Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-04-17
HON. JUDGE HOBSON
DIES SUDDENLY
Passed Away IA His Hotel at R0ches-
ter, Mimi, Having Gone There
To Consult the Surgeons.
FUNERAL HELD AT
WEST UNION MONDAY
Two Doctors Attended Him Early
in Morning and Returning to
Him Two Hours Later, Found
Him Dead.


JuGse A. \. Hobson, OF West Union,
last Thursday brought sorrow to
this community, where the judge
was so we'll and favorably known.
Judge Hobson went to Rochester last
Wednesday to consult the surgeons
at the hospital. He had an eXamin-
alton Wednesday afternoon, and it
was found that he had hardening OF
the arteries. Thursday morning
while at his hotel he got severe
pains and two physicians were sent
for. They came and relieved him
and went back two hours afterwards
and found him dead in his bed. He
had no operation.
The body was brought to West
Union Friday evening, an auto
hearse meeting the train at Fred
ericksburg, and the body was ac-
companied home by several autoes
| filled with Masonic breathern.
The funeral was held Monday
afternoon at two o'clock from the
M. e. church, DR.. G. S. Lakeland
! officiated The body laid in state
from 1000 to 1870 in the church.
We take the following obituary
notice concerning the judges life
from the West Union Union.
The uncertainty of human life was
realized with shocking force when
the news of the death of Judge AL
fred Norman Hobson, which occur
red Thursday morning, April IL, at
Rochester Mimi, came over the
wires. Men laid down their daily
tasks in wonder that such uneX-
pected tidings could be true. The
Judge had been holding court at
Waukon and spent Sunday here at
the family home. He complained OF
not feeling well, suffering from pain
| in his chest and decided on Monday
| leaving that afternoon for Oelwein
where he stayed over night
No further word was received by
Mrs. Hobson until the telegram an
nouncing his death, sent by MEM
! Der of the doctors clinic at Roches-
| ter, was received between nine and
ten O'Clock Thursday morning (April
| ID Friends immediatly fastened to
| the Hobson home and did all in
their power to assist the bereaved
family in their deep sorrow. Tele-
grams have been sent the two chill
dren, Mrs. Robert Pike, who is with
her husband at Camp Cody, Deming,
n. NJ, and to his son, Joe at EN-
metsburg; also to the sisters Mrs.
Dot Knickerbocker at Cedar Falls,
and Mrs. Ella Mcclure Of Cincinnati,
Ohio. The sincere sympathy of the
entire community is extended the
family.
Alfred n. Hobson was born April
| 1, 184S, at Allegheny City, Penn,
and was the eldest child of John and
Elizabeth Hobson. He came to Fay
cite county, May 4 1885, with his
parents and with the exception OF
brief absences, has resided therein
ever since. In 1858 the family came
to West Union. He attended the
public schools, afterward the Upper
Iowa University and later fer brief
period at the State University OF
Iowa at Iowa City. He chose law as
la profession, and was admitted to
practice in the district court of the
state on April 81, 1870, and in the
supreme court of the state on April
y, 1873. In 1884 he was elected
district Judge, entering upon the
duties of the position January l,
1895. AS a Judge, he was remark
ably successful, not only in earning
the esteem of the bar and litigants,
but in the care and caution exercis-
ed in ruling on points of law rem
dering decisions that have been af-
flrmed in the higher judicial tribun-
ais. In 1878 he was married to Miss
Martha X. Ingham, of Allegheny,
Pa, and to them were born three
children, Joseph Ingham, Ida Neeb,
and Florence Louise, the latter dy-
ing in her tenth year. Deceased was
a member OF the Methodist church
of this city, and of West Union
Lodge, No. 81, and Langridge Com
mandery, X. r., No. AZ.
m