'20 



HISTORY OF BUCKS COUNTY. 



iani L. Craven; Isaac C; William, who 

 followed school teaching and afterward 

 engaged in farming; John, of Ohio, who 

 was a captain in the rebellion; Elizabeth, 

 wife of Thomas Hillings; and Mary E., 

 wife of Thomas Mayberry. 



Isaac C. Hobensack, father of Will- 

 iam Hobensack, was also a native of 

 Bucks county, and, reared to agricultural 

 pursuits, he remained upon the home 

 farm near Jbhnsville until his marriage. 

 After he wedded Joanna Hogeland he 

 brought his bride to the old homestead, 

 but later removed to Jacksonville and 

 in 1862 bought a farm in Southampton 

 township, whereon he spent his remain- 

 ing days. He carried on general agri- 

 cultural pursuits and found a ready sale 

 for his products in the Philadelphia mar- 

 kets, being numbered among the general 

 farmers and market men of his locality 

 for a half century. His interest in com- 

 munity affairs was deep and sincere and 

 prompted him to capable service wdien 

 he was called to public duties. He be- 

 came county commissioner as a member 

 of the first Republican party and acted 

 in that capacity for thirty-two years, 

 capably promoting the interests of the 

 county by his faithful discharge of the 

 duties that devolved upon him. He was 

 also a school director for a number of 

 years, and he served as a delegate to 

 congressional conventions on several 

 occasions. Widely recognized as one of 

 the leaders of the Republican party in 

 his locality, he did everything to promote 

 its growth and insure its success. His 

 life in all its relations was straight-for- 

 ward and honorable, and for many years 

 he was the trustee of the old school 

 Baptist church of Southampton. He 

 continued a resident of Southampton 

 township until his death which occurrea 

 January 9, 1904. His wife, who still sur- 

 vives him, now resides on the old home 

 farm at the age of seventy-two j^ears. 

 She is a daughter of Abraham Hogeland, 

 a harnessmaker, who in his later life fol- 

 lowed farming. He belonged to one of 

 the old families of Bucks county and 

 was prominent in its public life- as a 

 Democrat, who filled various positions. 

 He acted as justice of the peace and in 

 township positions did creditable service 

 for the community. He belonged to the 

 Dutch Reformed church and died in that 

 faith in 1865. His wife, whose maiden 

 name was Mary A. Fenton and v^'ho also 

 belonged to an old family of Bucks 

 county, was a daughter of John Fenton, 

 an agriculturist. To Mr. and IMrs. Hoge- 

 land were born nine children: Joseph, 

 living in Trenton, New Jersey; Susannah, 

 the wife of H. D. Leffert; William, a 

 hotel keeper; Joanna, who became Mrs. 

 Hobensack; Theodore, a farmer; Morris, 

 who carries on agricultural pursuits; 

 Elias, who was at one time sheriff of 

 Bucks county; Frank, a farmer, who 

 served as justice of the peace; and 



Charles, a farmer and miller. The chil- 

 dren of Isaac C. and Joanna Hobensack 

 are: Mary A., the wife of H. B. Krew- 

 son, a farmer and special agent; Isaac 

 Morris, , of Montana; Louisa, who died 

 in infancy; William, of this review; B. 

 Frank, who was at one time sheriff of 

 Bucks county and is now following the 

 real estate business; Albert C, of Ivy- 

 land; Emily, the wife of W. C. Yerkes; 

 Wilkins, who is private secretary for 

 Hon. I. P. Wagner, congressman of 

 Seventh Congressionil district of Penn- 

 sylvania; and Joanna, at home. The 

 mother is a member of the Dutch Re- 

 formed church of Churchville, Penn.syl- 

 vania. 



William Hobensack was reared under 

 the parental roof where he remained un- 

 til tw^enty-five years of age, when he was 

 married and began farming on his own 

 account. He had acquired a good edu- 

 cation in the common schools and in 

 Hatboro Academy, and he received prac- 

 tical training in farm labor under his 

 father's direction. At the time of his 

 marriage he rented the Abram Hogeland 

 farm, which he continued to cultivate for 

 three years, and in 1890 he joined his 

 brother B. Frank and they became mer- 

 chants and mill men of Ivyland, con- 

 ducting a mill in which they manufac- 

 tured feed and also dealt in coal, lum- 

 ber, farm implements and fertilizers. He 

 built up a very large trade and bought 

 and shipped grain of all kinds. In 1S99 

 William Hobensack purchased his broth- 

 er's interest, and yet conducts the busi- 

 ness under the old firm name of Hoben- 

 sack Brothers. He handles goods in 

 large quantities and his patronage has 

 long since reached profitable propor- 

 tions. He is practical in all that he does, 

 possesses sound judgment and keen dis- 

 cernment, and in the capable control of 

 his mercantile interests has met with 

 very gratifying success. He also owns 

 a large and well improved farm, which 

 is kept under a high state of cultivation 

 and is a well improved property. 



Mr. Hobensack wedded Miss Mary A. 

 Stout, who was born in Montgomery 

 county, Pennsylvania, in 1868, a grand- 

 daughter of Henry Stout, a leading 

 farmer of this part of the state and one 

 of the trustees and deacons in the old 

 school Baptist church of Southampton, . 

 Pennsylvania for many years. Her pa- 

 rents were Christian F. and Sarah Shel- 

 mire Stout, both belonging to early east- 

 ern families of Pennsylvania. Her father 

 was reared to farm pursuits, and later 

 entered the employ of the Philadelphia 

 and Reading Railroad Company, in which 

 service he has since been retained, one 

 of the most trusted representatives of 

 the road. The children in his family 

 are: Albert, who is connected with a 

 creamery ; George S.. a conductor on the 

 Philadelphia and Reading Railroad; 

 Mary A., now Mrs. Hobensack; Valeria, 



