Elizabeth KEMP

Notes:

"Jonas and Polly Hobart came to Hancock County in the 1830s," according to Keith Bruns of the Hancock County Historical Society, whose wife is a descendant of Jonas Hobart.

Jonas — Polly Maria FARR. Polly was born 16 Feb 1809, Williston, Chittenden, Vermont; died 11 Aug 1907, Carthage, Hancock, Illinois; was buried Webster Cemetery, Webster, Hancock, Illinois. [Group Sheet]

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]

Harriet — FNU FABUN. [Group Sheet]