Kendall County, Illinois Genealogy

Franklin Moody Hobbs

"Taps" Blow for Captain Hobbs

Kendall County Record, November 22, 1916

Captain Franklin M. Hobbs died at his home in Pasadena, California, Saturday November 18. Captain Hobbs would have been 88 years of age in January and had been failing slowly during the past two years. His removal from Yorkville about three years ago was made in hopes of his regaining his waning health. His last illness confined him to his bed but twelve days. Present with him were three children, Miss Miranda Hobbs, who has been a faithful and painstaking nurse since his illness and his companion since the death of his wife in February 1912; Mrs. Clara Hobbs King and Sidney F. Hobbs. Other children are Charles F. Hobbs, of Fairview, Kansas; Reuben M. Hobbs of Butte, Montana; and Glenn M. Hobbs of Chicago. Of a family of eleven children but one brother survives, Edward H. Hobbs of Selma Alabama.

Miss Hobbs will accompany the body to Yorkville where the funeral will be held at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon at the Baptist Church with interment in Elmwood Cemetery in the family lot. The services will be in charge of Yorkville Post No. 522, G. A. R.

Franklin M. Hobbs was born in Falmouth, Maine, January 19, 1829,  a son of Josiah Hobbs and Miranda (Merrill) Hobbs. At the age of 19 he went to Saco, Maine where he was engaged in a cotton mill and was there married to Miss Harriet N. Crooker, with whom he spent a happy wedded life of nearly sixty years. Her death in 1912 broke a family tie which brought sorrow to the bereaved husband from which he never fully recovered. In 1856 Captain Hobbs started a store on the north side of the river and two years later Crooker & Hobbs opened the first store in Yorkville, carrying a general line. He later carried on the business alone until 1890 when he took in S. F. (Hobbs) and C. F. (Hobbs) into partnership and carried on this business order several years until he retired.

The solder life of the Captain is one of honor. He enlisted in August 1862, in the famous 89th IL INF as a lieutenant of Company H. He fought with the company in all the battles from Louisville to Atlanta and was raised to the rank of Captain after the battle of Stone River. He was mustered out in November 1864. He has always been an active member in G. A. R. affairs and has held the offices of the post of which he was a member, Yorkville Post No. 522, G. A. R.

A leader in musical services the voice of Captain Hobbs could be heard in all corners of the the Yorkville Baptist Church and in all the chorus work done in Yorkville until age stilled the tenor voice which was such a help. In earlier life he was also leader of the band and did much to bring Yorkville to its high musical standard.

Words are but poor agents for the expression of what the people of Yorkville feel concerning the death of this man who was a proven friend to everyone. A man of whom not a word could be said in reproach and in whom all placed implicit trust. There is the one certain consoling thought that he has gone to a reward such as he never could gain in this world.