California Biographies Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm Source: History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California. An historical story of the state's marvelous growth from its earliest settlement to the present time. Prof. James Miller Guinn , A. M. The Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905 Notes: Missing Page: 865-866,983-984,1175-1176 CHARLES JAMES HOBLER. For many years Mr. Hobler has held an enviable position among the first farmers of Kings county, Cal, and to him belongs the distinction of raising the finest of thoroughbred merino sheep to be found in the vicinity of Hanford, where he has an ex- tensive stock ranch. The high repute in which he is held comes not only from his being a worthy son of good ancestors, but also from the admirable manner in which he has been living out his pre-eminently useful and busy life, his affluent circumstances being but the result of his indi- vidual efforts. In tracing the ancestry of Mr. Hobler, we find him to be a direct descendant of a prominent English family. His paternal grandfather, who was of Swiss extraction, was clerk of the Mansion House in London for an unbroken period of forty years, and a painted por- trait of him may be found hanging in the halls of the Mansion House to-day. George Hobler, the father of Charles J., was a native of London, England, where he was reared, educated and lived until he attained the age of twenty-five years. He wedded Miss Ann Turner, a lady born in Devonshire, England. Her father was a breeder of fine Devon cattle and sold to the late Queen Victoria the stock which afterward brought her many prizes at fairs, etc. After mar- riage, about 1825, the young people went to Australia and during the early years of their residence in that country, Mr. Hobler followed banking in connection with real estate business and stock-raising. Fortune, on her wheel, seemed to be traveling by his side, and at one time he was one of the leading and wealthiest men in the vicinity of Sydney. He subsequently failed in business, however, but by hard work and self-denial, he paid every dollar of his in- debtedness. Undaunted, he began anew, and by keen foresight he made a good start and in a short time was again on the road to prosperity. Removing far from the settlements, he took up land and engaged in cattle and sheep-raising on a large scale. His land was in a wild, unsettled district, three hundred miles from the nearest postoffice and here upon this place, shut off from civilization, Mr. Hobler endeavored to retrieve his fallen fortunes. After following this busi- ness for six or eight years he became disgusted with the English government, and having been deprived of his land, he sold all his possessions in that country, and severing his connection with both the country and the government, he came to America, making his way to California in 1851. Securing a favorable location in Alameda county, he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Spanish Grant, where he improved a place and followed farming for sev- eral years. On account of an existing dispute concerning the title to this land and not wishing to be again deprived of his rights, Mr. Hobler sold his interest in this place and removed to Alameda, where the latter years of his life were spent in retirement. Here he died at the advanced age of eighty-four years. Eleven children were born to him and his wife, and of these, one died in infancy, ten growing to maturity ; all are now deceased except Charles J. and his sister, Ada, wife of John Ellsworth, superior judge of Alameda county, Cal. Born, as he was, on the bank of Hunter's river, near Sydney, Australia, August 16, 1836, Charles J. Hobler spent his boyhood days in the land of his nativity, and when of sufficient age he was placed in a boarding-school, where he remained for four years, during which time he obtained a fair education. He had attained the age of fifteen years when his parents left Aus- tralia for a home in California and he worked on his father's ranch until he was nineteen years old, starting out at that time to make his own way in the world. He took charge of a flock of sheep, managing them first in Solano county and afterward in Monterey county. The third year a division was made and Air. Hobler received for his share, in addition to a certain sum of money, five hundred ewes, and with these as a start, he began sheep-raising on his own behalf in Monterey county. After two or three years he removed his stock to the upper San Joaquin val- ley, being subsequently located in different counties until 1864. During that year he took up his sheep into Mendocino county, having at that time about four thousand head. This change, instead of being beneficial to his interests, was quite the reverse, as the settlers killed his sheep and he was afterward compelled to return to the San Joaquin valley in order to save the remnant of his flock, which was reduced to four hundred. Here he re- mained until 1872, and it was during that year that he purchased a section of land in Fresno county, for which he paid $6,400. Upon this land he carried on farm pursuits on a large scale, raising grain, planting orchards, etc., and in addition to cultivating his own ranch, he rented six sections of land in the same county and carried on stock-raising extensively. In 1888 he sold his entire possessions for $35,000 net, and purchased his present home place, four hundred acres, six miles northeast of Hanford, in Kings county and removing to this place, he has lived here ever since. The purchase price, $18,400, is greatly exceeded by the present value of the place, and here Mr. Hobler continues stock-raising, making a specialty of thoroughbred sheep. Having invested quite largely in real estate, Mr. Hobler at one time owned one hundred and eighty lots in Hanford, in addition to his ranch. His deep interest in educational affairs is unques- tioned, as he donated eight lots for the high school site. Besides this, he has sold at different times one hundred lots that now contain residences. He also purchased twenty acres of land near the city, which he sold seven months later at a fair profit. By his marriage in 1874, he was united with Rosie Hunter, of Canadian birth, who was brought to California by her parents when but one year old; her family also is of English extraction. Eight children' were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hobler, and of these, three sons, Louis W., Adolph and Charles H., are deceased. Those living are : Lizzie, wife of C. D. Haywood ; Rosie, wife of George Kelley, of Hanford ; and Bertha, Grace and Gladys. The youngest three are all at home. Politically, Mr. Hobler is a firm adherent of Republican principles, but has never aspired to office. Fraternally he is allied with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ma- sons, being a member of the Blue Lodge and Royal Arch Chapter of Hanford. In embracing Masonry, he but followed in the footsteps of his honored father, who was made a Mason in Eng- land, and just prior to his removal to Australia the Grand Master's Lodge No. 1, of which he was a member, presented him with a jewel, bearing the date of June 20, 1825, as an emblem of their good-will. This token of esteem is now in the possession of Mr. Hobler, who prizes it very highly, a relic of bygone days, when his beloved father was a much esteemed resident of England.