Person:Joseph Hobbs (8)

Note: Joseph worked as a sawyer and spent his life at North Rocks a couple of miles east of Pitt Town, now known as Maraylya.Joseph HOBBS was the 5th child born, and the third son to Robert HOBBS and Bridget HESLIN in 1806 at Pitt Town near Windsor, NSW. Joseph HOBBS was 17 years old when he was baptised on the 2nd April 1823, son of Robert HOBBS & Bridget HESSLYN of Pitt Town (ref: Vol 127#305 & Vol 128#326) Registered St Mary’s Cathedral Roman Catholic Baptisms 1823 and on ref: Vol 123#323 as son of Robert HOBBS & Bridget HOSSLYNN. Minister was Rev JJ Therry and the sponsor was John GUNNING. Note: 1826: Sometime after his brother Edward's fight in May 1826, Joseph HOBBS had his own brawl with Thomas NIXON who was drunk at the time. They also were charged and found guilty. Joseph HOBBS was fined 40/-, to be imprisoned until the fine was paid. NIXON was imprisoned for 3 months with hard labour. Note: 1828 Census: Lists a James HOBBS, aged 22, Sawyer & employed by John GRONO, Pitt Town - as there was no James HOBBS and the age was correct for Joseph, it is felt that it was Joseph and not James. Elizabeth DOUGLASS is listed as age 14 years, born in the colony, protestant and living at Pitt Town with her parents, William DOUGLASS (54yrs) COROMANDEL, Absolute Pardon (Life), Protestant, District Constable and his wife Mary DOUGLASS, 34 yrs, BC, Protestant. Note: At the age of 25 Joseph HOBBS married 18-year-old Elizabeth DOUGLASS on the 2nd January 1832 at the St. James Church of England in Pitt Town (Ref: Vol 16#1140) by Banns with the consent of the respective families. The couple were listed as being of ‘this parish’. Charles DOUGLASS & J.D. WOOD (both of Pitt Town) were listed as witnesses and the minister was MD MEARES. Joseph was working as a sawyer for John GRONO. Note: It’s thought Elizabeth was born around 1814 at Windsor, NSW. There does not seem to be a record of Elizabeth's birth under DOUGLASS, DOUGLAS, DUGLAS, DUGLASS or CROSS. Interestingly though the 1828 census lists Elizabeth and her sister Mary as both being 14 years old. It is known that Mary was born on the 14th November 1814 along with her twin brother, Joseph who did not survive infancy and died in 1814. Could this then mean that there were actually triplets or could Elizabeth have been born much earlier in 1814? Elizabeth was the daughter of William "George" DOUGLASS, a convict who arrived in 1804 aboard the COROMANDEL 2. Her mother, Mary Ann CROSS was the daughter of convicts, Charles CROSS and Rose Hannah FLOOD. Note: Joseph & Elizabeth’s marriage produced thirteen (13) children with their first, Sarah being born in 1836 (some 4 years after her parent’s marriage) and their last, Ellen Mary being born in 1860 - some 24 years of child bearing. Note: The Hawkesbury Pioneer Register Vol. 2 has an entry indicating that Elizabeth was involved/married with a Charles TILLEY - BDMS do not support a marriage. There was a child to this association also named Charles TILLEY (see previous note). Note: In 1839 Joseph HOBBS was in trouble twice for "assault" for which he was fined 1/- each time and another charge for assault in 1841 which was dismissed. With 2 others Joseph was charged with threatening language in 1841 but all three failed to appear. Later in the 1840s Joseph was found guilty of failing to pay wages and fined ?2/10/-. Note: There is a land grant to a Joseph HOBBS on Webb’s Creek. Which Joseph HOBBS was this? A Joseph HOBBS (wheelright of Pitt Town) was mentioned as being Executor to John ROSE in the previously mentioned Will - I have decided that this was actually Joseph HOBBS son of Robert HOBBS Jnr & Sarah WRIGHT - am I correct? Note: I have never been able to find a death for Joseph HOBBS however there is an entry (Index No 9648/1879) that lists a Joseph HOBB as dying in 1879 in Windsor NSW aged 73 years. Joseph HOBBS is listed as being born in 1806 so this would make him the right age and the place is also correct. The certificate 1879/009648 lists very little detail. Died 17/12/1879 Windsor Hospital; name was listed as Joseph HOBB, Labourer, male, 73 years (making birth in 1806 that would be correct for our Joseph). He died of chronic nephritis. His father & mother are listed as unknown. Place of marriage & children unknown. He was buried on 18/12/1879 in the Roman Catholic section of Windsor Cemetery (our Joseph was R/C) and was born in the Hawkesbury River area of NSW, living in the colony 'lifetime'. Note: Other researchers have Joseph as being buried in Pitt Town. Quite a few researchers confuse Joseph HOBBS' death with another Joseph who died 22 April 1899 and is the son of Robert HOBBS JUNIOR. Note: Elizabeth’s Death Certificate 1888/10136 lists her as the daughter of George (known as George although name was William George) & Elizabeth (? S/b Mary) Elizabeth died on the 3rd September 1888 at Riverstone at the aged of 74 years, surviving her husband by 11 years. Note: Like so many of our ancestors, the duplication of names has made researching Joseph, Elizabeth and their children difficult. There were multiple men by the name of Joseph HOBBS in the area plus there were two convicts named William DOUGLASS who so happened to marry a Mary. The remoteness of their life also leads to difficulties with lack of registration records of births. Hopefully by cross-referencing with other researchers I will eventually sort this line out. Note:  !NOTE: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ancestral File (R); ; Copyright (c) 1987, June 1998, data as of 5 January 1998; ; , Family History Library, 35 N West Temple Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150 USA Note: !BIRTH: IGI;