HOBKIRK, Joseph Henry 1881-1927

HOBKIRK, MARKHAM, LOVEJOY

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 8/18/2010 at 22:21:42

ITEM #1:

MITCHELL MAN IS
KILLED IN POWER
PLANT EXPLOSION

Joseph Hobkirk, 45, Victim of
Blast That Rocks Farms
Five Miles Away.

OSAGE, IOWA - March 7, 1927 — Explosion of an electric generating plant on his farm near here about 9 a.m. today killed Joseph Hobkirk, wrecked the seedhouse in the basement of which it was located and shook farmhouses five miles distant. Mr. Hobkirk was making adjustments on the plant when the accident occurred.

Other member of his family consisting of his wife, who is seriously ill of pneumonia and two children were not injured.

Mr. Hobkirk was about 45 years old. Other relatives surviving are his father, W. J.** Hobkirk, St. Paul, Minnesota, and two sisters, Mrs. John Lewis, Osage, and Mrs. Maude Haberkorn, St. Paul.

[Waterloo Courier, Monday, March 7, 1927]

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ITEM 2: (a Related FARM auction)

HIGH PRICES AT SALE

The sale of the farm goods of the late J. W. Hobkirk near Osage, March 10, totaled about $10,000 and was ended by attended by a mammoth crowd. Ewes brought as high as $20 a head, brood sows $57, and horses $195. This sale had been advertised by Mr. Hobkirk, who was preparing to rent his farm. He was killed, however, in an explosion of a lighting plant on March 7 and the sale was held the day following his funeral.

[Fayette County Leader, March 17, 1927]

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#3:

NOTES:
1. A wedding announcement in the Nov. 16, 1903 Mitchell County Press stated Joseph was the oldest son of Robert Hobkirk of Burr Oak.
(See wedding announcements section of the IaGenWeb/mitchell website.

2. He is buried in the Osage City Cemetery
HOBKIRK, JOE HENRY (Died/buried) 09 MAR 1927 (bur. loc.) 0986 3 50

3. www.findagrave.com has his date of birth as September 3, 1881

**4. There is confusion regarding the name of his father. It may not be W. J. Hobkirk, but Robert Hobkirk. See Joseph's wedding announcement and the obituary for Robert Stephen Hobkirk.

5. Joseph married Pearl Alma Markham in 1903.
She died in May 1956, and is buried in the Osage Cemetery.

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#4: NOTES:

Joseph Henry Hobkirk was born September 3, 1881 (see birth record below.) and this one did marry Pearl Markham.

The Robert Hobkirk is probably his dad's brother Robert Stephen Hobkirk or Roberts son, Robert Jr. Robert Stephen Hobkirk also had a son Joseph Leroy Hobkirk. Maybe that's where the confusion in the article came from.
(Credit: DM Scott)
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#5: BIRTH RECORD

Iowa Births and Christenings:
Name: Hobkirk
Birth Date: 3 Sep 1881
Birth Place: Rock, Mitchell Co, Iowa
Father's Name: Wallace Joseph Hobkirk
Mother's Name: Minnie Maria Lovejoy
FHL Film Number: 1502984

(Credit: DM Scott)