John Hobbs 1800 1883

edmondsallan - hello . This settler , preacher , tradesman was born in Kent, England on the 22nd of Feb 1800 He was the son of Elizabeth Palmer and her husband, Richard Hobbs, a coach builder and maker of agricultural implements, who had been welcomed into the Methodist Society by John Wesley. Hobbs learned his father's trades, and in September 1816 was admitted as a member of the Wesleyan Society, becoming a lay preacher in 1819.arriving at the Bay of Islands on 3 August 1823.Prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in February 1840, Hobbs had lengthy discussions with his convert Tamati Waka Nene, whose speech turned the tide in favour of the treaty during the signing at Waitangi. At the Mangungu signing, Hobbs interpreted for Lieutenant Governor William Hobson. In 1847 he noted that he had translated Hobson's assurances that the Crown wanted sovereignty, not land, and that land would never be forcibly taken. During the northern war in 1845--46, he used his influence with a number of Hokianga chiefs to limit the spread of the fighting.
Hobbs undertook two epic journeys in connection with the Wesleyan mission. In 1839 with John Bumby, his superintendent, he carried out a survey of possible mission sites, visiting by ship East Cape, Port Nicholson (Wellington), Cloudy Bay, Kapiti, Taranaki and Kawhia, and travelled inland to mediate between warring tribes. He returned home from Kawhia, travelling on foot and by canoe. In 1848 he sailed to Wanganui to assist Emma, his daughter, and her husband, William Kirk, establish a mission station on the Wanganui River.
Suffering from rheumatism, and increasingly deaf, Hobbs left Hokianga for Auckland in 1855. An accomplished musician, he built at least two pipe organs. He never owned any land worth speaking of. Living a life of strict integrity and devotion to his church, he was intolerant of those with lesser standards. John and Jane Hobbs's eldest son, Richard, became a member of the House of Representatives, while a daughter, Marianne, married William Gittos and became a missionary at Kaipara. Hobbs died on 24 June 1883. He is buried in the Grafton cemetery, Auckland.
Till we meet again - Regards -edmondsallan