The Oldest of Five Generations Passes to Her Reward - A Tribute To Grandma Hobart, by "Chat."

Surrounded by those she loved, while the clock was striking the hour of 10 on a beautiful Sabbath morning, slowly the "gates of Paradise" opened and another soul was welcomed into the "Celestial City" by Him who had spoken the "well done" and by those beloved of earth who in the long, long years gone by have been there awaiting her coming.

Polly Maria Farr was born near Williston, Vt., Feb. 16, 1809, died at the home of her son, Pardon Hobart, Sunday, Aug., 11, 1907, aged 98 years, 5 months and 26 days.  She was married to Jonas Hobart in February 1828.  To them were born nine children, six of whom are living, viz; Mrs. Hariiet [sic] Fabun, Miss Caroline and Pardon, of this place, Mrs. Charles Wright, of Carthage, Mrs. Eliza Austin, of Worthington, Minn., and William, of Fort Jones, [three letters missing].  The remaining three children, Mrs. Emeline Bloyd, Anna and Charles together with the husband and father who died May 17, 1874, were waiting on the shores of the better land for the coming of "mother".

Besides the 6 living children, there are 28 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren and 13 great great grandchildren, also 2 sisters, one living in Oregon aged 90 years and one in Vermont aged 96 years.  These, together with a host of other relatives and friends mourn today for the loss of one who was dear to all.

She came with her husband to Hancock county in 1836.  They traveled overland and by water until they arrived at Warsaw, Ill.  They at once came to Carthage which was a very small village at that time and occupied a log cabin which was shared by another family, their part of the house being the length of the bed and one-half of the fire place.  They resided in Carthage 12 years and in 1849 they came to Webster, locating on the little farm in the east part of town and which for over 55 years was her home, her own hands helping to build the cottage.

Grandma Hobart was a typical pioneer woman; having passed through the Mormon and the great Civil wars, her life has been marked with all the hardships and trials incident to pioneer life. At the age of 15 years she gave her heart to God and united with the Congregationalist church. She died in the faith of a true God and during her brief illness her one desire was to be taken home.

Grandma Hobart was a mother in the fullest sense of the word to the motherless children within her home.  A self-denying, God-fearing woman, it would be needless to say she was beloved by all who knew her.  A noble life is ended yet her works and deeds of love will ever stand as a monument of virtue to those children who with unceasing care administered to her during her long life among them and tenderly caring for her during her six weeks of illness.  Of these, there are her son Pardon, and daughter Caroline, also Mrs. Charles Wright.  She had been the especial care of Miss Caroline for the past 2 or 3 years.  The other children were living too far away to be present during her brief illness or death, except Mrs. Fabun who is the oldest child aged nearly 80 years, and who is in feeble health but who was able to be present at the funeral only.  When Grandma Hobart took ill on the evening of July 2d, she never complained but retired at 5 o'clock saying she was tired.  She never again occupied her place among the family.  The funeral service was held at the home on Tuesday at 11 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Love assisted by Rev. Woods.

Rev. Love spoke words of encouragement from the text found in Psalm 91:16.  Rev. Woods read for the scripture lesson the 90th Psalm.  A choir composed of Mrs. J. A. Robinson, W. H. Duffie and E. S. Rings sang the following favorite selections: There'll Be No Dark Valley, Asleep in Jesus and Sometime We'll Understand after which the mortal remains of her who had been with us for so many years was conveyed by hearse to the family burying lot north of town. The flora tributes were beautiful and profuse.

Many articles have been written in the past about the subject of this sketch and yet there are many more which could be written of equal interest.

When we consider her extreme age and the wonderful changes that have been wrought since her birth we marvel not at the lapse of time.  Since her birth there have been 30 wild unsettled territories converted into states, 23 presidents have been inaugurated and many many inventions for the betterment of mankind have been made.  Grandma Hobart was a descendant of Henry Dunster, first president of Harvard college, and occupied with honor, the head of five generations, the remaining four being present at her burial.

She was also very proud of her name.  Governor Chittenden, first governor of Vermont, had a little granddaughter who was a close neighbor when grandma was born and being very fond of the tiny babe, she begged that she might give her a name.  She consequently named her for herself, the plain, simple name of Polly.

She was an eye-witness to the hanging of the only man ever hung in Hancock county, - a man by the name of Frame, who was hung on a scaffold built by her husband, on what is known as the "Big Meadows" southwest of Carthage.

In the home she has left are many tokens of her handiwork.  Quilts, tidies and cushions adorn the home and are mementoes of her industrious life.  Her burial robe, a beautiful black silk henrietta dress was made by her own hands and put upon her at her own request.  Her wishes were carried out in full as her plans had all been made.  "Mother" has "gone home," and both in example and precept she beckons her loved ones to follow her to that land where there is no more parting.  Peace to her dust.CHAT.

Jonas Hobart's parents were Amos Hobart (born in 1774 in Lyme, Grafton County, New Hampshire, died in 1842 in or near Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois) and Keziah Marshall, nee Chase (born in 1772 in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, died in 1843 in Hancock County, Illinois).

Amos' parents were Jonas Hobart, born in what was then Massachusetts on November 15, 1744, and Betty Kemp.  After Jonas' brother, Isaac, was killed at Bunker Hill, Jonas joined the Continental Army and served for three years.  At the Battle of Ticonderoga he was severely wounded in the cheek, but survived and collected a yearly pension of $96.00 for the rest of his life.  He moved west to Illinois in 1823, died ten years later and was buried near Rushville in Schuyler County, Illinois.

Of Amos and Keziah's children, the eldest two, Jonas and Joshua C., were born in New Hampshire. The family moved to Essex, Chittenden County, Vermont, where four more children were born: Amasa, Anson, Norman, Mary Ann and Eliza Ann.  They moved to Allegany County, New York about 1816.  Amasa and Mary Ann did not live to adulthood.  The remaining four came to Illinois.

In addition to Jonas' family, a number of Norman's children are also buried at Webster Cemetery.

Jonas was born December 10, 1803, in Lyme, Grafton County, New Hampshire.  He and Polly and their children were first counted in Hancock County, Illinois, in the 1840 Federal Census.

Jonas and Polly's children:

i.	Harriet Hobart, born November 15, 1828, in Vermont.  She died November 25, 1907, probably in Hancock County, burial at Webster Cemetery.
ii.	Eliza Hobart, also found as Elizabeth, born about 1831 in Vermont.  She died after August 01, 1924, probably in Kansas.
iii.	Caroline Hobart, born November 14, 1833, in Vermont, died January 20, 1917, buried at Webster Cemetery.  She never married.  Caroline was one of the teachers named in Allen Geddes' essay Early Fountain Green Schools.
iv.	Charles Hobart, born in 1835 in Vermont, died in 1836, burial location undetermined. According to Polly's obituary, the family arrived in Hancock County in 1836 and lived in Carthage for 12 years before moving to Webster.
v.	Emeline Hobart, born March 5, 1837, in Hancock County, died November 2, 1868, in Hancock County.  She was buried at Webster Cemetery.
vi.	Anna Hobart, born February 9, 1840 (birth date calculated from tombstone inscription), Hancock County, died August 31, 1851, burial at Webster Cemetery.
vii.	Maria Antoinette Hobart, born August 17, 1842, in Carthage, died between August 11, 1907, and August 1, 1924.
viii.	William W. Hobart, born in 1844 in Hancock County, died at Fort Jones, Siskiyou County, California, on August 1, 1924, buried at Fort Jones Cemetery.
ix.	Pardon Hobart, born in 1849 in Webster, Hancock County, died September 9, 1939, burial at Webster Cemetery.

Household of Jonas Hobart
Males 30 thru 39 - 1   [born abt 1801-1810, Jonas]
Females 0 thru 4 - 2   [born abt 1836-1840, Emiline, Anna]
Females 5 thru 9 - 2   [born abt 1831-1835, Eliza, Caroline]
Females 10 thru 14 - 1   [born abt 1826-1830, Harriet]
Females 30 thru 39 - 1   [born abt 1801-1810, Polly]
Total - 7
Persons employed in manufacture and trade - 1

Jonas Hobart, 45, male, wool carder, born in NH
Mary M, 41, female, born VT
Eliza, 19, female, born VT, attended school within the year
Caroline, 15, female, born VT, attended school within the year
Emeline, 12, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Ann, 11, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Maria A, 9, female, born IL, attended school within the year
William W, 6, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Bub, 10/12, male, born IL
Harriet Dunham, 21, female, born VT
Lydia, 1, born IL

Jonas Hobert, 56, male, day laborer, value of real estate 900, value of personal estate 300,
born NH
Polly, 51, female, born VT
Caroline, 21, female, born VT
An Jennette, 18, female, born IL
William, 15, male, day laborer, born, IL
Barton, 10, male, born IL, attended school within the year

Hobert, Jinus, 65, male, white, gardener, value of real estate 1800, value of personal estate 800, born VT, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Polly, 61, female, white, born VT
Caroline, 35, female, white, born VT
Parton, 20, male, white, farmer, born IL

Hobart, Poodon, white, male, 30, married, farmer, born IL, father born MA, mother born VT
Florence M, white, female, 27, wife, married, keeping house, born OH, father born VA, mother born OH
Polly M, white, female, 71, mother, widow, at home, born VT, father born NH, mother born VT
William C, white, male, 5, son, single, at home, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH
Frank, white, male, 4, son, single, at home, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH
Ida M, white, female, 2, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH
Leland, white, male, 6/12, born Jan, son, single, at home, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH

Hobart, Pardon, head, white, male, Nov 1849, 50, widower; [father] of 9 children, 8 living; born IL, father born MA, mother born VT, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 112

Ida M, daughter, white, female, Apr 1878, 22, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, houskeeper, could read, write and speak English

Leland, son, white, male, Jan 1880, 20, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Orrin, son, white, male, Mar 1882, 18, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Francis, daughter, white, female, Mar 1884, 16, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Hiram, son, white, male, Sept 1886, 13, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Howard, son, white, male, June 1889, 10, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Ruth A, daughter, white, male, Jan 1892, 8, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH

Polly Marria, mother, white, female, Feb 1809, 91, widow; mother of 9 children, 4, living, born VT, father born NH, mother born VT, could not read or write, spoke English

Carraline, sister, white, female, Nov 1833, 66, single, born VT, father born MA, mother born VT, housekeeper, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English