Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1121 - 1122

 ALVIN I. HOBBS, A. M., LL. D., Dean of the School of Theology and Professor of Systematic Theology and Homiletics in Garfield University, at Wichita, was born at Cross Plains, Ripley Co., Ind., March 13, 1834. His parents were Abner and Electa A. (Lathrop) Hobbs. His father was a blacksmith by trade, which he followed until about forty years of age. He removed from Ripley County to Greensburg, and later to Indianapolis, where his death occurred in 1864. The wife and mother died in Iowa in 1871, and her remains were taken to Greensburg, Ind., for burial.

             The paternal grandfather of our subject, James Hobbs by name, was a native of Virginia, a hatter by trade, and served as a soldier in the War of 1812. His last years were spent in Columbus, Ind., where he died. On the mother's side the grandfather of our subject was Rev. Levi Lathrop, and the grandmother in her maidenhood, Miss Delia Ingalls. They were both natives of Canada, whence they removed to Vermont during the War of 1812. Later they migrated to Cross Plains, Ind., where they spent the remainder of their lives. Abner Hobbs was a public-spirited man, and during the latter part of his life engaged in the real-estate business, and with his estimable wife belonged to the Christian Church. The latter was the first person baptized in that church in all Southeastern Indiana. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom are now living, namely: Prof. Alvin I., our subject; Delia, the wife of Dr. J. W. Cure, of Martinsville, Ind.; J. W., of Des Moines, Iowa; Indiana, Mrs. Butler, of Indianapolis, Ind., and Prosper P., of Minneapolis, Minn.

             The subject of this sketch when a boy assisted his father in the blacksmith-shop, but not being robust, sought the lighter work of a printing-office, securing a position with the Decatur Republican. Later he was apprenticed to the editors of the Christian Record, then published at Bloomington, to learn the art, but after two years his father purchased his unexpired time and he returned home and attended school two years. When eighteen years old he began business for himself in the mercantile line, but in 1858 he abandoned business pursuits and devoted himself entirely to the ministry. It had been his cherished ambition since a lad of twelve years to become a preacher. On the third Lord's Day of May, 1856, after having preached occasionally for two years, he was ordained a minister by the church at Greensburg, Ind., having been a member of that congregation since thirteen years of age, and two years later entered what is now Butler University, preaching Saturdays and Sundays for different churches, and was graduated in June, 1862, with the highest honors of his class. During the early part of that year he took up his abode in Richmond, Ind., where he labored in the ministry until August, when he was elected Chaplain of the 69th Indiana Regiment, receiving his commission from Gov. Oliver P. Morton Aug. 20, 1862. He remained with the regiment until it was stationed in front of Vicksburg, the following spring, when he was stricken down with a disease which menaced his life for three years thereafter. Subsequently he preached for a year at Kokomo, Ind., and was then prevailed upon to become Financial Agent of Butler University. Not being contented out of his regular work he accepted a call to become pastor of the Christian Church at Detroit, Mich. After one year's labor there he was prevailed upon to take charge of the church at Des Moines, Iowa, where he labored prosperously for a period of four years. He was next called to the pastorate of the Sixth Street Christian Church at Cincinnati, Ohio, and in 1875 removed to Bloomington, Ill., where he remained four years, when he returned to the church in Cincinnati. His next charge was at Louisville, Ky., where he labored until in August, 1887, and then accepted his present position with Garfield University, and is pastor of the Central Christian Church, of Wichita. 

            During the ministrations of Prof. Hobbs not less than 3,000 persons have been added to the different congregations under his charge. He is a man of great perseverance and industry, and in his present responsible position is acquitting himself with the same fidelity to duty and the clear judgment and temperance of action which have been one of his distinguishing characteristics. As a man he is candid, courteous and outspoken, and as a speaker is fluent, earnest, and occasionally strongly emotional, and is in fact one of the great pulpit orators of the day.

             The marriage of our subject with Miss Rachel Logan took place Dec. 5, 1852. Their living children are: M. Alice, now Mrs. Rev. G. B. Peck, of Wichita; Stella, the wife of Dr. Samuel Ayres, of Great Bend, and Nesta. One little daughter, Susan E., died in early infancy, and a son, Walter S., at the age of eighteen months.

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