John T. Hoblit

Timeline:

• Born: 1839-40 Atlanta, Illinois:( Depending on source)
• Relocated: 1855 to Minnesota with family
• Editor: 1859: Dakota Sentinel Newspaper; Ninniger, Minnesota
• Civil war service: Union; mustered in 1861 to First Minnesota Regiment; attained rank of Corporal; brother Issac also joined at this time
• Died: November, 1861 of typhus fever at Camp Stone

Biography':

John Hoblit was born January 1,1839 or 1840, the fourth of nine children born to Mahlon and Mary Ann Hoblit. The family had relocated from Illinois to Minnesota in 1855. His father was a butcher and was very active in civic affairs of the community.

John started his newspaper career early in life and was already editor of The Dakota Sentinel when nineteen years old. He later worked as a teacher but continued to work part time for the King family, owners of the State Atlas Newspaper of Minneapolis. Through this connection John met William S. King, an influential Minnesota congressman.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, John and brother Isaac joined the First Minnesota Regiment, mustering in April 29, 1861 at twenty one years of age. The first confrontation he and brother were engaged in was Bull Run. Brother Isaac became ill after the battle and was discharged for disability July, 1861. August 16, 1861, the First Minnesota marched to upper Potomac and arrived at what would become Camp Stone, Maryland.

William King, the before mentioned congressman, asked John to report the actions and conditions of the regiment and to send the stories of the soldiers to the State Atlas Newspaper. Writing under the name of Persimmons, John reported the everyday life of the soldiers at Camp Stone; the Church and picket duties; promotions; injuries; court marshals; the weather conditions; skirmishes with Confederate Troops (relayed a lengthy account of The Battle of Ball's Bluff); letters to home written by the soldiers; sickness in the camp; impressions and actions of the regiments officers. It was due to his reports to William King (and King's intervention) of the poor condition of clothing supplied to the soldiers, a scandal was started for Minnesota Gov. Ramsey and General Sanborn. Conditions were much improved for the soldiers after the story was released.

John Hoblit died of typhoid fever at Camp Stone November, 1861. He was 22 years old. His body was laid to rest at Layman's Cemetery (Minneapolis Pioneer's and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery). His body was exhumed 1923 and re-interred at Minneapolis Hillside Cemetery.

John's diary was donated to the Minnesota Historical Society. The bindings are broken and coming apart, so the entries have been placed in archival folders. Inside the diary were newspaper clippings concerning John and the removal of his body to Hillside Cemetery.

The first issue of The Dakota Sentinel newspaper, edited by Hoblit, is microfilmed in Minnesota Historical Society newspaper collection. Hoblit's letters concerning his experiences in the Union Army written for The State Atlas are also microfilmed in this collection.

Sources: 

*Minnesota Historical Society; 345 W. Kellogg Blvd.; St.Paul, Minnesota

• Minnesota Historical Society Archivegrid; John T. Hoblit Civil War Diary and related papers 1861-1862: Accession number:15,703: Processed by David B. Peterson

Links:

• http://www2.mnhs.org/library/findaids/P2563.xml
• http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/collection/data/313866880

Entered by D. Glenn Nov, 11, 2014