Frederick Hobbs (Pennsylvania politician)

Frederick H. Hobbs (January 6, 1934 – July 22, 2005)[1] is a former member of the Pennsylvania State Senate, serving as a Republican from 1967 to 1976.[2]

Frederick H. Hobbs
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 29th district
In office
1967–1976
Preceded byPaul L. Wagner
Succeeded byJoseph E. Gurzenda
Personal details
Born(1934-01-06)January 6, 1934
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
DiedJuly 22, 2005(2005-07-22) (aged 71)
Pottsville, Pennsylvania
Political partyRepublican

He was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He was the son of H. (Howard) Blake Hobbs (1911–1973)[3] of Nescopeck. Pa. and Marian Hause (1908–1984) of Pottsville. His father founded the Telephone Answering Service in Allentown, Pa. in 1939 and was a high school teacher in Lehigh County.[4]

Hobbs graduated from Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield, Massachusetts, Amherst College and Georgetown University School of Law. He then also served in the US Army.[5]

Beginning in 1961 he maintained a law practice in Pottsville, while serving as solicitor for the Schuylkill County Housing Authority, the Schuylkill County Commissioners and the Blythe Township Planning Commission, among others, and also representing the State Workers' Insurance Fund.[6]

Hobbs served in the Pennsylvania State Senate for 10 years (1967–1976) where he was the Republican Minority Chairman of the committee on Business and Commerce in addition to serving on the Judiciary, Law and Justice, Insurance and State Government and Finance committees.[7]

In 1968 Hobbs married Pamela Watkins (born 1943) of Butler Township, Pa. who coincidentally was the daughter of G. Harold Watkins who was the Pennsylvania state senator for the same 29th District from 1941 to 1944.[8]

He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Schuylkill County Republican Committee. He was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.[9]

In 1974 Hobbs took part in a mock trial of John Kehoe, an alleged Mollie Maguire ringleader. The program was under the auspices of the Schuylkill County Historical Society. Hobbs acted as the presiding judge as the original evidence was presented under modern day court rules. The mock trial jury found the defendant "Not Guilty" after deliberations of thirty minutes.[10]

In suffered the loss of his seat in 1976 in an upset to Democratic candidate Joseph Gurzenda,[11] only the second Republican to lose this seat since 1900. After his election defeat, he served on the Board of Directors of the Union Bank & Trust Co. and the Schuylkill County Drug & Alcohol Commission.[12] He also served on many community and fraternal groups. Although he was thought to be a future candidate for a judgeship,[13] that never came to fruition.

References
  1. Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Index to Politicians: Hobbs". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2016-09-13.
  2. Cox, Harold. "Senate Members H". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.
  3. Hazleton Standard Speaker, May 11, 1973, Obituaries
  4. Hazleton Standard Speaker, May 11, 1973
  5. Pottsville PA Republican, July 25, 2005, Obituaries
  6. Pottsville PA Republican, July 25, 2005, Obituaries
  7. Pottsville PA Republican, July 25, 2005, Obituaries
  8. Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "Watkins-Rhoades-Hobbs family of Pennsylvania". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  9. Pottsville PA Republican, July 25, 2005, Obituaries
  10. Ward, Leo L., and Major, Mark T., Images of Schuylkill County, Arcadia Publishers, Charleston (2008) pp. 69–70
  11. Republican and Herald from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1976, p.1
  12. Pottsville PA Republican, July 25, 2005, Obituaries
  13. Republican and Herald from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, November 3, 1976, p.1
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