Gaston, Joseph. "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912." Vol. 3. Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 224 HON. W. H. HOBSON who has represented both Marion and Linn counties in the state senate, is now successfully engaged in the mercantile business in Stayton. He was born in Jackson county, Missouri, in 1847, the son of Hadley and Emily Amanda (Speinhaur) Hobson. The paternal grandfather was a brick manufacturer in North Carolina and the father, Hadley Hobson, who was born in that state September 6, 1811, having learned his father's trade, went at the age of twenty-four to Jackson county, Missouri, where he began brick-making and masonry and also contracting, in partnership with his brother. While in Missouri he was united in marriage to Miss Emily Amanda Speinhaur and in 1847 with his family he crossed the plains with an ox team, intending to go to Oregon, but lost his way and entered California. There he engaged in gold mining, but the next year, or in 1848, removed to Oregon and one mile north of Stayton took up a donation claim, where he erected a one-room log house, in the construction of which he did not use a single nail. Later he returned to the mines in California, where he was very successful, and finally came back to his claim, paid off all his indebtedness and then engaged in general stock-raising. In his family were ten children, of whom Hon. W. H. Hobson, of this review, was the second in order of birth. The others were: Mary Anne; George and Francis M., deceased; Lemuel, record of whom appears elsewhere in this work; Amanda; Emily; Amelia; Janet; and Hadley. W. H. Hobson, being in his second year when his parents removed to Oregon, was reared there and attended the district school in an old log schoolhouse. At the age of twenty years he went to Sublimity, where he conducted a store that was owned by his father and subsequently coming to Aumsville, he managed the business of Simpson, Hunt & Company, afterward returning to Sublimity.. There he started a small grocery store and one year later came to Stayton, where he was engaged until 1871 in merchandising in partnership with Uriah Whitney. Later with the same partner he was in a store at Aumsville and together they returned to Stayton and built the present Gardner flouring mill and also engaged in a general merchandising enterprise. In 1883 Mr. Whitney withdrew from the partnership and Mr. Hobson took in as partners Messrs. Shaw and Simms, and in 1888 the firm, together with Lee Brown, went to Mill City, where they organized the Santiam Lumber Company and built a large sawmill, also establishing a general store. In 1898 the company sold out to the Curtis Lumber Company and Mr. Hobson returned to Stayton and resumed merchandising. Subsequently he established a dry-goods business in Salem, which he conducted for four years, after which period he returned to Stayton and engaged in his present store. Hon. W. H. Hobson has been twice married, his first union being with Miss Ella Gibson, a native of Marion county, Oregon, and a daughter of Hon. Guyan Gibson. She died June 10, 1878, leaving one daughter, Pearl.. who is now the wife of E. C. Perry, of Scio, Oregon. His second marriage was on December 12, 1880, when he wedded Miss Annie Thomas, a native of Portland. They have become the parents of two children, Alta and Everett. In politics Hon. Hobson is a stanch republican and he is very active in party work. In 1895 he was elected to the state senate and at the close of that term was reelected as joint senator for Marion and Linn counties. During the first session he was a member of the committees on claims, commerce, navigation and federal relations. Fraternally he is a past master of Santiam Lodge, No. 25, A. F. & A. M., and is past grand master of the Grand Lodge of Oregon and has filled nearly all of the chairs, including that of grand master in 1897 and 1898. He is a member of Multnomah Chapter No. 1, R. A. M., and of De Moldy Commandery, No. 5, K. T., and is also a thirty-second degree Mason of the Scottish Rite. He is a charter member of Stayton Lodge, No. 64, I. 0. 0. F., and has occupied all the chairs. He also has filled all of the chairs in the Grand Lodge of the state of Oregon and was twice grand representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge of I. 0. 0. F. of America. Hon. Hobson is a man of marked enterprise and unremitting diligence, and his keen discernment and genial disposition have made him a success in both a business and social way. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in May 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.