Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Martin Bobb
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
MARTIN BOBB, a leading farmer and
stockraiser of Bloom Township, is one of those
men whose career have been signalized by
persevering industry resulting in success.
We find him pleasantly located on section 1, where
he has 160 acres, well watered and finely improved.
and largely devoted to cattle and swine. He settled
here in April, 1871, as a homesteader and is credited
with having built up one of the best farms in
this part of Clay County.
Mr. Bobb was born in the Kingdom of Bavaria
near the river Rhine, Sept. 18, 1832 and emigrated
to America with friends in 1853. The year following
he spent in New York City, then emigrated
to Highland County, Ohio, where he lived from
1855 until coming to Kansas, engaged in farming
pursuits. He comes of pure German stock, being
the son of Valentine Baab, as it was then spelled
in Germany. The latter was born and reared in
Bavaria where he learned the miller's trade. The
paternal grandfather was Jacob Baab, a Wurtemberger
by birth, but who spent his last years in
Bavaria, dying at the age of seventy-three years.
He was a member of the German Reformed or Modern Lutheran Church.
Valentine Baab, upon reaching man�s estate, and
being equipped with a good trade�that of a miller
�was married in his native Province to Miss
Carolina Berodt. This lady was born in Bavaria
where she spent her entire life. They became the
parents of three children, viz: Martin, Valentine,
Jr., and an infant who died unnamed. Valentine,
Jr., is a resident of Norton County, Kan. The
father after the death of his wife emigrated to
America leaving his two sons with their paternal
grandparents. The sons upon reaching manhood
joined their father, after his absence of nineteen
years and it was a remarkable circumstance that
Martin, although but five years old when his father
left Bavaria, recognized the latter when they met in
Ohio. The elder Bobb after coming to the United
States was a second time married. He settled in
Highland County, Ohio, where his death occured
in 1880, when he was ripe in years.
Martin Bobb lived with his grandparents until
coming to the United States, and while a resident of
Highland County, Ohio, was married in December,
1857 to Miss Eliza Rhoads. This lady was born in
that county in 1830, of parents who were natives of
Pennsylvania and of Dutch and Irish descent. .She
was reared in the doctrines of the Lutheran Church
and after becoming the mother of eight children
departed this life at her home in Bloom Township,
Dec. 22, 1882, very suddenly, having been stricken
with palsy. One child, Eliza E., died at the age of
eight years. Mary A. remains at home with her
father; David married Miss Eva Carson and is a
resident of Clay Center; Joseph married Alice Elkins
and lives on a farm in Clay County Kan.; Caroline
M. is the wife of Welcome C. Timmons, a
hardware merchant of Idana, Kan.; Damarius I. is
the wife of Job G. Goings, a farmer of Minton,
Neb.; Sarah C. married John Goings, and they
likewise live on a farm in that State; Martin D.
remains with his father assisting him on the farm.
Mr. Bobb contracted a second marriage in Highland
County, Ohio, Jan. 24, 1886, with Mrs. Elizabeth
(Hatter) Martin. This lady was born in that
county Nov. 3, 1842, and is the daughter of Jacob
and Mary (Rhoads) Hatter, who were natives of
Pennsylvania and are now deceased, having died
on their farm in Highland County, Ohio, when
quite well advanced in years. They were reared
in Pennsylvania and Ohio respectively, and were
married in Highland County, Ohio. Mrs. Bobb
was reared in her native county and was there married
to Joseph Martin by whom she became the
mother of one child, a daughter, Mary P., who remains
with her mother. Mr. Bobb is a member of
the German Reformed Church and his wife is a
Lutheran in religion. Politically, Mr. Bobb votes
the straight Democratic ticket.