Orlando HOBBS Family History

Orlando Delbert Hobbs, also known as "Dell" or "O.D." was born in
Pierceville, Ripley Co., Indiana, on Nov. 9, 1861.  He was the son of William
Hobbs (b. @1827 in Maryland) and Eliza Roszell(b. June 15,1822 in Kentucky;
d. Dec. 5, 1879 in Franklin twp, Ripley Co.). The 1860 census shows evidence
of a previous marriage of Eliza (to Parker Ingles), and 4 children born of
that marriage, Perry Ingles, Elizabeth, Parker & Josephine (twins), living
with them.  Dell's brothers and sisters were: George, John, Orie, Edward,
Ella (died young), and Grant. The family shows up on the 1860, 1870, and 1880
census for Ripley County, Indiana.  In 1882, Dell, brother John W., and
John's family moved to Pottawatomie Co., Kansas.  Dell married Lillian Allen
Myers in 1887, and their first child, Bess Louella Hobbs was born March 20,
1888, at St. Marys.  The opening of the Cherokee Strip in Oklahoma gave many
young families the promise of their own land.  Dell desperately wanted a
place of his own, so, accompanied by his brother John, and his 2
brother-in-laws, William P. Myers (28 yrs old) and Wilson Allen Myers (26 yrs
old), they set out for Arkansas City, Ks., the northern most registration
point.  On Sept. 15, 1893, he wrote in a letter to his wife and baby from the
strip.  He complained about the terrible dust, and the thick crowd of people.
 "When we went to register Wednesday at 9 o'clock, we formed in a line 11/2
miles from the booth, 2 deep.  We waited until Thursday noon, laying in line
all night."  But he says that he never got discouraged.  "I neaver was in the
notion of giving up or coming back.  I am bound to get me a home if
possible."  His next letter dated 3 days later, carries a different tune.  "I
would hardley take a claim as a gift the grass looks like it had been planted
with a corn planter.... the dust is so thick you can not see a block.  The
race was terrible many who got claims are leaving saying if they would give
them to them they would not take them."  Dell said in his second letter he
did not make the race, and would explain when he got home.  The reason to
this writer is unknown.  Many men and women were killed, being trampled by
horses and masses of people and wagons.  There were alot of Pottawatomie
County boys there to make the race, he reveals in his letter.  The people
mentioned were: Blaylock, Oliver Knapp, John Willard, Chas Crooks, John
Gillard, Mr Jones, and Sam Baily.
Dell returned from the strip and settled back into farming.  His second
child, Myers James Hobbs (after his mother's maiden name) was born July 5,
1894.  Six years later, his third child , Winifred Mabel Hobbs, was born on
May 23, 1900.  He had always been active in Republican politics and, in 1902
he ran for office of Sheriff, but was narrowly defeated.  In 1904, he ran
again, and was elected by overwhelming vote because he had made many  friends
due to his "clean and manly canvas that he made two years ago" as reported by
the Wamego Times, Oct 6, 1904.  His wife's uncle, Thomas E. Rose was elected
Probate Judge the same year.  Dell appointed his brother-in-law, Wm. Myers of
St. Clere, as Under Sheriff in Jan, 1905.  
There are many interesting stories regarding his years as Sheriff, the most
interesting being the case of Charlie Trude.  (See separate article on
Charlie Trude.)  O.D. was re-elected in 1906 by a large majority, and
appointed his 19 year old daughter, Bess, as Deputy.  She had charge of the
jail when her father and the under-sheriff were absent.  She was a fine shot
and prisoners stood more in awe of her than they did of her father.  Lillian
and Dell were later divorced and he married Rosa Weber in 1922.  He lived the
rest of his life in Louisville, died Aug 5, 1942, and is buried in the
Louisville Cemetery.  
Bess Louella Hobbs - m. (1) Carden Cloe Rice  Aug 17, 1910 in Alliance, Ne.,
one child born of this union: Delline Charlotte Rice  (m. Hurshell L. Zigler.
 They have three children, Hurshell Dell Zigler, Kim Lee Zigler, Phyllis
Eileen Zigler.  (2) Harry L. Wilson, (3) Carden Cloe Rice, d. 1954, bur.
Haxton, Co. (4) William Shears; Bess died Nov. 24, 1965, and is buried in
Holyoke, Co.
Myers James Hobbs -  m. Aug 25, 1915 in Bridgeport Ne. to Maurice Vena
Mitchell; d. Feb 7, 1968 in Bridgeport, Ne.  Three children born of this
union: (1) Virginia Mitchelene Hobbs; b. Feb 26, 1917; m. Milan Glassburn
June 30, 1946.  She resides near Sidney, Ne.  (2) Thornton Winston Hobbs; b.
June 20, 1918 in Bridgeport, Ne.; m. Lena Margaret Reed Oct 19, 1941.  They
reside in Independence, Mo.  They have three girls; Judith Lynne Hobbs
Tilton, Jacqueline Louise Hobbs Combs, and Linda Sue Hobbs Combs, all
residing in the Kansas City area. (3) Thelma Helen Hobbs; b. Dec 16, 1921; m.
George E. Leese Oct. 29, 1942; they reside near Chicago, Ill.
Winifred Mabel Hobbs - m. Feb 24, 1917 in Hot Springs, SD. to Theodore
William Myers (a 2nd cousin); d. Apr 23, 1952 in Alliance, Ne. To this union
four children were born:  James '(Bo)wman' Myers, Elizabeth 'Castle' Myers,
Gwendolyn 'Corrine' Myers, and Theodore '(Buck)ley' Myers. 

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Mar 24, 1904 last pg

The RECORDER contains this week the announcement of O. D. Hobbs of Emmet
township as a candidate for the nomination of the office of sheriff.  Mr.
Hobbs was a candidate two years ago, but was defeated by J. H. Cooper.  It
was conceded by all that whoever should be the nominee on the republican
ticket at the last election that the race would be a hard one.  Mr. Hobbs by
his honorable and straightforward canvass won many friends in that campaign.
 Many people think now that the election of a sheriff by the republicans does
not seem more difficult than that of other offices, that Mr. Hobbs should be
given an opportunity to make the race again.  He is entirely competent to
fill the position and is a man of excellent character.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Apr. 29, 1904 pg 4

REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES.
	___________
Names and Pictures of Candidates Seeking the Nomination for Sheriff.
	___________
SKETCH OF EACH CANDIDATE.
	___________
The following are the republican candidates for the office of sheriff of
Pottawatomie county.  They are a good lot of people.
	B.J. Allen Clear Creek is well known in the northern part of the county has
considerable acquaintance in other sections. As trustee of his township, he
proved a good official and the fact that he was elected year after year in
one of the strongest fusion townships in the county shows that he is very
popular at home.  He is a man of excellent character and has always been an
active worker in the Republican party.
					______________
	O.D. Hobbs was the republican candidate two years ago and made the race when
it was know that chances were against him.  Now, that there is a good
opportunity to win out in this office, he and his friends think that he
should have another chance.  He is a man of excellent reputation and would if
elected make a good official.  Mr. Hobbs was the central committeeman of St.
Clere township for many years and very seldom missed a meeting of the
committee.
					______________
	G.B. Merritt of Blue township, who seeks the office of sheriff, was born in
eastern Tennessee, Union county.  He came to Kansas 46 years ago and has
lived in Blue township for the past thirty-five years.  He served five years
as constable of his township and was census enumerator in 1900 and has held
other minor offices in Blue township.  This is the first time that he has
ever been a candidate for any county office.  He has always been an active
worker in the Republican party.  While his township is still a fusion one
politically, the republican vote there has increased many fold since the
populist sweep of 1890.  Mr. Merritt has the ability to make a good official
and would undoubtedly give the people if he should be elected the best
service he could.
					________________
	C.D. Ladner of Lone Tree township has a laudable ambition to serve the
people of this county in the capacity of sheriff.  He is a native of the
county and has always lived in the neighborhood where he now resides.  He is
a thrifty farmer and is well known about Wheaton and Onaga.  He stands well
in the communities where he is known and would undoubtedly perform the duties
of sheriff in a creditable manner.  The RECORDER regrets that so far it has
been unable to secure a picture of Mr. Ladner from which to get a cut made.
 He is a right good looker but those of our readers who are not acquainted
with him and have no better source of information will have to take our word
at the present time for his looks.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Oct 13, 1904 pg 7
COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE
	___________
	ALONG THE BLUE	
	___________
We wonder what B.J. Allen thinks he is going to do with the late Republican
convention staring him in the face.  When a man spends four five hundred
dollars to get a nomination, and then gets beaten, it is time for him to quit
we think.  Mr. Allen says, so the papers say that every delegate to the late
republican convention promised to vote for him.  Mr. Allen knows that is not
true, I know several myself that never promised Mr. Allen to vote for him.
 We understand Mr. Allen did what he could two years ago to defeat some parts
of the republican ticket.  We have no use for such republican candidates.
 Mr. Allen has at last landed where he belongs in the Democratic party.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - November 3, 1904

	COOPER'S PRICE $200.
	    _________
About the Same as a Good Farm Horse.
	    _________
Would Have stayed on the Ticket for that Amount.
	    _________
Proposition Turned Down.
	    ________
  The following letter appeared in the Westmoreland Signal last week:
  To the Voters of Pottawatomie County:  I wish to say just a few words in
regard to the articles in Bro. Hill's RECORDER, of last week's issue.  He
says, "The report is current that J. H. Cooper has entered into a solemn
compact with this candidate (meaning Bennie Allen) to give him his support on
condition that he shall be made deputy sheriff," and right after this he
says, "Of course, Cooper knows that Allen will be beaten a thousand votes."
 Ha, ha, How does that sound?  Me knowing that Allen will be beaten a
thousand votes, and still working for deputyship under him?  The insane
asylum has plenty of inmates who could write a newspaper article that would
sound more consistent and more sensible than that.  Now, so far as my
withdrawing my name from being a candidate for treasurer is concerned, I wish
to say, and say it truthfully, that I withdrew on my own account, and without
Mr. Giltner or any of his friends asking me to do so, and I believe my
friends will bear me out in the statement that it was the best and only thing
for me to do, knowing that it was a sure defeat for myself and Mr. Giltner
too for both to run.  Now, so far as being promised a deputyship is
concerned, Mr. Allen has  never mentioned such a thing to me, nor I to him.
Even if he had promised, would it be such a disgrace to Mr. Allen to appoint
me as his deputy, that people ought to vote against him because of such an
abominable crime?  No, gentlemen, I would not accept deputy sheriff under any
consideration.  Now, Bro. Hill, be manly with me, if you can, for I am not
running for office, and do not care to be lied about, nor will I go into a
newspaper controversy with you.  Thanking the voters of Pottawatomie county,
for the honors they have conferred upon me in the past in electing me to
office for the past nine years, I remain yours truly,
	J. H. Cooper.
	J. H. Cooper claims in the above that now that he is a private citizen not a
candidate for office that the RECORDER should leave him alone.  The RECORDER
believes that a man who takes an nomination for the purpose of attempting to
sell out to keep on or off a ticket is an insult in a campaign to those that
are in favor of clean politics.  Mr. Cooper says that he got off the
independent ticket because if he remained upon the ticket neither he nor Abe
Giltner, jr., could be elected treasurer.  This may be true, but, Mr.
Cooper's love of democracy has it would seem a commercial value as well as a
sentimental one.  A plain statement of facts regarding his efforts to be
induced to stay on the ticket will doubtless be of interest to the voters of
Pottawatomie county.  Before Mr. Cooper withdrew from office "on his own
account" J.W. Shiner went to a county officer and said that if M.R. Johnson
would pay J.H. Cooper $200 he would remain on the independent ticket.  The
matter was referred to Mr. Johnson, who said that before he would enter into
any deal to keep Mr. Cooper on the ticket that if necessary he would be
defeated.  The decision was reported to Mr. Shiner.  After this Mr. Cooper
with drew as he says in the interest of Abe Giltner, jr., the democratic
nominee.  It seems as he says that it was the best thing that he could do.
 The RECORDER does not know that Mr. Cooper authorized Mr. Shiner to attempt
to make such a deal as was proposed, but it is not probable that Mr. Shiner
would have made such a proposition unauthorized.
  The RECORDER is in favor of honesty in politics as well as elsewhere.  It
dislikes also to tell mean things about anyone and frequently remains silent
when it probably should not.  It does seem in this case that since the
independent ticket was nominated professedly in the interest of clean
politics and in opposition to political dickering, that the efforts of a part
of that ticket in attempting to sell out should be shown up.
	The secret meetings and political dickering necessary to get the so-called
fusion forces together were frequent and long.  The "great common people"
were not consulted in these matters at all.  The bosses that fixed things up
expect the ordinary people to vote for so-called democrats, so-called
populists or a so-called republican just as directed by the fixers.  Had
Johnson put up the cash necessary, independents would have been expected to
vote for Cooper in the interest of good government.  Since the cash was not
forthcoming they are expected to vote for Giltner in the name of reform.
	The RECORDER believes in supporting  a party that puts up candidates for
office to stay until after election.  Such a party represents principles.  A
party or set of men that put up candidates only for the purpose of having
them dicker with some one else is unworthy of the support of good men in  any
way.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Jan 12, 1905

NEW COUNTY OFFICERS.
Sketches of the Men Who Commenced their Terms as County Officers Last Monday.
	____________
They Will Make Competent Officials.
	____________
O.D. Hobbs, who was elected to the office of sheriff last fall by over 1,200
majority, is believed to be in every respect competent to fill the important
office of sheriff.  He is a man of good character and is popular with the
people generally.  The RECORDER believes that he will continue to grow in
favor with the people as they know him better.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - May 3, 1906
	----------
O.D. Hobbs
O.D. Hobbs, sheriff is a candidate for re-election.  He is serving his first
term and is making an excellent official.  He is careful and accurate in his
work.  There will undoubtedly be no opposition to him in the coming
convention.  He has made many friends during his present term and the people
are pleased to continue him in his present position.  The sheriff earns all
the money he gets out of his office, but Mr. Hobbs is not afraid of hard work
and is willing to do more of it.

(May 3, 1906) - cont.
Sheriff Hobbs was quite sick a few days this week, but is able now to be
about again.


WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Nov, 8, 1906,pg 5

O.D. Hobbs was the only republican county candidate that carried St. Marys
township this year.
	-pic-

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Jan 17, 1907

Myers Hobbs has been sick.

COUNTY OFFICERS
	________
Step Down and out of Their Respective Offices and Their Successors are in
Charge.
	________
THEY HAVE MADE GOOD OFFICIALS
...
O.D. Hobbs, sheriff is making good in his office and has entered upon his
second term.  He has grown in favor constantly since he took his office.  He
attends to his official duties carefully and fearlessly.

WESTMORELAND RECORDER - Feb 7, 1907 pg 1

OFFICERS' SALARIES
	_________
A Statement of About What the County Offices are Worth to the Parties Holding
Them.
	_________
SALARIES TOO SMALL IN SOME CASES
	_________
Most of the county offices of Pottawatomie county are not so renumerative as
they were some years ago.  The legislature a few years ago reduced the
salaries or the fees of the office as the case might be.  In some of the
offices the fees or a part of them above a certain figure must be turned into
the county treasury.  This law is hardly fair.  If the fees paid by
individuals to county officers is excessive, the fees should be reduced and
the parties having the work done should receive the benefit.  A county office
certainly is not intended to be a matter revenue for the public.  In
Pottawatomie county, the salaries and fees of the different offices amount to
about the following:
	The office of the probate judge has steadily improved in the matter of
salary from year to year.  Only a few years ago it was worth considerably
less than a thousand dollars.  The office the past year paid about $1450.
 The probate judge keeps all the fees of his office up to $1100.  He is
allowed to keep all his fees amounting to about $250 a year on account of the
prohibitory law.  These fees are not governed as some suppose by the amount
of liquor sold by the druggists or by the number of permits.  He receives the
$250 a year for doing the work connected with the prohibitory law from the
county and gets no fees from the druggists.  His fees would be the same if
there was not a permit in the county.  He also keeps his fees for officiating
in case he marries a couple and for sitting in juvenile court cases.  He must
turn over one half of all other fees in excess of $1,100.  The county gets a
small revenue from this office, if the fees on account of the prohibitory law
are not taken into consideration.

The office of sheriff a few years ago was one of the best paying positions in
the county.  Now, when the expenses of the position is considered it is
probably the poorest.  The fees actually collected the past year were
$840.65.  Those booked and uncollected were $545.95, making the total fees
charged $1,386.60.  The sheriff keeps his fees up to $1,100 and turns one
half over that amount into the county treasury.  The sheriff must in order to
be ready to attend to his duties promptly keep a deputy and in this county
meets the expenses himself.  The commissioners would be allowed to pay $400 a
year in addition to the fees for a deputy, but the board in this county has
not done so.  In most of the counties of the state the county furnishes the
sheriff with a residence owned by the county.  Pottawatomie county has no
sheriff's residence.