Schley-Taylor County GaArchives News.....Uncle Ben Hobbs, Ex-Slave, Picturesque Character February 4, 1938 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 February 10, 2006, 12:38 pm The Ellaville Sun February 4, 1938 SCHLEY SLANTS by Raymond Duncan COMFORTING THE MOURNERS Preachers must be embarrassed when called upon to officiate at certain funerals. Judge not least ye be judged still is the commandment, but there are some funeral assignments which are difficult at best. This situation comes to our mind after reading Mrs. Dorothy Hill's fine story about Uncle Ben Hobbs, ex-slave, who lives in Stewart's Corner, Schley County. The story appears elsewhere on this page. Uncle Ben is something of a preacher. The gospel, he told us recently is "in here" with him pointing to his heart. But the story goes that Ben was asked to preach one of his neighbors' funerals several years ago. He got up and began like this: "Brethren, I hate to tell you----but Jerry is in Hell this morning......." Later in his discourse, which could hardly be called a eulogy, he explained..... "All his life I tried to get him to repent.....he never did.......He's in Hell this morning.........." This is one way of handling it. But we still prefer......."let not your heart be troubled..... In my Father's house are many mansions.......Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted............" UNCLE BEN HOBBS, EX-SLAVE, PICTURESQUE CHARACTER Schley Negro, 88, Veteran Preacher, Tells Questioner, "No, I Ain't Carryin' The Gospel, It's Carryin' Me." by Dorothy Hill "Yes, mam, I'm a hard shell Baptist preacher and I had fifteen children that I named after characters in the Bible. There was Jacob, Isaac, Israel, Joseph's coat of many colors, and a girl named Nineveh. "You say what do I live on?" a bright-eyed, white headed, ex-slave asked in reply to the social worker's question. "Well I have a house, a white man left me, and sometimes my white and black folks, that I have helped to raise, give me a dime or a quarter and I buy me and my blind wife Rhody something to eat. Then there' my dog that catches rabitts and I like to have forgot Rhody's 'grab day'." Uncle Ben who was christened Benjamin Hobbs on Dec. 20, 1851 stopped to explain that by "grab day" he means the day on which Rhody received her monthly county pauper check of $3.00. In trying to assemble the source of income, the worker saw a precarious living for these two old people. She could picture the welcome the dog received when he brought in a stray bird or rabbit. Almost with the opening of the doors of the Relief office, Uncle Ben was ushered in. He had heard there was something to be given away and he would be pleased if the Lady would come out and see his sid-u-ation. There were also so many things he needed. The interview proceeded and when the old darkie had bowed himself out, the following entry was made in the record: Benjamin Hobbs, colored--living in Stewart's Corner--father of 15 children--no help from children--visit immediately--an alert interesting case.. The visit to Uncle Ben's cabin was made on Sunday afternoon by the worker accompanied by her young son. The former was trying to keep the car in the deep sand ruts when the latter remarked ungrammatically, "Somebody comes, from your description, I think it's the man we are looking for." They stopped the car and the figure in black and white seeing that they were waiting, quickened his pace, jumped over a low fence, as spry as if he were sixteen and presented himself to the visitors. In the midst of winter he was garbed in white duck pants, white shoes, black coat in need of mending, a red bandanna kerchief around his neck, and a black derby, of an early era, was resting on the back of his head. In one arm he carried a cane and under the other a bundle of collard greens. Removing the derby and bowing graciously he insisted that they go up the road to his "humble dwelling." Was this a house or a barn? Coming closer a chimney could be seen and a few flowers planted at the door way. It was too dilapidated for animals. With a great flourish of politeness they were ushered in. "Things are a trifle dirty," said Ben, "for Rhody is away visiting. I'm not much hand at cleaning up but you oughter see my cooking. Ever since Rhody went blind I've done all the cooking on this three-legged iron spider. I cook on it in the yard in good weather for the chimney is so very badly. This skillet or spider was handed down to me by my mother, and it has been in use ever since." Removing the cover, he displayed a delicious looking bread baked to a golden brown. After complimenting Uncle Ben on his culinary skill, the worker was glad to see sufficient covering for the two beds if the mattresses were thin. Two benches by the fire could have been used for rocking chairs, the floor was so uneven. "Could the relief give us a chair? A bench without a back is hard to on when one is getting so old." asked the darkie. As they left the cabin they saw coming up the road a man with a cloud of smoke behind him. As he stepped aside a fat, sightless negress could be seen smoking a corn cob pipe. Rhody greeted the visitors and began praising the Lord at the same time. Evidently Ben did not believe in so much public speaking for women, for he said "Rhody, hush, ye'll tell something that ain't so in a minute." Ben was born on a big plantation owned by Thomas Hobbs before the Civil War. As a pickanny he recalls, "The big white house, where all the white folks lived", all the good things to eat, the young man of the family, Thomas Hobbs, Jr., and the easy life on the big plantation. The big white house near Turk Creek, in Schley County, has been torn down but the land is now owned by Mr. J.O. Smith. At the beginning of the war, Ben at an early age found himself with a great deal of responsibility. His idol, young Thomas, answered the call to arms and joined the 27th Regiment under Captain Carr which was organized in Schley County. He also remembers quite vividly that he was called on to carry the mail, do errands for the soldiers, and take boxes to Butler, Ga. to be sent on to Thomas. It was a sad day for the little colored boy when Thomas was brought home ill, and to die later. Although the Hobbs family had been kind, when freedom came, Ben left to work in Fort Valley with a minister by the name of Clark. Becoming homesick he returned to be made overseer at $80.00 per year, on the Hobbs plantation. In 1871 he married Rhody Murray. "When and How did you start preaching", asked the worker. "Oh, Ben," a voice kept calling while I was plowing and I knew I was called to preach." He never smoked or chewed tobacco. If he sees a man with an open countenance he never fails to tell him that he is a good man. He quotes scripture and can collect a crowd whenever he comes to town to listen to him. He seems to think if you live right you will have enough of the world's goods and to spare. Especially does well on the cheerful giver attitude, as he suggests to you that he could use a small amount of cash. On each visit to the Relief office Ben would have stored up countless questions. Elijah being fed up by the ravens was no more a miracle than his being fed by the small relief checks in 1933. "How long is this thing going to last? If I get sick can I have a doctor? This check is for me? His house has a new roof and the old age pension received recently is giving him probably the only security he has known for many years. On a recent visit to town a youngster asked Uncle Ben, "Are you still carrying the gospel?" He replied, "No, son, the gospel is carrying me now." Additional Comments: (Transcriber's note: Dorothy Hill was Dorothy Cheney, daughter of Dr. John Newton Cheney and second wife Fannie Foster, wife of Otis Clyde Hill and mother of Robert Byron Hill. She was well known in Schley County for her social work and was undoubtedly the "social worker" who called on Uncle Ben.) 1860 Schley County, P.O. Ellaville, 18 July 1860, page 43 294/294 Thomas Hobbs 59 M Farmer 2400 13700 NC Millbry Hobbs 50 F domestic GA Jothram Hobbs 30 M farming GA Thomas J. Hobbs 21 M farming GA Elizabeth I. Hobbs 17 F domestic GA Sarah A.K. Hobbs 14 F GA Thomas J. Hobbs is listed on the roster of Co. A, 27th GA Infantry. 1870 Schley Co., 20th June 1870, page 7 47/47 Hobbs, Thomas 67 M W Farmer 1500 840 NC Millbrae 50 F W keeping house GA Elizabeth 17 F W GA Benjamin 19 M B farm laborer GA Mulkey, George 19 M M farm laborer GA 1880 Schley Co., 946th GMD, 22 June 1880, page 49 476/467 Hobbs, Benj B M 29 farmer GA GA GA Rody B F 25 wife works on farm GA GA GA Susan B F 7 dau GA GA GA Benj M B M 6 son GA GA GA Rosa B F 4 dau GA GA GA Jas(?) B B F 2 dau GA GA GA File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley/newspapers/uncleben130nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 9.5 Kb