Solano County Biographies

ISAAC HOBBS

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
(deceased), born in Sanford, Summerworth county, State of Maine, 27th November, 
1821.  In the year 1839 he left his birthplace and went to South Boston, but 
remained there only a short time.  From there he proceeded to Great Falls, New 
Hampshire, where he worked at his trade, that of millwright, remaining there 
till 1844, when he went to Glowchester, New Jersey, being employed in his own 
trade till the spring of 1847, when he went to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and set in 
operation the machinery of several cotton mills in that place.  In March, 1849, 
he started across the plains to California.  On reaching Gila river, he, in 
company with three others, manufactured a �dug-out,� and proceeded down the Pino 
river, calculating that the journey would only occupy three days, and laid in 
provisions accordingly, but they were twenty-one days on the trip, and on 
getting to their destination, found the rest of the party had preceded them by 
eight days.  Continued the journey to San Francisco, where they arrived in 
October, 1849.  Mr. Hobbs, associated with some others, organized a company, 
and, going to Bodega, erected a saw-mill, but at the time, lumber could be 
secured in San Francisco for the simple freight; the mill was therefore not put 
in operation.  He again returned to San Francisco and embarked in the business 
of a house-carpenter, at sixteen dollars a day, wages.  This was in the summer 
of 1850; in the fall of that year he visited the southern mines and engaged in 
prospecting until the spring of 1852, at which time he began farming on the 
Feather river, but, contracting fever and ague, in the fall of the year he was 
obliged to abandon agriculture and return to San Francisco.  In April, 1853, he 
returned to the Atlantic coast and his native home, and on May 31 of the same 
year married, at McConnellville, Ohio, Miss Sarah A. Maxwell, at the residence 
of her sister, Mrs. C. L. Barker; she was born in Chester county, Pa., October 
18, 1826.  With his bride he returned to California via Panama, arriving in San 
Francisco November 5, 1853, when he once more commenced business as a 
house-builder, which he continued till 1855, when, with his family, he came to 
Vallejo and engaged as millwright, on Mare Island.  In the fall of 1859 he moved 
to Eel river, Humboldt county, and began farming, and remained there till the 
summer of 1861, when they returned to Solano county and located 160 acres of 
land, in section 34, township 4, range 3, on the Suscol ranch, but on March 3, 
1863, a bill was passed by Congress giving the land back to its original owner, 
(who claimed it under the Spanish grant,) when they were removed by the Sheriff 
of the county.  Mr. H. then returned to Vallejo, in 1865, and was elected 
Sheriff in 1869 for a term of two years.  Once more Mr. Hobbs visited (in 1876) 
the scenes of his youth, as well as the Centennial Exhibition, returning to 
Vallejo, but never again engaged in active business up to the time of his death, 
which occurred on February 12, 1878.  He was a Mason of old and high standing, 
as also a member of the Vallejo Pioneer Association.  Their children are:  Mary 
B., born at Vallejo April 17, 1857; Ida S., born April 7, 1859; Eunice Esther, 
born at Eel river, Humboldt county, February 26, 1861; Charles B., born in 
Sulphur Spring valley, Solano county, August 22, 1863; Heila Grace, born in 
Vallejo, November 21, 1865, and Maxwell, born May 17, 1872.  There are two 
infants deceased:  George, born August 17, 1855 and died July 27, 1864; Isacc 
[sic], born December 21, 1865, and died September 27, 1869.
 
History of Solano County � San Francisco, Cal. - Wood, Alley  & Co., East 
Oakland, pub 1879, pp 355-356