Frank Grant HOBART, Jr.

Notes:

"Frank Grant Hobart Jr. entered UCLA, absented to serve 22 months US Air Force, World War II. A decoder of classified mail - secret messages. Returned to UCLA, majored in Arts, received Bachelor of Arts. Later LA Institute of Art, became a Commercial Artist. Hobby music, sings with Wilshire Methodist Choir, 75 voices, also two other groups, one, Roger Wagner Chorale is nationally known." - Lehlah Belle West b.1879 writing in 1957

Notes:

Frank was the fourth cousin of Vice President Garret Augustus Hobart.



According to Frank's daughter (our mother) May Hobart Zentmyer, Frank's aunt Stella Picken Wood and her husband Dr. Everett Wood raised him in Sedalia, Missouri after the death of Frank's father Sidney, when he was seven years old. But it is more likely that Frank and his sisters were not taken in by the Woods until after the death of Frank's mother Elizabeth Picken Hobart in 1896. In fact, probate records state that the children were still living in Hancock County Illinois on 12 Feb 1896, shortly after their mother's death.



"Frank G. Hobart, Bachelor of Arts in journalism, University of Missouri, Newspaper career began in High School, writer-reporter, editor, Denison, Sherman, Ft. Worth, Texas. At Los Angeles, Editor of the Los Angeles Record. In field of Advertising, Public and Employee Relations, Industrial Editor in petroleum and electrical industries. Semi-retired at 75, acts as consultant and feature writer." Lehlah Belle West b.1879 writing in 1957



"Frank G. Hobart has resigned as managing editor of the Los Angeles Record, and is succeeded by Thomas P. Grimshaw, late of the Fresno Tribune." The Fourth Estate, March 8, 1913



Frank joined the Cannon Electric Company in 1939, working in advertising and public relations. He was employed by Cannon until his death, although his salary in later years more resembled a pension.

Frank married Jeanette BRUTSCHÉ 14 Oct 1906, St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Denison, Grayson, Texas. Jeanette (daughter of Joseph BRUTSCHÉ and May Augusta LEGATE) was born 20 Dec 1880, Denison, Grayson, Texas; died 07 Oct 1978, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; was buried Forest Lawn Memorial Park, (Hollywood Hills) Los Angeles, California. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

1850 US Census in Hancock, Illinois
1860 US Census in Carthage, Hancock, Illinois (Sidny)
1870 US Census in Carthage, Hancock, Illinois



Sidney Hobart built a flour and grist mill on block 8 in the original town center of Carthage near the old Mormon Jail and the Presbyterian Church. (The 'Mormon Jail' refers to the jail in Carthage where LDS founder Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum Smith were killed by a mob while imprisioned there in 1844 -Ed) The mill operated for many years but was finally torn down and a residence now stands on the site. History of Hancock County, Illinois 1880



Sidney's granddaughter, our mother May Hobart Zentmyer, told us that Sidney died from lung disease resulting from his exposure to flour dust, a hazard unrecognized at the time.

Sidney married Elizabeth PICKEN 09 Apr 1873. Elizabeth (daughter of George T. PICKEN and Elizabeth REGER) was born 24 Feb 1846, Barbour, Virginia (now West Virginia); died 28 Jan 1896, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois; was buried Moss Ridge Cemetery, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The George Picken family moved from Buckhannon, Upshur County, West Virginia to Carthage Township, Hancock County Illinois in 1867.

Notes:

1870 US Census in Campbell, Green, Missouri. Parents' birth places were not shown.
1872 Arrived in Denison, Texas
1880 US Census in Denison, Grayson, Texas, Occupation Express Agent, parents both born in France !!
1900 US Census in Denison, Grayson, Texas, parents born in Germany, Switzerland



"One of the saddest events that have happened in Denison for many years was the sudden death of our pioneer townsman, Joe Brutsche, Thursday.
Mr. Brutsche died at home. When stricken down he was engaged in doing some work in the back yard. Death was instant. It was a flash from time into eternity. We think it a good way to step behind the veil, for long suffering is not the wish of any one. Mr. Brutsche was one of the old guards of pioneer Denison, casting his lot here in 1872. His whole life had been a very busy and useful one. His first business venture was with the Adams Express Co., of which he was agent. He was better known as city assessor and collector. When he retired from that office he took up fire insurance and was conducting that business at the time of death. As a business man he was not surpassed in Denison. In March l878, was married to Miss May Legate, the sister of Russ Legate, who was a teacher at the time in the public schools. To the union six children were born. He is survived by the following relatives: His wife. Mrs. May A. Brutsche; children. Mrs. John Gregg. Sherman; Mrs. Frank G. Hobart. Fort Worth; Sidney Brutsche. Oklahoma City; Harry Brutsche, Denison; Miss Eugenia Brutsche, Denison; Joseph Brutsche. Jr., Denison.
We are sorry that Joe Brutsche is dead, and that sorrow is shared by thousands who loved and esteemed him. His character and disposition were of the sort that he made friends and held them." The Sunday Gazetter, Denison Texas, February 7, 1909

Joseph married May Augusta LEGATE 1878, Denison, Grayson, Texas. May (daughter of Sidney Smith LEGATE and Hannah Wiggin SMITH) was born 9 Sep 1856, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire; died 1 Nov 1935, Brownsville, Cameron, Texas; was buried Fairview Cemetery, Denison, Grayson, Texas. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Dallas Morning News
Nov 28, 1968
Sec. 2. pg 13

Deaths
Brutsche--- Denison, TX
Mrs. May Brutsche, formerly of Denison, died Friday morning at Brownsville. The body arrived here Saturday and funeral services will be held Sunday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Mrs. Brutsche, the former May Legate, was a teacher in the public schools of Denison until her marriage. She was a charter member of St. Lukes Episcopal Church and of the XXI Club. Surviving are one son, Sidney Brutsche of Brownsville and three daughters, Mrs. John Gregg and Mrs. James Brown of Brownsville and Mrs. Frank Hobart of Los Angeles.

Notes:

"Norman Hobart came to Illinois in 1833 locating in Rushville, where he lived until his marriage to Ura Eaton Holiday, (sic -Ed) after which he came to Hancock County, where he located in Fountain Green Township. Mr. Hobart purchased a farm in Carthage township on which he made his home part of the time, and partly in Carthage, where he owned a carding machine. Later he bought the old grist mill on Crooked Creek, which he rebuilt, making a steam flouring mill of it, also adding a saw mill which he operated for a number of years. He then moved the mill to Carthage, operating it as a grist mill, then purchased a farm of eighty acres, one mile from Carthage, which he farmed until his death, December 13, 1878. He was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years, being a local preacher in that church.
He was a public-spirited man and gave his support to the Republican Party, though he was never an aspirant for office. Norman Hobart was a prosperous man of his day and was an important factor in building up the community in which he lived. He assisted in building the first wagon road from Fountain Green to Carthage. His remains were laid to rest in the Carthage Cemetery. His wife was a native of Kentucky and came to Illinois at an early day. This worthy couple were the parents of fourteen children, only two of which are now living." (Isaac and Mariah -Ed) --Biographical Review of Hancock County, Illinois, Hobart Publishing Company, Chicago, 1907



During the afternoon of 27 Jun 1844 an armed mob in blackface overwhelmed the forces guarding the jail in Carthage, Illinois where LDS founder Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were being held. The mobbers stormed the jail, shot and killed the Smith brothers, and severely wounded an associate, John Taylor. Until recently, we had no information as to whether any of the three Hobart brothers living near Carthage during that period had any connection to the murders.

Joseph Johnstun is an historical analyst from Fort Madison, Iowa, which is about twenty-five miles from Carthage. He is one of the leading scholars on Nauvoo, Illinois, (Nauvoo was the nexus of the Latter Day Saints from 1839 until 1845 -Ed) and is widely considered to be the expert on the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. According to Johnstun, writing to us in January of 2019:

"Gary- I am pleased to tell you that your family were not participants in the murders of the Smith brothers; however, they were involved in the events surrounding them in a very important and meaningful way. When the shooting commenced at the jail, Norman and his brother Joshua heard it on their farm four miles south of Carthage. They immediately headed to town. Upon their arrival, they discovered their brother Jonas was one of the guards at the jail during the attack, and considering the scene, Joshua said that it wouldn't do to leave the bodies lying in the jail and yard. So the brothers fashioned stretchers and began carrying them to a hotel on the other side of town owned by Artois Hamilton. Thankfully, Hamilton's neighbor came by with a wagon, and they were able to take the bodies that way. Once at the hotel, Joshua and Norman cleaned and shaved the men, and otherwise prepared the bodies for their journey to Nauvoo the following morning."

Norman married Ura Eaton HOLLADAY 16 Feb 1834, Rushville, Schuyler, Illinois. Ura (daughter of Moses HOLLADAY and Celia SKIRVIN) was born 02 Jul 1816, Gallatin Co., Kentucky; died 06 Apr 1883, Blandinsville, McDonough, Illinois; was buried Old Carthage Cemetery, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

1900 US Census in Wakeency, Trego, Kansas as widow

Notes:

Some of our Picken data comes from from work done by Lehlah Belle West b.1879 writing in 1957, in combination with the information in George Picken's Will from 1803. Some individual dates have been gleaned from the Internet, however.



The George Picken family moved from Buckhannon, Upshur County, West Virginia to Carthage Township, Hancock County Illinois in 1867.

George married Elizabeth REGER 28 Mar 1839, Buckhannon, Upshur, Virginia (now West Virginia). Elizabeth (daughter of Abram REGER and Leah Ann BRAKE) was born 20 Nov 1820, Lewis, Virginia (now West Virginia); died 16 Apr 1904, Hamilton, Hancock, Illinois; was buried Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton, Hancock, Illinois. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The George Picken family moved from Buckhannon, Upshur County, West Virginia to Carthage Township, Hancock County Illinois in 1867.

Notes:

Joseph's surname was spelled "Bruotschi" in the birth record, pronounced "BROOT-she" in German. We do not know how the pronunciation changed to "bru-SHAY" here in the United States. One possibility is because Jeanette Brutsché consistently advertised offering the finest in 'French Millinery,' she felt the need to be seen as being from France. It should also be noted that in the 1880 Census Joseph Brutsché, the son of Joseph and Jeanette, living in Denison Texas, listed both of his parents as having been born in France instead of Germany and Switzerland. This could have related either to his mother's business, or his own situation in Texas, where Germans were disliked because of their Civil War pacifism and reluctance to fight for the Confederacy.

The Philadelphia Business Directories listed J. Brutsche as a merchant for the years 1833 - 1836, a boarding house owner in 1837, and then for the years 1838 - 1853, J. Brutsche was listed as a milliner, so likely Jeanette. Then Joseph was listed from 1854 - 1877 as a water color manufacturer.

Joseph, Jeanette, and their son Henry were originally buried at Monument Cemetery in Philadelphia. Their remains were relocated to Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge in 1956 upon the closure of Monument Cemetery and its acquisition and redevelopment by Temple University.


Name spelled 'Brütschi' in 1833 Vater Fenderich letter, 'Brutshi' on 1837 burial record of daughter Carolina Jeanette, and arguably 'Brutschi' on the Ship's Manifest.

Joseph's year of birth was variously recorded as follows: Birth Record 1801, Ship's Manifest 1802, Naturalization 1804, 1850 US Census 1805, Death Certificate 1801.


The leading Brutsche genealogist in Germany for many years was Armin Brutsche from Murg, a town on the Rhine about 14 kilometers from Dogern. On Jun 22, 2019 Armin wrote, "Hello Gary - I've reviewed your data. I think your conclusions are correct. Your Joseph must be the Joseph Bruotschi born in 1801 in Dogern." Tragically, Armin died in an automobile accident on February 25, 2021.

Joseph married Jeanette LEHMAN 2 Feb 1832, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jeanette (daughter of Samuel M. LEHMAN and Catharina PIAT) was christened 6 Apr 1806, Aarau, Aargau, Switzerland; died 27 Feb 1894, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; was buried Monument Cemetery, Philadelphia removed to Lawnview Cemetery, Rockledge, Pennsylvania, Susquehanna Lawn, Section 64, Grave 51 . [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Jeanette Lehman advertised in 1828 as a milliner, and J. Brutsche was listed in the Philadelphia business directories as such for the years 1839 through 1853. Beginning in 1854 she was no longer listed, and listings began for Joseph Brutsche, water color manufacturer.

Joseph, Jeanette, and their son Henry were originally buried at Monument Cemetery in Philadelphia. Their remains were relocated to Lawnview Cemetery in Rockledge in 1956 following the acquisition of Monument Cemetery by Temple University and the subsequent re-purposing of the cemetery grounds for parking lots and sports facilities.

'Anna Veronika' on birth record, simply 'Anne' on the Ship's Manifest, and 'Jeanette' thereafter

Notes:

Sidney Smith Legate was born on May 5, 1830 in Leominster, MA. He was the son of Capt. William Morris Legate and Nancy Hadley Legate. Around 1850 Sidney moved to New Hampshire to teach school. There he met Hannah Wiggin Smith (b. 1830) and they were married 4/8/1852. They went on to have four children, Walter Scott (b. 5/9/1853), Russell Smith (b. 9/9/1855), May Augusta (b. 9/9/1956), and Anna Louise (b. 5/28, 1862). Hannah died a few months after the birth of Anna on 8/7/1862. After his wife's death, Sidney disappeared from his children's lives for a while and they were brought up by various relatives. In 1873 we find Sidney working as a contractor and builder in Denison & Sherman, Texas. His son, Russell, joined him there as did his daughter, May in around 1876. He briefly lived in Fort Worth, TX in 1877. On May 10, 1882 he married Catherine V. Turner in Chicago, IL. He returned to Texas to work as a builder because we find him back in Denison in 1887. He and Catherine eventually settled in Pinconning, MI where they bought a farm. They lived the remaining years of their life there. Sidney died on May 29, 1913. (Information contributed by Lisa Brutsche Morrow)

Sidney married Hannah Wiggin SMITH 1853, Stratham, Rockingham, New Hampshire. Hannah was born 1834, New Hampshire; died 7 Aug 1862, New Hampshire. [Group Sheet]