Obadiah Hobbs

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D Wong on 22nd June 2015

20/6/1838 Sydney Gazette: Absconded from F. MacKenzie, Goulburn, since June 10. Obediah Hobbs, 21, Labourer, 5’7” tall, ruddy and freckled complexion, light brown hair, hazel eyes, small mole right side of cheek, another back of left cheek, 3 small moles right side of neck, forefinger of right hand contracted from a scar, scar back of fore and little fingers of left hand. 4/5/1843: Married Mary McConnan/McCannon in Melbourne. Baptised a daughter Eliza in 1844, Melbourne. 1845: TOL Port Philip. 26/4/1854 Geelong Advertiser: HOBBS, V. CAWLEY. This was an action brought to recover damages for false imprisonment, at the instance of the defendant. - Obadiah Hobbs, deposed that he was given into custody between two or three months ago, for cattle-stealing, at the instance, and upon the charge of Cawley ; Sarjeant Jones came to his house, arrested him, and after confining him in the station house in Geelong, and had him placed before the Police authorities; the same defendant, after the dismissal of the case before the Police Magistrate, and other Justices of the Peace; brought another suit for the same offence against him, but lost the verdict; witness has lost considerably by the delay and annoyance he has been subjected to by the defendant's conduct; considers the sum of £50 would not repay him. By Mr. Combe.--Took the bullock out of a mob of cattle that was grazing at his door; this was two years after the animal had been taken away from him ; a man of the name of Galley gave him into custody ; Gally was once a servant of Mr. Kerwin's. Sarjeant Jones, stationed at Bates' Ford, deposed that on the 18th January last the defendant informed him that Hobbs had a stolen bullock belonging to him. Galley, in his possession, and that in consequence of this information, and at Galleys request, he took Hobbs into custody. J. S. Stamp, Esq., deposed that on the 18th January last, the plaintiff in this case was brought before the Police Magistrate on a charge preferred against him by Kirwin and Galley, of cattle stealing : the charge was remanded for investigation for three weeks, and then dismissed. For the defence, Mr. Combe called JohnGalley, who deposed, that he gave Kirwin £198s for the bullock in question, together with 8 others; he had them all in possession for about a month, on the banks of the Moorabool river; he discovered that the bullock in question was missing ; immediately after this he saw the same animal in Hobb's possession, who was driving him in a team, and had Hobbs taken into custody ; Hobbs said he would liosen£100 before he gave up possession; Mr. Kirwin is too unwell to attend ; Mr. Ryan, another witness is not here. The Judge, after passing some remarks upon the present prevailing custom of rushing into a criminal court, where only a civil action was really pending, charged the assessors to consider what amount of damages could compensate Hobbs for the loss of liberty and time he had been subjected to by the defendant .Verdict for the plaintiff, damages £15, with costs of the £50 Court. 12/4/1856 The Argus, Melbourne: HORSE-STEALING. William Milkins pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing a horse, the pro- perty of one Obadiah Hobbs. It appeared that Hobbs had engaged the prisoner to drive a bullock-team for him, and finding that he could not do his work he took the whip from him and drove his bullocks himself behind the bullock-dray. Hobbs had a horse leading, and as soon as hetook the whip from prisoner, the latter walked around, jumped on the horse, and rode off, despite the calls of the prosecutor to him to return. Hobbs had never seen his horse since. The jury almost immediately found him guilty, and his Honor sentenced him to six years' hard labor on the roads. 4/10/1887 Geelong Advertiser: Selling land with a four roomed dwelling, 2 acres of land half of which is under fruit trees and also another 7 acres due to the owner’s removal from the district. 30/11/1908: Obadiah died aged 80?? at Toongabbie, Victoria – his wife Mary died 1906 aged 77. Both are buried at the Toognabbie General Cemetery.

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Brian Boggs on 21st June 2015

Obadiah Hobbs married Anna Ekens from the Adam Lodge of 1841 in 1844. He was 27 years of age then so would have been 20 years old when he arrived on the mangles in 1837