bexar County which land is now held by virtue of a location made by us by virtue of a certificate for one third of a league adjoining lands on which Peter Tumlinson now lives, we further bind ourselves to have surveyed and procure a patent to said lands for said Crabb and also to pay all the expenses on the same within three months from this date and in case of failure on our part to perform said contract as above specified we bind ourselves to return said certificate unto the said Crabb within said three months." This contract presumably refers to Quinlan Creek, which flows through the town of Kerville, TX, and empties into the Medina or Guadalupe River at that location.186 Peter Tumlinson was an early member of the Texas Rangers187 and is listed as a member of the Texas Rangers stationed on the Medina River in the Texas census of 1850, in the same company with Pleasant and Francis Hobbs. He is also shown to have been the son-in-law of James West in an 1858 application for letters of administration in West's estate in Bexar County.

In 1839 [or 1840], Joseph Hobbs led a good part of his large family to the new Republic of Texas. The year the Hobbs family went to Texas from Indiana is known from a deposition filed in Guadalupe County Texas On March 14, 1860, aimed at establishing his right to a bounty warrant for his service in the War of 1812 (Battle of Tippecanoe), Joseph Hobbs swore that he had lived in Daviess County Indiana from 1811 until 1839 and had lived in Texas since that time. [However, see the miscellaneous note attached to the file of Lewis Jones, where a migration date of 1840-41 is put forth.]

The 1840 Texas census, which is brief, lists a Jas. Hobbs in Robertson County. It is possible that this entry referred to Joseph Hobbs and that the abbreviation was misinterpreted in transcription.

It is certain that Preston, at least, was in Texas prior to 1840, as he was subsequently granted a bounty warrant for service to the Republic from November 6, 1836 to May 5, 1837, having been discharged for disability. It is not known which actions Preston Hobbs was involved in, but he was granted a total of 2560 acres in Bexar and Kinney Counties for his services.188 Whatever the disability for which Preston was discharged in 1837, it was not permanent, as Preston was again engaged in military service to the Republic in 1842. This time he was a mounted soldier in the Company of Captain Henry Wadkins and helped to repel the Mexican invasion led by General Vasquez.189 In the Fall of the same year, Pleasant Howe Hobbs served as a mounted soldier in Captain Barrett's company in the Somervell campaign against the Mexican army under the leadership of General Adrian Woll.190

In September, 1842, Woll and a formidable army appeared in the neighborhood of Central Texas and occupied San Antonio. They captured the Judge of the District Court, which was in session, and a number of other officers and lawyers of the court, 54 persons in all. A large force of Texans collected nearby on the Salado Creek and a battle was fought between them and Woll's army on September 17. The Texans prevailed and drove Woll back to the city. On the way, the Mexican army met a smaller group of Texas volunteers from Fayette County who were just arriving, and killed or captured 48 out of the 50 individuals. The next day, Woll and his army left San Antonio for the border. Because of a disagreement about who should lead the pursuit, the Texans did not immediately follow. After two months of squabbling among themselves, Alexander Somervell, a personal friend of President Sam Houston and a soldier in the Texas Revolution, was appointed Brigadier General in command of a militia to pursue Woll and retrieve the prisoners he had taken in his occupation of San Antonio. Somervell dallied for some days, and on November 25 led a force of about 700 mounted men south, toward Laredo. They reached their destination and occupied the town on December 8. Although the militia was anxious to cross the Rio Grande and enjoin the Mexican force, Somervell instead led them southeast on the Texas side of the river. After two days, there was an outcry from the men because of their dissatisfaction that Somervell had been unwilling to cross into Mexico. Unaccountably, General Somervell announced that all who desired could return home; whereupon a total of 200 of the 700 men left.

Somervell continued to lead the remnant of his force southeast along the river and reached the town of Guerrero on December 14. The next day, the whold army crossed the river, whereupon the Mexican officer, Colonel Canalis, ordered a retreat. On December 17 Somervell led his army back across the Rio Grande into Texas and on December 19 announced that the force would immediately march to Gonzales, where it would be disbanded. This action astonished the men, who suspected Somervell of cowardice. The opinion has been voiced that Somervell had secret orders from Sam Houston not to pursue Woll deep into Mexico. Nevertheless, the incident had an unfortunate consequence. About 300 of the remnant of Somervell's army continued along the river and crossed at the town of Mier, which they successfully occupied. While they were waiting there for supplies, a large Mexican force arrived and, in the fight that ensued, 216 of the Texans were captured and carried away to Hacienda Salado, where they arrived on February 10. The next day 198 of the band managed to overcome their guards and escape, whereupon they immediately headed north for their homes. However, on February 18, most of the escapees (173) were recaptured and taken back to Salado; the other 21 were either killed in the recapture or lost and presumed dead in the mountainous country. Only four made their way back to Texas. On March 24, General Santa Anna issued an order to shoot every tenth man who had participated in the excape. The men were made to draw a bean out of a box containing 159 white beans and 17 black beans. Those unfortunate enough to draw black beans were tied and, with their backs to their excutioners, shot. One of those executed was M. C. Wing, whose land lay in the area that later became Nockenut.191

By 1850, the Hobbses were spread all over the new State.192 Joseph and Anna lived in Walker County along with sons Talman (16), Frank (18), and Pleasant (24). Daughter Rachel lived next door with her husband Gabriel Helms and daughters Amanda and Adelia. Pleasant and Frank were also listed in the 1850 census with the Texas Rangers, stationed on the Medina River in Medina County. Daughter Corrilla lived in Lavaca County with her husband James Ridgeway and their seven-year old daughter Eliza; they shared a farm at this time with Lawson, who was unmarried, and Oliver and his wife Rosanna and their two-year old son William. For some reason, Oliver, Rosanna, and William are also recorded in Limestone County at the same time. Preston Hobbs was a Methodist minister in 1850, and he lived in Shelby county in the home of Lewis Jones.

In 1850, Joseph and Anna were living in Walker County with their sons Talman, Frank, and Pleasant:

1850 census of Walker Co TX, p. 276
Name Age
Jas Hobbs 60 MD
Anna Hobbs 58 NC
Talman Hobbs 16 IN
Frank Hobbs 18 IN
Pleasant Hobbs 24 IN
Erin T Slayman 6 TX

Next door lived their daughter Rachel Josephine, who by then was married to Gabriel Helms and had two daughters, Amanda and Adelia. A short time later Joseph and Anna, along with their sons Preston, Pleasant, and Oliver, moved to the small community of Nockenut in Guadalupe County. Joseph filed a homestead on the Ecleto Creek about 16 miles from Seguin.

Joseph and Anna Hobbs, along with sons Preston, Pleasant, and Oliver, settled in Guadalupe County in the small community of Nockenut in the early 1850s. Pleasant and Joseph filed homesteads on the Ecleto Creek about 16 miles from Seguin. Pleasant's 320-acre tract was patented to him in 1860.193 Preston Hobbs also homesteaded land in this part of Guadalupe County (which later became part of Wilson County).

1860 census of Guadalupe Co TX, P. 26
Name Age
Jos Hobbs 70 MD
Anna Hobbs 68 NC

Listed on the same census page on adjoining farms were sons P. W. Hobbs (Methodist Minister), A. O. Hobbs (laborer) and P. H. Hobbs (stock raiser).

Joseph Hobbs died at the age of 74. He was visiting daughter Josephine and her husband Gabriel Helms across the Sandies River in Gonzales County when he died on November 1, 1863. At the time of his death the creek was up and his body couldn't be brought back to Nockenut for burial, so he was buried in the Union Hill Cemetery in an unmarked grave.194 His will, written October 19, 1863, was filed on November 25 of the same year. It refers to his wife Anna and his sons and daughters E. L. (Lawson), P. W., Emzy I. Camp, Corrilla A. Ridgeway, P. H., A. O., R. Josephine Helms, T. H., and Sara E. Jobs, daughter of his deceased son Benedict.195 Anna Hobbs died on October 9, 1880. She is buried in Nockenut Cemetery. Anna's marker was discovered in 1983 by Karon Mac Smith while preparing her book. At that time, only a remnant was left, with the partial date " - Oct 9, 1880" visible. The stone was in the row with Otha King, Mary Jane King, and Adelia Hobbs in the Hobbs plot. It has since been replaced by a modern marker.

Family tradition records at least the following 13 children of Joseph and Anna Hobbs. The birth dates were obtained from a list, in Joseph Hobbs hand, that was submitted to J. H. Baker, Commissioner of the Pension Office, Department of the Interior, January 18, 1873, as a part of Anna Hobbs' application for a pension.

(1) Pollie b. September 16, 1812
(2) Benedict b. January 5, 1814
(3) Lawson b. March 10, 1815
(4) Joseph b. December 9, 1816
(5) William Preston b. June 17, 1818
(6) Dudley Vance b. July 8, 1820
(7) Emzy b. February 10, 1822
(8) Corrilla b. December 27, 1823
(9) Pleasant Howe b. December 13, 1825
(10) Amory Oliver b. April 11, 1828
(11) Rachel Josephine b. January 14, 1830
(12) Frances Marion b. September 22, 1832
(13) Talman Hugh b. May 27, 1834

Another account comes from Eileen Phipps:196

In September of 1811, just two months after his wedding day, Joseph Jr enlisted to serve in the War of 1812. He was a member of Captain Andrew Wilkins's company of infantry in the march that left Vicennes on September 26. However, after arriving at Prophetstown, Joseph became disabled and was allowed by General William Henry Harrison (later to become President of the United States) to hire a substitute. One Reuben Alsop was hired to serve in Joseph's place. Just two months later, after under Harrison participating in the Battle of Tippicanoe, Reuben Alsop/Joseph Hobbs was honorably discharged. For this service, eventually Joseph petitioned for and received one-third league of land in Bexar County, Texas. On a Widow's Pension application Anna filed in 1880, she stated that at the time of his enlistment he was 22 years old, his occupation was farming, he was about 5'8" tall, and he had blue eyes and fair complexion.

After Joseph Jr completed his brief military service, he and Anna Hobbs settled in Knox County and became the parents of thirteen children. The four oldest children were born in Knox County and the others in Daviess County, which was formed out of Knox County in 1817.

As the years went by, a "money panic" came to the part of Indiana where the Hobbs family was living. Since good, cheap land was available in Texas, Anna's brother Lewis Jones, along with his wife Rebecca and several of their children, decided to migrate to Texas. Joseph and Anna decided to go with them and file a claim for Joseph's bounty land in Bexar County. The two couples, accompanied by several of their children, left Indiana around 1839 and traveled some 1500 miles to Shelby County, Texas.

When Joseph and Anna Hobbs continued on their way to Bexar County, they left their son William Preston in Shelby County with Lewis and Rebecca Jones. From early in life William Preston had been designated to be a Methodist minister. He had what was known as "a thorn in the flesh;" that is, he was born with club feet. While staying with Lewis and Rebecca, he studied for the ministry and eventually became a member of the Luling Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

It was during a visit to the Helms home that Joseph Hobbs died, on November 1, 1863. At that time the Helms family was living in Gonzales County, just across the Sandies River from Joseph and Anna's home in Nockenut. The creek was up when Joseph died, and his body couldn't be brought back to Nockenut for burial, so he was buried in Union Hill Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

The 1880 census records for Wilson County, Texas, show Anna living with her son Pleasant Howe Hobbs, whose first wife, Catherine Cotter, had died the previous year. Anna, the records note, was helping Pleasant Howe raise his two sons and two daughters who were still living at home. Anna died that same year, on October 9, 1880, and was buried in Nockenut Cemetery.

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In several family genealogies that may be found on the internet, Joseph Hobbs is said to have been the son of Joseph Hobbs and Ann Maynard, of Frederick County Maryland. In one of these pedigrees, his date of birth was given incorrectly as 29 November 1783 and this incorrect birth date has been replicated by many in online family trees.

This is not correct. Joseph Hobbs and Ann Maynard left Frederick County Maryland and migrated to Nelson County Kentucky about 1790, when he first appeared on the tax list there. Joseph Hobbs died in Nelson County in 1810 and left an explicit will that listed the names and places of abode of all of his nine children, as follows:

Thomas Hobbs and his wife Urith, Maryland
Zachariah Hobbs of Washington Co Kentucky
Nathan Hobbs of Nelson Co Kentucky
Sarah Dorsey and her husband Greenbury Dorsey
Rachel Hobbs and her husband Joshua Hobbs Jr.
Susanna Stone
Mary Tivis and her husband Robert Tivis of Madison Co Kentucky
Deborah Fountain of Jefferson Co Kentucky
Elizabeth Waddy and her husband Samuel Waddy of Shelby Co Kentucky

The will was written 25 October 1809 and a codicil was written 7 February 1810. The estate was probated on 21 May 1810. There is absolutely no indication in this will that Joesph Hobbs of Nelson Co KY had a son named Joseph. And it is not that he did have a son but did not know where he had gone, as Joseph Hobbs (who married Anna Jones) would have been on his way to Indiana when the Joseph Hobbs of Nelson Co KY wrote his will. In that will he phrased his bequest to his son Thomas in such a way that shows that he did not know for sure where Thomas lived: “I give and bequeath to the lawfully begotten heirs of my son Thomas Hobbs by his first wife Urith who now resides or lately did reside in the State of Maryland.”

An example of one of the misleading Hobbs genealogies is http://www.angelfire.com/tx2/ClendennenEhlers/Hobbs.html. You will see in generation 2 that the foregoing list of the children of Joseph Hobbs and Ann Maynard is repeated, with the addition of “Joseph Hobbs Jr” at the end. The birthdate given for “Joseph Hobbs Jr” in this list is, by the way, wrong; he was really born 29 Nov 1789. One hesitates to say for sure, but it would appear that the birth year for Joseph Hobbs was intentionally changed from 1789 to 1783 to make it look more plausible that he was a member of the Joseph Hobbs-Ann Maynard family.

I have contacted the owner of this incorrect web pedigree numerous times to point out the error but my messages have never been acknowledged. It was last updated on 29 May 2015.

The will of Joseph Hobbs, was copied by Clayton Heathcock from the original at the Guadalupe Co TX Court House in Sequin in 1977. A complete transcript of the file is attached to the multimedia page for Joseph Hobbs.

Guadalupe Co Texas No. 405; Recorded 25 Nov 1863; Re-recorded 4 Dec 1865

State of Texas
Guadalupe County
Oct. 19th AD 1863

In the name of God, Amen. I Joseph Hobbs, in feeble bodily health, but of sound and disposing mind and memory, calling to mind the frailty and uncertainty of human life and being desirous to settle my worldly affairs, I hearby declare this to be my last will and testament.

And First: I command my Immortal being to him who gave it, and my body to the Earth with little expense or ostentation, by my executers hereinafter named.

Second: My will is that all my just debts & funeral expenses shall be paid out of my estate as soon after my decease as shall by them be convenient.

Third: I will that my wife Anna Hobbs shall have an ample Support, out of the estate during her natural life.

Fourth: I further will that after the decease of my wife, my property real and personal shall be equally divided between my sons and daughters viz; E. L. Hobbs, P. W. Hobbs, Emzy I. Camp, Corilla A. Ridgeway, P. H. Hobbs, A. O. Hobbs, R. Josaphine Helms, J. H. Hobbs and Sara E. Jobs daughter of B. J. Hobbs deceased.

Fifth: My will is that my estate shall not go into the Probate Court, and that my executers shall not be required to give Bond or Security but to be at as little expense as possible.

Sixth: I hereby appoint P. W. Hobbs, P. H. Hobbs, and G. G. Helms to the the sole executers of this my last will, directing them to pay all my just debts and expenses.

Seventh: My Executers are hereby authorized to make such arrangements for taking care of th eproperty as they think may best promote the interest of the Heirs above named and shall be authorized to sell beeves & young horses for the support of my Wife.

Eighth: I will that P. W. and P. H. Hobbs shall have charge of my place on the Eclato until a division of the property as above named when they may have it between them as a part of their claim of the estate.

In testimony wherof I have hereunto set my hand ans scroll for a seal on the day and date above written.

J. H. Hobbs (s)

Signed in presence of
P. W. Hobbs (s)
G. G. Helms (s)

* - * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *

The following affidavit was written immediately following the will, then crossed out:

The above instrument was at the date thereof declard to us by the testator Joseph Hobbs to be his last will and testament, and he then acknoleged (sic) to us that he had subscribed the same ane we at his request sign our names hereto as attesting witneses.


Residing in Gonzales Co

Residing in Gonzales Co

(It appears that the witnesses were supposed to sign before the “Residing in Gonzales Co”)

* - * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *

The following affidavit is attached to the will:

The State of Texas
Guadalupe County

I G. G. Helms solemly swear that the paper writing on the other half of this sheet was signed by Joseph Hobbs in my presence and in presence of P. W. Hobbs the then subscribing witness thereto and was published and declared by said Jos. Hobbs as his last will & testament, and that we the said P. W. Hobbs and myself signed said will as witness in presence of said Jos. Hobbs and each other and at his request, and further that at the time of the execution of said will the said Jos. Hobbs was of sound and disposing mind & memory.

G. G. Helms (s)

Subscribed and sworn to in open Court this 28 December 1863.
A. B. Moore, Dy. (s)

* - * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *- * - *

G. C. C.: In County Court
besworn and subscribed.
W. C. Wiseman, Chief Justice (s)
The State of Texas
Guadalupe County

Know all men by these presents that we Preston W. Hobbs as principal and Pleasant H. Hobbs and W. P. H. Douglas as sureties are held and firmly bound unto the Chief Justice of the County of Guadalupe in the sum of Three thousand dollars for the payment of which well and truly to be made unto the said Chief Justice or his successor in office we bind ourselves, our heirs, Executors and Administrators jointly and severally firmly by these presents. Signed with our hands this 25th of July 1864. The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bound Preston W. Hobbs shall well and truly perform all the duties required of him under said appointments, then this obligation shall be null and void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect.

Approved this 25th July 1864
P. W. Hobbs (s)
P. H. Hobbs (s)
W. P. H. Douglas (s)

Ja. McLaugherty, Chief Justice, Guadalupe Co (s)

Anna is buried in the row with Otha King, Mary Jane King, and Adelia (Hobbs) King, who are all within a curb with Pleasant Howe Hobbs and Florence King Hobbs. The somewhat decomposed stone was located in 1982 by Karon Mac Smith when she was making an inventory for her second book. It has since been replaced with a modern marker (see multimedia photo).

See media files for Pleasant Howe Hobbs for a map showing the location of Nockenut Cemetery.

1880 Census of Wilson Co TX (15 June 1880)
Name Age
P. Howe Hobbs 55 Widowed IN MD NC
Rachel J. Hobbs 18 Dau Single TX IN TN
Edward Hobbs 15 Son Single TX IN TN
Adelia Hobbs 12 Dau Single TX IN TN
Arche Hobbs 4 Son Single TX IN TN
Ann Hobbs 88 Mother Widowed NC DE DE