Genealogy Report: Descendants of VINCENT HOBBS, SR.
Descendants of VINCENT HOBBS, SR.
1.VINCENT1 HOBBS, SR. was born Abt. 1720 in England, and died Aft. 26 May 1808 in Lee County, Virginia.
Notes for VINCENT HOBBS, SR.:
Vincent Hobbs may have been married twice.Various records indicate that he was married both to Mary Hannah Shelby and Ruth Thomas.I feel that Mary Shelby was his first wife and the mother of James, Mary 'Polly', Vincent Jr., Thomas Joel, and Rebecca Hannah.Some researchers indicate that Rebecca Hannah was born in 1751, and we know that Job was born in 1759 and his mother was Ruth Thomas.So I feel that Mary Shelby probably died between 1751 and about 1755 or 1756.Then Vincent married Ruth Thomas about 1758 or so.I feel the children of Vincent and Ruth were Job (b 1759), William (b1760), Ezekiel (b 1762), Ruth, Rachel, Abner and Absalom.
Vincent and his family migrated to the Powell Valley of what eventually became Lee County in southwestern Virginia.A book entitled "Records of Augusta County, VA'on page 77, reports that, in a court action in 1804, Vincent Hobbs testified that he first became acquainted with certain lands in Turkey Cove in Powell Valley in 1770-1771, and that he lived on the land 17 years.
The "Annals of Southwest Virginia" by Summers, page 1425, lists Vincent Hobbs, among men in Capt. Daniel Smith's Company of militia at Elk Garden Fort on August 13, 1774."Dunmore's War" (1774) by Reuben Gold Thwaites & Louise Phelps Kellogg, on page 229 lists Vincent Hobbs as a co-signer on October 4, 1774 with Capt. Daniel Smith, of a letter to Col. William Preston about the Indian situation.The Draper Papers in the Wisconsin State Historical Society show that on Aug 1, 1776 in the memorandum book of Capt. Isaac Shelby's Co of Militia, stationed on the Nolichuky (TN) a list of officers was mentioned and among these was found the name of Vincent Hobbs.
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Gordon Aronhime Papers
Library of Virginia
Southwest Virginia Card File
http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/drawerIII/disk8/CC/AR/002/h0025?12
Card 12 of 89
Elk Garden Fort
Hobbs, Vincent Sr.
Born
Died
Wife
Decd
4 Oct 1774 - At Elk Garden Fort - 1424
20 May 1779 - Roger Tapp vs Vincent Hobbs - debt ? - 1030
16 Aug 1781 - 300 A North Fork Holsten River (settler 1776) pg 88 SE???-1220
15 Apr 1782 - 272 Acre North Fork Holsten River - 1220
Father of James Hobbs - Ch II 109
1782 - Fulkersons
5 May 1773 - Sued by John Doyle OBI, 53 ?
5 May 1773 - Sued with John Benham by Nathan Talbert OBI, P 61
5 Mar 1773 - Sued by John Souglas, Samuel Ingram(?), sec. OBI, 26 Fincastle
5 Mar 1773 - Suer John Hunt OBI, 28 Fincastle
Suit Simon Ely or Jas. Thompson, OS 36 N12 (pg 76 Ch II
Depy Vincent Hobbs, Sr. at home, Abram Hobbs, Lee Co Va
"I first became acquainted with Turkey Cove about the year 1770 or 1771.Where did you commonly camp when in the Cove hunting? A. At ???? Spring called Thompson's Spring perhaps one mile from the river.About a mile away ?? Cove or Rock House Spring?How long have you lived in the Valley?Sixteen years, but I have hunted since 1770.Lived about seven miles from Cold Spring.I ?????? of Arbuckle and Cloud.Same ??? says he moved his family into Turkey Cove, Powell's Valley in 1780.
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FRONTIER FORTS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
By Emory L. Hamilton
From Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Number 4, 1968, pages 1 to 26
http://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/other/forts.html
ROSTER OF TROOPS UNDER CAPT. DANIEL SMITH 4 Oct. 1774
1. Thomas Boylston2. Robert Brown
3. Saul Cecil4. Israel Harmon
5. Vincent Hobbs6. William McAdoo
7. William Magee8. Thomas Maxwell
9. Holton Munsey10. Samuel Munsey
11. James Myers (Marrs)12. John Myers (Marrs)
13. David Patton14. Thomas Shannon
15. John Smith16. Joseph Turner
(Draper Mss 3 QQ 114)
YOKUM'S STATION
Located in Powell Valley on the banks of Powell River, between Dryden and Woodway, near where the highway crosses the bridge at the Wygal place. Yokum’s Station seems to have been a neighborhood fort for the scattered settlers of Turkey Cove. The station was perhaps the home of one George Yokum and anything of his personal life is unknown to this writer.
It appears that the station was built some time after 1780, since this is about the time that Turkey Cove began to be settled, with Vincent Hobbs and some others settling there in this year.
No description has been found for this fort and none of the military correspondence or pension claims make mention of it. This leads to the assumption that it may have been only a neighborhood fort manned by the settlers. The only intimation that militia troops might have been stationed there comes from the assignment order for militia troops in 1792, which shows a Captain, Sergeant, Corporal and 24 Privates stationed in the Turkey Cove, but does not show at what particular places, if any, they were stationed.
In a letter written from Morristown, TN, September 9, 1925, by Mr. William A. Orr, who grew up in the neighborhood of the fort, to Dr. David F. Orr, he says:
When the fort was built there was only a trail from it up and down the river, up Turkey Cove and on over Lovelady Gap and across Natural Tunnel in Scott County. It was then part of Washington County. Do you remember a large pile of rocks at the Comfrey Patch? That is where the fort stood. It was from there that Captain Hobbs went when he shot Benge.
It is true that it was from this fort that Captain Vincent Hobbs led his small band of settlers that killed the half-breed Indian Chief Benge in present Wise Co., VA, forever freeing the frontier from the Indian scourge. All of Hobb’s men lived in and around Turkey Cove and most of them were members of the militia in Captain Andrew Lewis’ (Jr.) Command, which again might suggest that some militia was stationed at this fort.
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CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800 CIRCUIT COURT RECORDS, SECTION "I." JUDGMENTS
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/2court10.txt
Page 76
Simon Eli vs. Robert and William Davis and Alexr. Wiley--O. S. 36; N.
S. 12--Bill 27th October, 1800. In 1771 William McGhee (McGaughey)
made a settlement in the Turkey Cove in Powell's Valley in present Lee
County, and obtained a certificate from the Commissioners in 1779. James
Arbuckle as adsignee of Jephtha Messay also obtained a certificate for
lands adjoining settled in 1776 which was transferred to defendants.
Vincent Hobbs deposes that he first became acquainted with the lands in
1773, and he moved his family into the Cove in 1780 and found Rachel
Arbuckle and her family there on a tract she claimed by Jeptha Messay's
improvement. In the Spring following all the families moved away because
of the Indians being troublesome. John Thompson deposes that in February,
1778, he came to the Turkey Cove to look at a tract he expected to buy.
Joseph Head's deposition: Peter Cloud first began to improve the land.
Thomas Berry deposed that he knew of McGehee's improvement in 1771.
William Collier deposes that in the winter and spring preceding
Christian's campaign he remained at the Camp of Thomas Lovelady. William
was a hunter and trapper. Thomas Sowers, now called Soward, came in with
Messey. The Indians became troublesome and the people had to leave.
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1782 Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List
http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/wash1782.htm
Name Tithes Horses Cattle Slaves Slaves Names
Hobbs, Vinson 1 2 13
Hobbs, Vinson Jr. 1 3 12
Hobbs, Joel 1 6 6
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The Washington County Surveyors Record 1781-1797
http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/washsurv.htm
Page 50 - William Smith...140 ac...Preemption Warrant...assigned to him by Vincent Hobbs, assignee of Peter Livingston...on the waters of Livingstons Creek, south branch of the north fork of Holston River...July 17, 1783
Page 88 - Vincin Hobbs...272 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on both sides of the north fork of Holstein...Beginning on the north bank of the river...by a spring...on the south side of the Poor Valley knobs...April 15, 1782 - Vincent Hobbs...300 ac on the north fork of Holstein River on both sides John Bennam above and John Kindrick below...includes improvements, actual settlement made in 1776...August 16, 1781
Page 155 - Joseph Frost...200 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on both sides of the north fork of Holston River being the place he now lives on...Beginning on a spur of the Poor Valley Knobbs...January 10, 1783 - Page Portwood, assignee of William Cocke, assignee of Vincent Hobbs...200 ac...on the north fork of Holstein, includes improvements, actual settlement made in 1773...August 25, 1781 - Assigned to Joseph Frost in 1781. Signed: page Portwood. Witness: John Reynolds, David Crews
Page 186 - John Bermum, assignee of John Smallman...154 ac...Treasury Warrant...on both sides of the north fork of Holston River...Beginning on Vincent Hobbs line...at the foot of the Poor Valley Knobs by a dry run...April 16, 1782
Page 193 - John Kindrick...600 ac...Preemption Warrant...on both sides of the north fork of Holston...Beginning corner to Vincent Hobbs land...corner to his settlement right...January 12, 1783
Page 193 - John Kindrick...400 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on both sides of the north fork of Holstein River...Beginning on a spur of Clinch Mountain... corner to Peter Livingstons land...joining his Preemption...crossing the Poor Valley Knobs...January 12, 1783 - John Kindrick, assignee of William Williams, assignee of Vincent Hobbs...400 ac...by settlement made in 1772...280 ac surveyed on December 21, 1774...on the north fork of Holstein River...August 13, 1781
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The following is a paper written about the Hobbs Family that I received in 1979 from Mrs. Dorcas Hobbs of Pikesville, Kentucky.The paper was a combined effort of several Hobbs researchers, but there is no actual author listed.I am adding this to my notes because I think it adds a lot to the family history.I am not saying that this is completely true, but it was put together by many honest researchers.You can use it for what you want.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOBBS FAMILY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA
Area historians have stated that it is difficult to locate a name of a family more influential in the settlement of Southwest Virginia than that of Hobbs.At the time of their first arrival in the area, 1769, there were few settlers who had yet ventured so far.The forts which protected pioneer families from Indian attack were not yet built.Fort Shelby (now Bristol, Tennessee) was built a year later in 1770; Smith's or Christian's Fort, near the present site of Lebanon, Virginia, was erected in 1774; Black's Fort (near the present site of Abingdon, Virginia) and the Fort at Burke's Garden appeared in 1776; and the town of Abingdon itself was established in 1778 -- nearly ten years after the first Hobbs settlement on the North Fork of the Holston River.
VINCENT HOBBS, SR. (1720 - about 1805)
Vincent (sometimes spelled Vinson) Hobbs, Sr., arrived in America with his two brothers, Beale and William, in 1735 at the age of 15.Their port of arrival was Dover, Delaware; they sailed from Wales, although sources state that they are "of English stock".It appears likely that they came from central England, though that is not proven at this time.All three brothers remained in Maryland, where they originally settled for a time -- Beale was still located in Ann Arundel County, Maryland, during the 1790 Federal census.William eventually migrated to North Carolina.
Vincent settled a claim on the bank of the Potomac River near the present site of Hagerstown, Maryland.He married Mary Hannah Shelby, who may have been a cousin of Evan Shelby, founder of the City of Bristol, Tennessee, and they had ten known children.In 1769, while his youngest child was small, Vincent resettled his family on the North Fork of the Holston River in what is now Washington County, Virginia, where they lived on a sizeable claim adjacent to that of John Benham, famous Indiana fighter, who married their daughter Polly.In 1780 they moved further onto the frontier, settling at Turkey Cove (now located in Lee County, Virginia).During their stay here their oldest son William was wounded and captured by Indians and was believed to have been tortured and burned alive.As a result, Vincent and Mary Shelby Hobbs and their remaining children returned to their original claim in Washington County the following spring.
Vincent served in the Virginia State Militia, at various times serving with Captain Daniel Smith's Company at Elk Garden (October 1774), with Captain Joseph Cloyd's Company in Montgomery County (Febraury 1788), and with Colonel Reese Bowen's Company at the Battle of King's Mountain.
Known children of Vincent and mary Shelby Hobbs (order of birth not proven) were:William, who was killed by Indians; James, who enlisted in a company to go against the Indians and was on the frontier, lost to his family and presumed dead, for 21 years; Joel, who also served at the Battle of King's Mountain; Ezekiel; Vincent, Jr.; Abner, who married Peggy Rigder; Absalom; Polly, who married John Benham; Rachel, who married John Russell; and Rebecca, who married William Blanton.
Vincent and Mary Shelby Hobbs suffered many material losses at the hands of Indians and additional losses as a result of the Revolutionary War.On 26 May 1800, the Court of Quarter Sessions of Washington County ordered that the overseers of the poor accept them on their list and provide for them according to law.Their exact dates of death are unknown, though they were both still residing on their Washington County farm in 1804 (Vincent was 84 years of age).Historians believe that they are buried near their farm, though their graves have never been identified.
(Note:This history continues with a history of Vincent's sons Vincent Hobbs, Jr. & Ezelkial Hobbs and some``` of the children of Ezekial Hobbs.I have listed them under each individual person.)
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Lee County, Virginia Court Proceedings
Page: ORDER BOOK 1, PAGE 16 (This is the first extant ORDER Book for Lee County and shown as NO.I
Note: At a Court of Quarter Sesions continued and held for Lee County (Virginia)
Text: Ordered that the overseers of the poor receive Vincent Hobbs and his wife on their list and provide for them according to law. 26 May 1808
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Children of VINCENT HOBBS, SR. are:
i. | JAMES2 HOBBS, b. Abt. 1743, Maryland. |
Notes for JAMES HOBBS: The Washington County Surveyors Record 1781-1797 http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/washsurv.htm Page 144 - James Sprowl...220 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on both sides of Abrahams Creek, south branch of the north fork of Holston River...Beginning corner to John Robinsons land...December 16, 1782 - James Sprowl, assignee of James Hobbs...220 ac...in the Rich Valley on the north fork of Holston River surveyed for Sprowl on February 16, 1774, actual settlement made in 1770...August 16, 1781 ************* Gordon Aronhime Papers Library of Virginia Southwest Virginia Card File http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/drawerIII/disk8/CC/AR/002/h0025?12 Card #5 Hobbs, James Wife:RachelDB3P612 Russell Co. / 1B4237 Russell Co Son of Vincent Hobbs, Made settlement on North Fork Holsten River in 1773, but left for some time, Thought dea, but returned, finding father had sold land to Wm. Williams. then enlisted in compagin to go against Indians.Was on frontier 21 years.Wm Williams sold land to John KendrickCh II 109, filed 2 Aug 1805. ************* CHRONICLES OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA; Vol 2, pp 107 - 113 by Lyman Chalkley ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/2court14.txt Page 109 Hobbs vs. Hobbs--O. S. 103; N. S. 35--Bill, 2d August, 1805. Orator is James Hobbs. In 1773, orator made a settlement in Washington County, on North Fork of Holston, but left it for some time, during which he was considered dead, but returned and found that his father, Vincent Hobbs, had sold to William Williams. Orator enlisted in a company to go against the Indians, and was on the frontier 21 years, during which time Williams had sold to John Kindrick. John completed his title and died, leaving Thomas Kindrick, Jno. Kindrick, Jno. Burks and Mary, his wife, William Allen and Rachel, his wife, and Elizabeth Kindrick, widow. ************ |
ii. | MARY POLLY HOBBS, m. JOHN BENHAM; d. 1800. |
Notes for MARY POLLY HOBBS: FRONTIER FORTS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA By Emory L. Hamilton From Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Number 4, 1968, pages 1 to 26 http://www.rootsweb.com/~varussel/other/forts.html BENHAM'S FORT Located on the North Fork of the Holston River near Mendota, VA was the fort of John Benham. This was perhaps only a family fort for no mention is made of militia troops ever having been stationed there, or that it was in use after the Revolutionary War. The date the fort was built is unknown, but John Benham settled there in 1769. He owned a thousand acres of land along the Holston River about four miles below the village of Holston. (39) John Benham was evidently a brother-in-law to the elder Vincent Hobbs, and Benham had a son named Vincent as did Hobbs, and both had sons named Joel. The Hobbs and Benhams lived on adjoining farms. There was also a connection between these families and the family of John Douglas who was killed by the Indians at Little Moccasin Gap in 1776. (40) John Douglas who lived with his father Edward Douglas on Clinch River, near Flour Fork in present day Scott Co., VA, may have been returning from a visit with these relatives when slain by the Indians. John Benham, builder of Benham’s Fort died in 1800. ************* |
iii. | VINCENT HOBBS, JR.. |
Notes for VINCENT HOBBS, JR.: Information taken from book "Benge!" by Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr. April 6, 1794 - The first light of false dawn found Chief Bob Benge of the Chickamauga Cherokee and six warriors resting behind the brow a little hill to the rear of the home of William Todd Livingston. Actually, William Todd had died in 1776 and the plantation was occupied by his widow, Sarah, and two of their sons, Peter and Henry, and their families. In 1784 "certain heirs" had relinquished land of the estate to Peter and in 1786 the son, Samuel, had sold his part of the estate to his brother, Henry, for 65 pounds of sterling. Their brother, William, had gotten land in 1787 across Fugate's Gap from the home place, on Big Moccasin Creek near Fort Houston. Peter and Henry (Harry) were lieutenants in the Holston Militia. A little before ten in the morning Peter and Henry left their houses to go to a barn that was at some distance away. Sarah was working in her garden. Henry's new wife of only three weeks, Susannah, who was called "Sukey", was in an outbuilding with some of Peter and Elizabeth's children. Also within the farm yard were Elizabeth's sister, Sukey, a "wench" with her child, a Negro man belonging to Edward Callihan, and a Negro boy aged eight. Elizabeth, along with her children, aged ten and two and a suckling infant were in the house. Elizabeth was alarmed by a dog's barking and saw seven frightfully painted Indians come running through the farm yard, and she barred the door to the cabin shut. The Indians tried unsuccessfully to knock the door down, and failing that Benge demanded that she open it. When she did not do so, they fired twice at it, with one ball piercing the door, but doing no damage. Elizabeth then took her husband's double triggered rifle down, and for a time fumbled with the mechanism before she, too, fired blindly through the door. The Indians backed off a little and then set fire to an adjoining old house. After enduring the smoke as long as she and her children could, Elizabeth opened the door and came out. The Indians thought that a man had fired the shot from within the house and were afraid to enter it, and let it burn down instead. Elizabeth was glad to see her possessions go up in smoke rather than to see the Indians have them. Benge and his war party tomahawked Sarah in her garden. She took four days to die. Also tomahawked were one white child and two colored; one of whom was killed but the other recovered. The Indians rounded up the remainder, which were Elizabeth, the three children who had been with her in the house, Susannah, two Negro men, and one colored woman. Elizabeth handed her infant to her ten year old, and whispered for her to take it and her two year old to their nearest neighbors, John and Rachael Russell. Rachael was the sister of Vincent Hobbs, Jr. It seemns that the Indians were content to allow the children to slip off. It was so uncharacteristic of all of the past behavior of Benge and his braves. Likely Cavett's station was on their mind. If they had not saved the white children there, then perhaps they could save these. On the other hand, they had just tomahawked three children in the yard of their home. The Indians made back packs with their plunder, and the party started off. Benge and his captives crossed the North Fork of the Holston and marched westward to just east of Hiltons. This was a circuitous route, but the direct passage throug Fugate Gap would have lead them by Houston's Fort on Big Moccasin Creek, where William Livingston lived, and where there may have been a militia garrison. Anyway, Benge wanted to raid the homes of James and Abraham Fulkerson near Hiltons. Perhaps the reason was that James was a Major of the 2nd Battalion, 70th Regiment, of the Holston Militia. He had fought at King's Mountain. Five of his sons were either already officers in the militia, or were soon to become so. Perhaps the Fulkersons had been involved in the attacks on the Cherokee towns? Benge's plans were thwarted when the Indians discovered a large party of settlers gathered there for a house raising. Benge could not turn loose of his dream of attacking the Fulkerson home. He waited and watched for a while before he could make his peace with his disappointment before he and his party sneaked by quietly and crossed Clinch Mountain by Hamilton Gap. They made about eight miles that day before camping on Copper Creek. When Henry and Peter Livingston saw the smoke from their burning home, they hurried back and discovered the disaster. The plan to mousetrap Benge that had been organized by Vincent Hobbs, Jr., after Benge's raid of the year before was set in motion. Runners were sent to Copper Creek and collected the militia from Dorton's Fort where Benge's mother had lived with her second husband, William Dorton, Sr., and then went on to the forts at Castlewood. This Russell County Militia included Benge's half brother, William Dorgon, Jr. Some time earlier he had Benge in his rifle sights, and had not shot him, and had to explain to his neighbors that he had not done so because he was Bob Benge's half brother. The Russell County militia's rold was to rush westward past Gist's Station through Pound Gap to the fords on the upper Kentucky River, near present Whitesburg, and to wait in ambush for the war party to pass. The Livingston brothers joined a militia party lead by an officer named Head and started in direct pursuit of Benge, while a dispatch rider named John Henderson started off for Yoakum's Station. At the same time, a larger party of North Fork militiamen from Benham's Fort including Job Hobbs, a brother of Vincent, started the fifty mile trek to Yoakum's Station. Before daylight on the seventh, John Henderson rode up to the garrison at Yoakum's Station and alerted the rangers. Court was being held, so many of the militiamen from Turkey Cove were already there. After day break the Benge party left their camp at Copper Creek and started up Copper Ridge, which they descended by way of their secret hideaway cove by the waterfall on Benge's Creek and started down stream, taking care to wade the creek so as to leave no trail. By noon they were crossing the Clinch at McLean's Fish Dam and headed towards the head of Big Stony Creek. No one would have known where they had passed but for a little girl. Eliza Jane Addington lived on the Clinch near the mouth of Benge's Creek. She saw a wet moccasin print on a stone in the creek and alerted the militia. The Head party had been scouring the countryside looking for some sign to indicate which way Benge had gone. The process of putting them onto the trail took much of the remainder of the day. The hard marching party of militiamen from Benham's Fort arrived at Yoakum's Station and coordinated their plans with the Lee County militia. Benge pushed his party hard, putting distance between them and their expected pursuers. As they passed through the gap in Stone Mountain that Big Stony Creek had carved out on the southern flank of Powell Mountain, they entered the first of several mountain passes that their planned retreat was expected to carry them through. Not till twenty miles had been covered, much of it up the south side of Powell Mountain, did he allow his exhausted party to stop for the night. Camp Rock was the likely site of their camp. It is an outcropping of sandstone with numerous rock houses underneath its ledges. It forms the spine of Powell Mountain at the very site where the old Indian trail connecting the Cherokee in the Smokies with the Shawnee in the Ohio crosses over the divide. The springs that form the head of Big Stony Creek are near by. Benge's Indians felt that they were out of the hornet's nest they had stirred up, and did not even bother to put out either a back spy or sentries. Either late on the seventh or early on the eighth, Vincent Hobbs, Jr., and a party of militia consisting of men from both the Benham's Fort party and from the Lee County Militia left Yoakum's Station and started for the two passes in Cumberland Mountain that he had found the year before. The party consisted of Vincent Hobbs, Jr. and his brothers Job and Absolum, James Huff, John Benbever, Adam Ely, Samuel Livingston, George Yokum, ____ Dotson, and five others. They followed the Powell River upstream and took its middle fork through Big Stone Gap in Cumberland Mountain to what is now the town of Appalachia. On the morning of the eighth, Benge allowed his party to rest until the sun was more than an hour high. He no longer felt himself to be in danger, and traveled slowly down the spine of Little Stone Mountain, from where it attached itself to Powell Mountain at High Knob. He became more pleasant, and spoke freely to the prisoners. He told them that he was about to carry them to the Cherokee towns, and that his brother and two other Indians were awaiting them ahead on the trail where they had been raiding the Cumberland in Kentucky. They had several white prisoners and their horses with them, and had been hunting to lay up provisions for the joint party's dash through the central Tennessee settlements to the Chickamauga towns. He asked about Evan Shelby, colonel of the Holston Militia, and said he would return the next summer and carry off his Negroes. He sent two Indians off ahead so that they could hunt and thus provision the main party when it caught up. After having covered only five or six miles, Benge and his party camped near the eastern trail passing through Benge's Gap (not to be confused with the Benge's Gap in Little Black Mountain that is now called "Morris's Gap") and down the Benge's Branch to Prince's Flats, present Norton, and on through Pound Gap to either the head waters of the Kentucky River, present Whitesburg; or on to Elk Horn Creek and passage to the Ohio Shawnee Country by way of the Big Sandy River. The left fork lead down Hoot Owl Hollow where another left hand turn took the trail through Little Stone Gap and across the top of Little Stone Mountain to Ben's Creek and to the bottoms where Callahan Creek joined the Middle Fork of the Powell River before it plunged through the Gap in Cumberland Mountain. The Hobbs party passed through the gap in Cumberland Mountain (Big Stone Gap) and to the north of it the rangers divided into small parties to look for signs of passage by the Indians. It was here that the militia had expected Benge to follow the route of escape he had used after the Scott massacre of 1782, up Callahan Creek to the Stonega/Eola pass over Black Mountain to the Oven Fork head of the Cumberland River. Most likely, however, he intended to go through the Benge's Gap in Little Black Mountain to the Clover Fork head of Cumberland River to meet with "The Tail". Either route would require him to pass through the river bottoms to the north of Big Stone Gap now occupied by the Town of Appalachia. Through the gathering dusk of evening, one of the militiamen spied a small wisp of smoke coming from the edge of the laurel from an Indian camp. He crept closer and saw an Indian bending down kindling the fire. The militiaman took careful aim, and mortally wounded the Indian. The bark of the rifle brought the militia to the spot, and the second Indian was soon killed. Upon examining the camp, they discovered that it had been a hunting party sent ahead to provision the following main party. Hobbs and the militia bedded down for the night of the eighth beside the dean Indians. On the morning of the ninth, the Benge party with its captives set out in single file on the trail that led to Big Stone Gap or alternately to the head of Cumberland River by way of Callahan Creek and Eola, the Cherokee's "Valley of the Whispering Winds". Benge, following his well known custom, was in front preceeded only by Susannah Livingston. Another Indian with Elizabeth Livingston brought up the rear, and the other Indians with their captives were strung out in between. Unknown to Benge the Head party of Holston Militia with the frantic Livingston brothers among them, was charging after them, only five or ten minutes behind them on the trail. Undoubtedly, the Head party were encouraged to great efforts because of their having seen the signs left by the Indian's recent passage. Also unknown to the Indians, the Russell County Militia with Benge's half brother, Captain William Dorton, Jr., had slipped ahead of the colliding enemies only a few miles to the northeast in their passage up Guest's River on their way to head the Indians at the upper Kentucky River fords. At first light the Hobbs militia had plunged up the trail traveled the day before by Benge's two hunters. They gained altitude on Little Stone Mountain by going up Ben's Branch, traditionally a corruption of "Benge's Branch", on the trail that leads from current Appalachia to Little Stone Gap. Beating the Indians to the gap, Hobbs divided his party into two groups. He sent one group to head the Indians at the pasage down the Benge's Branch at Benge's Rock, at current Norton, in case they took the branch of the trail going to the Kentucky River. For himself and his party, he reserved the ambush on the trail he thought the Indians most likely to take. On the northeastern slope of Little Stone Gap in a side branch off of Hoot Own Hollow he laid his ambush. He strung his men out in single file above the trail with himself and John Benbever on the western side of the ambush. He did this because he expected Benge to be in front and he wanted the war party of Indians to be exactly beside the string of ambushing militiamen before the trap was sprung. John Benbever was the best shot and was the designated shooter to kill Benge. James Huff was the point man on the ambush, being opposite to the end of the Indian party. The site was about five miles from where the Benge party had camped the night before, and was later described as "one of those dark deep mountain passes where the ridge on each side seemed to reach the clouds, and the center of the deep gloomy valley below is covered with large masses of unshaken rocks, filled everywhere with laurel and ivy, with a furous stream, bubbling and rolling in the midst". The climax of the drama was about to erupt. The militia soon saw the Indian party struggling up the spur of Little Stone Mountain, climbing up out of Hoot Owl Hollow toward Little Stone Gap, burdened by their plunder. Sure enough Benge was in front, preceded only by Susannah Livingston. The two parties came exactly opposite each other, when John Benbever raised his head to see if it was time for him to shoot. Benge spotted him, not forty yards away, and threw off his pack and turned to run back down the trail. Benbever fired at him and missed. Hobbs leveled his twenty pound bear rifle at a break in the trees where Benge must pass, and swinging his flintlock with his quarry and allowing for the two second delay in firing between the time he squeezed the trigger and the time it fired, he shot at the cross in Benge's suspenders as he flashed past the opening. At the moment of the shot, Benge stepped into a hole created by the roots of a tree that had fallen down, and Hobb's one ounce head ball passed through his head. Benge always carried a silver drinking cup on a rawhide string tied around his neck. As he stepped into the hole the cup flew up in front of his head and was splattered with his brains. The Indian in the rear immediately upon hearing the shooting ordered Elizabeth Livingston to run, and when she turned he tried to tomahawk her. She struggled mightily, defending herself against the blows with her arms, which became badly cut. James Huff rushed toward this struggle, and started to shoot, but another militiaman grabbed his rifle barrel to keep him from shooting Elizabeth. Huff dropped his rifle and took his butcher knife and lunged after the Indian. The Indian tomahawked Elizabeth a glancing blow on the head as she stumbled over a fallen tree, and she fell unconscious. The Indian made a dash for the laurel thicket, and another militiaman discharged his rifle into his back, leaving him to crawl off into the thicket to bleed to death. The other four Indians succeeded in making their escape into the laurel thicket, taking the Negro man with them. The other prisoners were freed. The militia party laying in ambush on the other branch of the trail heard the gun fire, and increased their vigilance, but the four Indians who had escaped the ambush avoided this second trap, and this half of the Lee militia along with the Head party, came rushing up to the site of the ambush. Elizabeth was unconscious for about an hour and awakened to find her liberators hovering over her. The victorious militiamen took Benge's silver cup, and drank a toast to their feat. James Huff, being bare foot, was given Benge's fine new moccasins. The Livingston family took Benge's steel ax as a souvenier. Benge's red scalp was lifted from what remained of his skull, later to be sent along with the militia dispatch heralding the event, to the Governor of Virginia. The militia found a sapling on High Knob, probably at Benge's Camp Rock camp site, with thirteen notches in it, with the last being fresh. The Livingstons returned home to begin their lives anew. That night while the four Indians who had escaped the ambush slept in a cave, the Negro man made his escape and returned to his home.Days later the party of Russell County militia laying in ambush on a ford on the Kentucky River, and which included William Dorton, Jr. discovered the sign of a single Indian having crossed the river. Understanding him to have been the leading scout of the Benge party, they back tracked to a better place for an ambush and waylaid the other three Indians who had escaped the ambush at Little Stone Gap. Two were killed instantly and the remaining Indian was mortally shot and was allowed to crawl off into the cane break to bleed to death, it being deemed imprudent to follow him. Thus, only one Indian from the Livingston raid escaped death. Later, Col. Campbell of the Holston Militia wrote to the Governor requesting that a company of militia under Captain Lewis be assigned to guard "Mockson Gap", because of intelligence that Benge's uncle, Double Head, and thirty warriors were coming on the war path to take revenge in Virginia. Nothing came of it. The story ends with a cover letter from Col. Arthur Campbell to the Governor of Virginia, dated April 15, 1794, accompanying his report of the raid based on Elizabeth Livingston's narrative. "I now send the scalp of Captain Bench that noted murderer, as requested by Lieut. Hobbs, to your excellency, as a proof that he is no more, and of the activity and good conduct of Lieutenant Hobbs, in(See remainder of story at: http://www.houston-texas-online.com/livingston/bengeattack.html ************* A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE HOBBS FAMILY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA (Sent to me by Dorcas Hobbs in 1979.Author unknown.See first of article under Ezekial's father Vincent Hobbs, Sr.) VINCENT HOBBS, JR. Vincent Hobbs, Jr., never married but, although he has no direct descendents, his story is of interest to all descendents of early Hobbses because of his impact on the history of the area.Indian raids were frequent in the area from its early settlement, but were particularly violent under the leadership of a half-breed Shawnee Chief named Benge, whose first attack was against the homestead of John Henry and his family near the present site of Tazewell, Virginia, in 1774.Mr. Henry was killed and his wife and children were carried into captivity.Such outrages continued until 1794 when Benge attacked the Livingston settlement, which was near the Hobbs homestead, carrying away Mrs. Livingston and other women.Vincent Hobbs and several other men who joined him rode from Jonesville and overtook the party near the present location of Norton, Virginia.Vincent Hobbs killed Benge, shooting him in the back of the head with an "ounce ball bear rifle".Although some of the Indians escaped, mrs. Livingston and the other women were retaken and returned to their homes.As a reward for his service to the settlers in Southwest Virginia, the Virginia Legislature presented Vincent a citation and a silver-mounted rifle.Vincent remained free to travel, married "only to his knife and rifle gun" in the words of a Pennington Gap resident who knew him.He migrated to Tennessee, where he dispatched another troublesome Indian Chief named Buck Elk.He travelled on to Missouri for a few years before returning to Tennessee where he died.Vincent Hobbs, Jr., served in the Virginia Militia where he reached the rank of Captain.he fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774 with Colonel Andrew Lewis in the campaign which made much of the State of Virginia safe from Indians; he completed the task personally. ************ CALENDAR OF VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS and other Manuscripts from Jan 1, 1794, to May 16, 1795, preserved in the Capitol at Richmond 975.5, V81, Volume 7 (University of Oregon Library) Page 111 An account of the captivity of Mrs. Elizabeth Levingstone, of Washington County, Virginia, put down in writing in her presence, and nearly in her own words: April 6, 1794.About 10 o'clock in the morning, as I was sitting in my House, the fierceness of the dog's barking alarmed me.I looked out & saw seven Indians approaching the House, armed and painted in a frightful manner.no person was then within, but a child of ten years old, another of two years, and my sucking infant.my husband and his brother Harry had just before walked out to a Barn at some distance in the Field.My sister-in-law Susanna was with the remaining children in an out-house.Old Mrs. levingstone was in the garden.I immediately shut and fastened the door; they (Indians) came furiously up & tryed to burst it open, demanding several times of me to open the door, which I refused.They then fired two guns; one ball pierced through the door, but did me no damage.I then thought of my husband's Rifle, took it down, but it being double-trickered, I was at a loss; at length I fired thro' the door, but it not being well aimed, I did no execution; however, the Indians retired from that place, and soon after I found that an adjoining house was on fire, and I and my children suffering much from the smoke.I opened the door, & an Indian immediately advanced & took me prisoner, together with the two children.I then discovered they had my remaining children in their possession.My Sister Sukey, a nego wench & her young child, a negro man of Edward Callihan's and a negro boy of our own about eight years old.They were fearful of going into the house I left to plunder, supposing that it had been a man that had shot at them and was yet within.So our whole cloathing & household furniture were consumed in the flames, which I was then pleased to see, rather than it should be of use to the Savages. We were all hurryed a short distance, where the Indians were very busy dividing & putting up in packs for each to carry his part of the booty taken.i observed them careless about the children, & most of the Indians being some distance off in front, I called with a low voice to my eldest daughter, give her my youngest child, & told them all to run towards neighbor John Russell's.They with reluctance left me, sometimes halting sometimes looking back.i beckoned to them to go on, altho' I inwardly felt pangs not to be expressed on account of our doleful separation.The two Indians in the rear either did not notice this scene, or they were willing the children might run back. That evening the Indians crossed Clinch Mountain, & went as far as Copper Creek, distant about 8 miles. April 7.Set out early in the morning, crossed Clinch river at McClean's Fish-dam about 12 o'clock, then steered northwardly towards the head of Stoney Creek.Then the Indians camped carelessly--had no back spy no kept sentries out.This day's journey was about twenty miles. April 8.Continued in camp until the sun was more than an hour high; then set out slowly and travelled five or six miles and camped near the foot of Powel's Mountain.This day, Bench, the Indian chief, became more pleasant, & spoke freely to the prisoners.He told them he was about to carry them to the Cherokee Towns.That in his rout in the wilderness was his brotherwith two other Indians hunting, so that he might have provision when he returned.That at his camp were several white prisoners taken from Kentucky, with horses and saddles to carry them to the Towns.He made enquiry for several persons on Holstein, particularly Old General Shelby, and said he would pay him a visit the ensuing summer and take all his negros.He frequently enquired who had negroes, and threatened he would have them all off the North holstein.He said all the Chickamogga Towns were forwar, and would soon be very troublesome to the White Folks. This day two of the party was sent by Bench ahead to hunt. April 9.After traveling about five miles, which was over Powell's mountain and near the foot of the Stone mountain, a party of 13 men, under command of Lieutenant Vincent Hobbs, of the militia of Lee county, met the enemy in front, attacked & killed Bench the first fire.i being at that time some distance off in the rear.The Indian who was my guard at first halted on hearing the firing.He then attempted to strike me in the head with the Tomhake, which I defended as well as I could with my arm.By this time two of our people came in view, which encouraged me to struggle all I could.The Indian making an effort, at this instant pushed me backward, and I fell over a log, at the same time aiming a violent blow at my head, which in part spent its force on me & laid me for dead.The first thing I afterward remembered, was my good friends around me giving me all the assistance in their power for my relief.They told me I was senseless for about an hour. Certified this 15th day of April, 1794. A. Campbell ************ CALENDAR OF VIRGINIA STATE PAPERSpage 3 ARTHUR CAMPBELL, COMMANDING WESTERN MILITIA, TO THE GOVERNOR. April 21stWashingtonPage 118 The papers inclosed will inform your Excellency of the mischief done by the Indians in this county on the 6th instant, and the fotunate relief of the prisoners three days afterwards. Altho' this success lessens the apprehensions of the Inhabitants on account of so troublesome an enemy as Bench being killed, yet from the declared intention of the Chickamogga party of the Cherokees to go to war, and their actually having lately 200 warriors out in small parties, the western settlement of this county and the adjoining settlement in Lee talk of moving off if there is not some protection by government afforded them. A party of twenty men may be sufficient, as none but small parties advance to those parts, and these need not be in service longer than four months.If the expence should be though too great to have this additional corps, there is reason to believe that six men employed as scouts to range the adjoining craggy mountain, would lessen the apprehensions of the people and tend to their safety, provided a proportion of the militia of the adjacent companys are in readiness to march on the shortest notice in case of an enemy being discovered.The scalp of Capt. Bench I have been requested to forward to your Excellency, as a proof that he is no more and of the activity and good conduct of Lieutenant Hobbs in killing him & relieving the prisoners.Could it be spared from our Treasury, i would beg leave to hint that a present of a neat rifle to Mr. Hobbs would be accepted as a reward for his late service, and the Executive may rest assured it will serve as a stimulus to future exertions against the enemy. It is with reluctance that I now send forward these by Express, guessing that money is not plenty in the Treasury.But the opinion of the Brigadier of the District, with several other officers, urges me to the measure, and nothing less will satisfy the Inhabitants.The volunteer companies are not yet complete, nor are they considered this year as composed of men suitable to the service required--as a dislike to the service has taken place, so that good riflemen and good woodsmen generally refused to engage as soldiers. The situation of the Inhabitants might be bettered were the care of defending the frontier entrusted with the commanding officer of the District.He could act according to orders as well as Capt. Lewis: would be near in case of an attack, and his services could be obtained without the charge of a Single dollar. I am, & c. ************ CALENDARS OF VIRGINIA STATE PAPERSPage 4 ARTHUR CAMPBELL TO THE GOVERNOR April 29thWashington Last week, by Mr. Spiers from Kentucky, I forwarded to your Excellency by way of Staunton, an account of the murder and robbery done by the Indians in this county on the 6th instant at Mr. levingstone's, together with the success of our people who pursured the enemy. By the return of the bearer, who goes by Express from Governor Blount, the Executive will have an opportunity to forward such answer as may be thought proper, which we will be anxious for, as the still more recent murders of the Indians in the S. Western Territory, and near Cumberland Gap on the Kentucky road, show the perserverance of the lower Cherokees in continuing hostilities. But what adds to our danger is the accounts from General Wayne's Army, that the whole of the Northern Tribes, aided by the British, are disposed for war. I now send the scalp of Captain Bench, that noted murderer, as requested by Lieut. Hobbs, to your Excellency, as a proof that he is no more.I am Sir, & c. |
iv. | THOMAS JOEL HOBBS, m. MARGARET UNKNOWN. |
Notes for THOMAS JOEL HOBBS: The Washington County Surveyors Record 1781-1797 http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/washsurv.htm Page 47 - Joel Hobbs, assignee of William Gill...180 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on both sides of Moccasin Creek, waters of the north fork of Holstein...Beginning on the south side of the creek...May 1, 1782 - William Gill, assignee of William Tate...200 ac...on Mockison Creek adjoining John Tate above and Alexander Montgomery below, includes improvements, actual settlement made in 1775...August 16, 1782 - Assigned to Joel Hobbs by purchase on May 21, 1782. Signed: William Gill. Witnesses: John Tate ************ 1782 Washington County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/wash1782.htm Name Tithes Horses Cattle Slaves Slaves Names Hobbs, Vinson 1 2 13 Hobbs, Vinson Jr. 1 3 12 Hobbs, Joel 1 6 6 ************ |
v. | REBECCA HANNAH HOBBS, m. WILLIAM BLANTON. | ||
vi. | JOB HOBBS, b. 21 June 1759, Frederick County, Virginia. |
Notes for JOB HOBBS: Information taken from book "Benge!" by Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr. http://www.houston-texas-online.com/livingston/bengeattack.html 1794 Excerpts The Livingston brothers joined a militia party lead by an officer named Head and started in direct pursuit of Benge, while a dispatch rider named John Henderson started off for Yoakum's Station. At the same time, a larger party of North Fork militiamen from Benham's Fort including Job Hobbs, a brother of Vincent, started the fifty mile trek to Yoakum's Station. Either late on the seventh or early on the eighth, Vincent Hobbs, Jr., and a party of militia consisting of men from both the Benham's Fort party and from the Lee County Militia left Yoakum's Station and started for the two passes in Cumberland Mountain that he had found the year before. The party consisted of Vincent Hobbs, Jr. and his brothers Job and Absolum, James Huff, John Benbever, Adam Ely, Samuel Livingston, George Yokum, ____ Dotson, and five others. They followed the Powell River upstream and took its middle fork through Big Stone Gap in Cumberland Mountain to what is now the town of Appalachia ************ MILITARY: Revolutionary War The following is a transcript of the Revolutionary War pension application of Job Hobbs, son of Vincent Hobbs. This transcription was done by Dorcas Hobbs, with some final revisions by Jeff Harmon, and represents the best interpretation of the document that we could make considering handwriting and distance removed from the originals (i.e. prints from microfilm, etc) JOB HOBBS-REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS-33417 S 32328 BL WT. 91042-1601-55 ARKANSAS - Job Hobbs in the State of Arkansas, who was a Private commanded by Capt. Fulkerson, by Col. Campbell in the Va Line for Revolutionary War. Inscribed on the roll of Little Rock at the rate of 20 dollars per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831 and continue during life. Certificate of Pension issued the 16th day of November 1859 and sent to John Johnson, Provost. Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832 Recorded by A. J. Cass, Clerk Book H, page 8 91042 issued November 22, 1859, Job Hobbs, Pvt. Revolutionary War Pension Application - Job Hobbs Page 1 EXTRACT FROM REPORT ON PENSION CASE OF JOB HOBBS It is important that the claimant file an additional statement upon oath in relation to the following interrogations etc. Questions for Mr. Hobbs Q - Where were you born? A - Frederick Co., Virginia Q - What were the names of your father and mother and mother's maiden name? A - My father's name was Vinson. My mother's name was Ruth and her maiden name was Thomas. Q - Give names of all your brothers and sisters? A - My oldest brother was James; Mery; Hannah; Vinson; Joel; Ezekeal; Ruth; Racheal; William; Absolem; Abner and myself, Job. Q - In what town did you live when you entered service? A - In Washington County, Virginia. Q - Did you have a brother or relative in the service, and if so, which tour? A - I had a brother in the service but not at the same time with me. Q - Had you a brother or relative by name of Ezekiel Hobbs? A - I have a brother of that name and he is the one referred to above. Page 2 Q - Can you state what year it was in that you left Botetourt or Washington County, Virginia and if so please do so. A - As near as I can recollect it was in 1780 that I left Washington County Virginia. Q - What county did you first move to and when did you finally leave Virginia? A - I moved to Powels Valley, Vir and my family left Washington County, Vir when I did. Q - When and where did your father die? A - He died in Washington County, Vir, I do not recollect when he did die. Q - When and where did your mother die? A - She died in the same county my father died, some time after my father's deth, as I have lerned. Q - In the case of each brother and each sister, state when and where he or she died, and when and where you last saw him or her? and if you can remember when you had a letter from him or her? A - My oldest brother died somewhere in Ky. My sister died in Washington County, Vir. My next oldest sister, I do not no where she died. My next oldest brother died on Hickory Creek Tenn. My next oldest brother died on a creek called Big Piney not far from Duck River, Ten. I have one brother killed Page 3 by the Cherokee Indians in Tennessee or Kentucky and I do not no which. I have not seen any of my brothers or sisters for 40 years. The last time I saw any of my brothers they lived in Virginia. Brother Ezekeal Hobbs lived in Washington County, Vir and Brother Absolem Hobbs lived in Lee County Vir. I had a letter from Brother Absolem Hobbs about twenty five years ago and he still lived in Vir the last account. Q - Did you know Ezekiel Hobbs? or did you ever hear of him when you lived in Virginia? A - Ezekiel Hibbs is my brother and we was boath raised children together in Washington County, Vir Page 4 Q - When and where did you last see Ezekiel Hobbs? A - He came to see me when I lived in Knox County, Tennessee about forty years ago. Q - Where was he when you last heard from him? and where were you living? and how many years ago has it been? A - When my brother Absolem rote to me he rote that Ezekiel was ingaged in trading and did not state where he was at that time. I lived at that time in the State of Ilanois. It has bin some twenty five or six years ago. Q - Why did you leave Virginia? A - Because I wanted to emigrate to a new country. Q - In your application you named these following named persons as having been in service with you viz. Peter Fulkerson; Timothy Lax; John Eilinson; James Frazier; Wm Williams; John Larman (Lamar?) - Please name others, and if you can, state which tour each one was in with you - calling your tours as heretofore given by you, your 1st tour, 2nd tour, 3rd tour Page 5 A - in the 3rd tour - Henry Mahon Paye Porter, Alexander Crockett; Jacob Goodman. Q - Report from the Pension office admits that your statements of service seems to be both historically and geographically correct and that some persons have been pensioned for service under same officers for same period, and who were at same places named by you - Persons residing in Washington County, Virginia - and in one case to a man by the name of Ezekiel Hobbs, who they suppose very reasonably must have been your brother or near relative, or at least that you probably knew him, and as I have heretofore informed you that the rolls of evidence of the class of service were destroyed. You will therefore see the Page 6 propriety of these questions, in order to see if you can name some who have been allowed pensions - Please answer fully as you can and state whether you ever heard of any of these fellow soldiers getting their pensions, which one and where he lived at time? A - I never knew of any of my fellow soldiers applying for a pension and therefore I do not no of any of them getting a pention for I left that country a long time ago and moved to the Western countrys and I could no no every thing what tha done back in that country. Page 7 Claiming due allowance for loss of memory on account of my old age and the long lapse of time since I was among my old friends and among the scenes of my youth and vigorous man hood. I Jobb Hobbs, of the County of Madison State of Arkansas the applicant above named to state that the foregoing answers are true to the best of my knowledge, belief and memory. This 8th day of July 1859 Job his X mark Hobbs Page 8 The State of Arkansas County of Madison On this 28th day of February in the year 1859 personally appeared before me, George W. Seamann, an acting and duly commissioned Justice of the Peace, in and for the said county, Job Hobbs, a resident of said county, aged 100 years - 21 June next - who being first duly sworn according to law does on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed on the 7th day of June 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War at the time and place and served under the following officers as herein after stated - (viz) I entered the service aforesaid in Washington County, Virginia (or what is now called so) - My Captain's name was James Fulkerson - my Colonel's name was William Campbell - and that his first Lieutenant was John Bennum. For details of service refer to answers and questions following (viz) Page 9 Questions for Mr. Hobbs Q - In what year and month or at what time of year was it when you entered the service? A - I first entered the service in March Seventeen hundred and seventy seven, served three months. I do no now recollect the time I entered the service the 2nd time but think it was in the fall season. Q - Were you drafted or did you volunteer or go as a substitute - and if as a substitute, for whom? A - I enlisted the first time for three months. I was afterwards drafted for the remainder of the time. Q - How long did you serve and when and where were you discharged? A - I served six months. I was first discharged at Bennum's Fort in Washington County, Virginia. in June 1777 second (?) time at Cristmans fort in Powel vally in virginia last time at Brushy Fort on Clinch River. Q - Were you in any battle during your service - and if so give particulars - and if so state the places to which you marched and where stationed, etc. etc. A - I was in one scrimage with the Indians on the head of Powels River in which there was two Indians killed and in which we rescued seven persons. We march from Bennum's fort to the ____ Rocky Station in Powels Vally. (word missing) station a part of the time. Page 10 Bushey Fort on Clinch River in Virginia. Q - Do you remember the names of any officers of the Line that were stationed at same places where your Company was - and if so give their names, and what State they belonged to? A - I do not recollect whether there were any officers of the Line at the above named Stations at the times said out there save one, William Campbell, who was Colonel at the time but was afterwards promoted to a General and Arthur Campbell was promoted to a Col of the Militia. William Campbell resides in Virginia. Q - Please give names of as many of your fellow soldiers as you can now remember, and in each case state where he was when you heard from him last? (Note - space left for several names) A - Col. Wm. Campbell who was promoted to a General and was killed as I understood to wards the close of the Rev War. Capt. Fulkerson who was after wards promoted to Major and died at his home in Washington County some time after the war. Page 11 Peter Fulkerson, Timothy Lax, John Eilison, James Frazier, William Williams, John Larman (Lamar?), fellow soldiers. All died in Virginia except Williams. I do not know when where he died. Q - Perhaps you can tell of some brother or sister - or some old neighbor who was alive when last heard from that may probably remember something of your services? A - I have know brothers or sisters living at this time nor I do not know of any old neighbors now living that knows any thing of my services. Page 12 Q - Did you ever serve more than one term in Revolutionary War? And if so make condensed statement thereof - substantially as in foregoing. A - I served 3 terms in Revolutionary War. About three months first term two months at the second term and one month in last term, in al 6 months. I do not now remember the time or month precisely that I was drafted the 2nd or third terms but think it in the fall season. Page 13 Q - Have you never applied for a pension? A - I applied once through the Agency of Mr. F. Black some two years since the reasons that I did not apply before was that I did not know that I could make proof sufficient. It has been so long a go and that it has been some - and I did not know how I could make the proof - sixty or seventy years since I left Virginia. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to any other annuity or pension and my name is not on the pension agency of any state of the United States. My certificate of discharge I gave to our Lieutenant Bennum named above and have never seen since. - This was in Washington County in the State of Virginia about eighty years ago. Questions Reviewed Q - When and where was Captain Fulkerson when you last hears from him? A - He died in Washington County, State of Virginia Q - When and where did Colonel Campbell die? or where was he when you last heard of him? A - He was promoted to a General of the line Page 14 as I understood and was killed to ward the close of the war. (he was the Col. Campbell that was at the Battle of King's mountain. Q - Same in regard to Lieutenant Bennum? A - Lut. Bennum died at his residence in Virginia. Q - When and were were you born? A - I was born in Frederick Co, Vir Q - Have you any record of your age? and if so please produce it. Note - If record of his age is produced the officer will please have correct copy of it inserted herein with certifying hereby that he believes said records to be accurate (?), original and genuine A - I do not know of any record of my age. I have none but from the last information if have been able to get I will be one hundred years old the 21st of June 1859. Page 15 Q - State all of the names of Militia officers and such officers of the Line in you can now remember, who were in the service when you were? A - Col. Campbell, Col. Russell, Col. Shelby, C. Blecher, Col. Anderson, Capt Fulkerson, who was promoted to Major, Maj Arthur Campbell; Capt. Barnett, Capt. Bletcher, all of the Militia, as I understood, at the time I was in the service. I do not know of any officers of the Line at either of the beforementioned stations. Q - Please state your residences since Revolutionary War and years in each? A - I moved from Washington Co, Virginia to Powells Valey, Vir and remained there 10 years. I then moved to Madison County, Kentucky. I remained there 4 years. I then moved to Knox County, Tenn, remained there 3 years, then moved to Montgomery County, Tenn, rem there 4 years, then moved to Davis County, Kentucky from there to Spencer County, Indiana, remained 14 years from there I moved to Illinois, Clay County remained there 4 years thence to Marion County 4 years and from there to Washington Co Arks. I do not recolect the time I remained in Washington County. I now reside in Madison County, Arkansas and have about 12 or 15 year. Page 16 Q - State names of some persons in neighborhood of your present residence who are well acquainted with you. - State also name of some clergyman with whom you are now acquainted and give his residence? A - D. L. Sanders, Benjamin Vaughn, B. K. Henderson, Benjamin Pigman. The following named ministers or clergymen are well acquainted with me Calvin Gage, Eld. Robert Lee, D. L. Sanders. I do not know of any person now alive who is at all convenient to me by whom as a fellow soldier I can prove these statements. The evidence referred to above is the best that I can produce. A few years since, viz, about the middle of time of year 1856, I applied for a pension through Agency of Mr. F. Black of Madison County, Arks and to my statements made in said application I now refer. Page 17 If not full in this statement it is because the questions were not so fully asked - refer also to the result of said application. Witness my name and seal on the 29th day of February 1859 I hereby constitute and appoint C. H. Barkley of Louisville, Kentucky my true and lawful attorney for me and use my name to prosecute this claim. Job his X mark Hobbs Seal We the undersigned, both residents of Madison County in the state of Arkansas aged respectively 47 and 35 years do hereby certify that we are well and very intimately acquainted with Job Hobbs also of said county resident - He did on this day in our presence sign and acknowledge the above. Page 18 The State of ArkansasSS County of Madison I, Job Hobbs, of said county, aged one hundred years do make this following statement viz I was in the military service of the United States in Revolutionary War. I served six months therein. I entered said service in Washington County, Virginia Militia troops. My Captain was James Fulkerson; my Lieutenant was John Bennum my Colonel was William Campbell. I was honorably discharged at a place called Bennum's Fort having served three months there last previous. I again entered the service and served two months and was discharged at Cristman's Fort in Powels Valley, Virginia. I again entered said service and served one month and was honorably discharged at Bushy Fort, Clinch River, Vir. I have never made an application for Bounty Land under any Act of Congress previous to this. I refer to my statement therein of every date herewith. I make an application for benefit of act June 7th 1832 through agency of C. H. Barkley of Louisville, Kentucky and refer to my statements therein. I make this declaration for the purpose of applying for benefit of Bounty Land act of March 30th 1855 and I hereby appoint C. H. Barkley above named as my attorney to prosecute this claim. I have never hereto fore received the benefit of this or any other bounty land act of Congress and never made any application except as above stated This 28th day of February 1859 Job his X mark Hobbs (seal) ************ |
vii. | WILLIAM HOBBS, b. 1760, Maryland; d. 22 October 1793, Cumberland Gap, Virginia or Tennessee. |
Notes for WILLIAM HOBBS: William Hobbs was killed by indians in the Cumberland Gap.Another source says:William was wounded near Cumberland Gap, taken prisoner, and is believed to have been burned at the stake, as history says the Indians could never be induced to talk about him afterwards. ************* Hobbs Genealogy Form http://genforum.genealogy.com/hobbs/messages/4248.html Here is how William Hobbs was killed by Indians 22 October 1793 Captain Andrew Lewis, Jr. who was in command of the militia troops on TN/VA frontier, with his headquarters at Fort Lee, Rye Cove of Scott Co. wrote to the Governor of VA Dec 18, 1793, thusly: "Agreeable to the Governor's request to me, the following is a statement of manner in which Capt James Hawkins Co sustained the loss in October last. On the 1st day of November, I received the information as represented to me ___ supposed the officer to have acted with neglect. I immediately wrote to Capt. Hawkins to inquire into the conduct of the officer and to report to me. On receipt of my letter he came to Ft. Lee and reported as follows: That he went out with a party of about 20, after crossing Cumberland Mt. he fell on the sign of 2 or 3 indians making into the inhabitants; that he directed a small number of his men to follow that trail in and give the settlements notice, which they refused. He then said he would take a few men coming in himself, and the other party consisting of 15 men might go on, which he did, and ordered the party that went to observe the directions of Samuel Oxer, a scout. After going on some time, they fell on the sign of about 10 indians and pursued them; although the signs appeared fresh, they observed no order, but shot at turkeys, etc., until discovered by the enemy who lay in ambush for them. Just before they came to the enemy Samuel Oxer left them to kill some provisions -- had got but a very short distance from the party, when he came upon the indians' knapsacks and fell to plunderiing them -- while at that he heard the party fired upon; at which fire Hobbs, Stennett, Fowler and Knowles fell. The rest fled precipately, I cannot help regretting the loss of the men at the same time hope this will be a warning to officers, or rather convince them the necessity of soldiers obeying orders, but no doubt, but he intended well." (VA State papers, Vol. VI, page 393) (VA State papers, Vol VI, page 707) |
2. | viii. | EZEKIEL HOBBS, b. 1762, Hagerstown, Washington, Maryland; d. 13 June 1835, Washington County, Virginia. | |
ix. | RUTH HOBBS. | ||
x. | ABNER HOBBS. | ||
xi. | RACHEL HOBBS, b. 1767; m. JOHN RUSSELL. |
Notes for RACHEL HOBBS: Information taken from book "Benge!" by Lawrence J. Fleenor, Jr. http://www.houston-texas-online.com/livingston/bengeattack.html Elizabeth handed her infant to her ten year old, and whispered for her to take it and her two year old to their nearest neighbors, John and Rachael Russell. Rachael was the sister of Vincent Hobbs, Jr. It seemns that the Indians were content to allow the children to slip off. It was so uncharacteristic of all of the past behavior of Benge and his braves. Likely Cavett's station was on their mind. If they had not saved the white children there, then perhaps they could save these. On the other hand, they had just tomahawked three children in the yard of their home. ************ |
3. | xii. | ABSALOM HOBBS, b. Bet. 1770 - 1775, Maryland; d. Bef. 17 January 1842, Lee County, Virginia. |