Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-11-02
DEATaOF JOHN j.. HOBBS.
A sketch of the Life Of one OF Wheel
ing's Oldest and Best Citizens,

A sketch of the Life OF Ore of Wheel
ing's Oldest and Best Citizens.
Early Yesterday morning it Was all
nounced that MIR. John L. Hobbs, one
OF WheeliEg's oldest and most enter
prising citizens had died suddenly al
his home on Eof Street, Eighth ward
Mr.. Hobbs has been so long and SO
prominently identified with Wheeling
and her interests that We deem 1t but
proper to give the readers brief sketch
OF his life and services amongst us.
John L. Hobbs was born in lSO4 at
Fort Moultre, Sonth Carolina. his par
ents were from New England, where
his brothers still reside, Que Of whom,
Alfred Hobbs, once claimed the attth-
ton OF the world and acquired consider
able fame by being able to untaugle the
intricaCy OF any lock the genius oi tme
world could produce at tie hrst "ofId
fair at London. His boyhood was
passed in East Cambridge, Mass.
When quite vOunx he entered the
employment Of the New England Glass
! Company. So favorabiy impressed was
| this famous company With his capavi'E
that they made him superintendent .!
| their cutting department. and salesman
| the day he gained his majority; ana
such was his personal popularity that MS
fellow citizens OF the town elected him
| selectman and chief engineer OF the
volunteer fire department. he was
also a member of the LanCers, crack
military o nI any, and was III line when
la Fayette VISITED Bunker Hill. In
1874 he turned his attention
to the rapidly growing West,
and alter careful thought cehciu,
ded to commence the manufacture OF
glass in Wheeling. He united with him
Mr. James 3. Barnes, and IN April
1915, they leased the then idle glass
works in South Wheeling, formerly
owned by Plunkett x Miller. Here
commenced prosperous and Drli!laht
business career. Both men had been
identified with the New England Glass
Company. Mr.. Barnes died in 1919,
lust four years after his arrival IN
Wheeling, and Mr.. Hobbs bent himself
with redoubled energy 10 the task OF
making his factory one OF the foremost
| in the land, and how well he has sue
ceeded the enviable reputation his house
ENJOYS to-day will answer. At the ue-
cease OF Mr.. Barnes the firm name be-
came Hobbs, Barnes < Co, being com
nosed OF John l. Hobbs, James +.
Barnes and John II. Hobbs, the latter
| the present head OF the concern. me
West and South increasing IN wealth
and population and opening up a great
market for the wares OF thus
firm. enabled them to not only
keep more constantly at work,
but compelled an increase IN
capacity. In 1868, the present firm OF
Hobbs, Brockunier 4 Go. was formed,
consisting of J. l.. Hobbs, J. II. Hobbs
and G. w. Brockunier. About this
time Mr.. John l.. Hobbs became con,
WINGED that the glass vi the future would
be glass in the manufacture oi when
lime would be one OF the principal IN
gradients, and that lead would be dis
continued. He thereupOn caused the
purchase of material, and after several
unsuccessful experiments succeeded IN
his enterprise. In the fall OF lNG", WIN
Leighton, Sr., was admitted to the firm,
and took charge OF the manufacturing
Department. In 1868 Mr.. Leighton re-
tired. and was succeeded by his son, Mr.
VIM. Leighton, Jr, who Is still MEM
Der OF the firm.
In 1867 he retired from active service
at the glass works and heEceiOrth de-
voted himself TO travel aud to his other
investments, giving considerable time to
his duties as director OF the FIRST Ma
tional Bank, and various other instltu-
tons, and especially the Children ;
Home, in which his warm, generous
heart felt an abidiRg interest. Mr.
Hobbs was one OF those men who. IN
quietly and unostentatiouslv attending
to his own business, was AZ the same
time building up our city in wealth, rep
utation and population. VINO does
more for our city, or any city, than
those who inaugurate and carry on sue
cessfully manufacturing enterprises
Mr.. Hobbs was not onl y d man OF tine
personal appearance and winning man
ners, but he had genuine manhood
and an undoubted integrity, which com
manded the respect OF everyone with
whom he came in contact. Few OF our
older citizens were more widely known,
or had more warm personal friends.