BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES, BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO

"History of the Upper Ohio Valley" Vol. II, 1890.

Presented by Linda Fluharty from hard copies provided
by Mary Staley & Phyllis Slater.


Pages 504-505.

 
JOHN A. HOBSON, M. D., is one of six children born to Thomas and Unity 
Hobson; the former was born 1812 in Jefferson county, Ohio, and spent his 
early life in teaching school in the old pioneer log schoolhouse in 
Jefferson county, Ohio. His ambition was to become a physician, and at one 
time he had all his arrangements made for commencing the study of his 
chosen profession, but the sickness of his father compelled him to abandon 
his project. The mother was a daughter of John and Dorothy Johnson, and was 
born in Loudon county, Va., in 1811. She, with her father and mother and 
her twin sister, rode on horseback from Loudon county to Columbiana county, 
Ohio, in the year 1812, the parents each carrying one of the children. The 
family were Quakers as far back as they can be traced. Their children's 
names are: Benjamin J., Mary C., wife of Thomas Conrow, a resident of 
Flushing township; Sarah Ann, who resides with John Hoyle, an uncle, of 
Columbiana county, Ohio; Dorothy, widow of John Stratton, the organizer of 
the large grist-mill at Flushing; since his death she has been engaged in 
teaching in the Friends' seminary, at Barnesville, being the principal of 
the same; John A., and Belinda, wife of Joseph Binns, a resident of 
Harrisville, Ohio. Dr. Hobson was born in 1849 in Jefferson county, Ohio. 
His boyhood was spent in the common schools and in working upon his 
father's farm. When he was four or five years of age his father removed to 
Washington county and at the age of eighteen he entered the Friends' 
seminary at Mt. Pleasant. Having chosen medicine as his vocation in life, 
he studied for three years with Smith Branson, M. D., of Chester Hill, 
Morgan county, Ohio; he then entered the Miami medical college at 
Cincinnati, and was graduated therefrom in 1872; at two different times he 
was a student at the New York Polyclinic. After leaving college he settled 
at Plymouth, Ohio, remaining for one year, he then removed to Flushing, 
Belmont county, Ohio, and has by his undoubted skill and integrity won for 
himself an enviable reputation and practice. In 1873 he married Miss Martha 
H. Branson, by whom he has had four children: Mary Bertha, born April 20, 
1874, died February 25, 1877; Emma Gertrude, born August 10, 1876; Anna 
Sarah, born November 4, 1878, and James David, born November 17, 1884. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hobson are members of the Society of Friends, and the former is 
also a member of the American Medical society; he is also a member of the 
Belmont County Medical society, in the re-organization of which he was 
prominently identified. He has, since the completion of the C. L. & W. R. 
R., served as surgeon of the road with satisfaction.