Robert Hobbs donates land for Woodville School House

Robert L. Hobbs, my 5th great-grandfather, is still on my list of subjects to research. I’ve written part of his story (click here to read), but there is much more to learn about him. So far, I know that Robert was born on May 30, 1754, in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. His family later moved to Craven County, South Carolina, where he lived during the Revolutionary War. He served as a patriot soldier, completing multiple tours between 1779 and the early 1780s, including service under General Nathanael Greene and participation in campaigns against British forces and Cherokee tribes.

In 1790, Robert moved his family to Greene County, Georgia, where he lived for the next 55 years. He became a planter and slave owner, and was involved in a high-profile forgery case in 1800, narrowly escaping execution thanks to a last-minute pardon. In 1845, he was granted a Revolutionary War pension retroactive to 1831, but received only seven months of payments before his death on June 7, 1845, at the age of 91. His burial site is unknown, though it may be near Greensboro, Georgia.

After his death, his estate—including land, household goods, and 16 enslaved individuals—was appraised at over $6,000 and administered by his son Nathan Hobbs and John G. Holtzclaw, with sales and settlements continuing into the 1850s.

I recently learned that in 1842, Robert contributed to his community in a way that would have helped many. In November 1842, he donated half an acre of land located on the west side of the Georgia Railroad, near Town Creek and adjacent to Mrs. Mary Nance’s property, to a group of trustees—James Croft, Henry English, A. J. Watson, Samuel D. Durham, and James M. Davison. He granted the land to the trustees and their successors “in fee simple,” meaning it was a permanent gift intended to support education for generations to come. While he reserved the rights to certain timber, the rest of the property was freely given to serve the public good. This act of generosity reflects Robert’s commitment to his neighbors in the story of Woodville’s growth and the value placed on learning.

Although the book History of Greene County, Georgia by Rice and Williams doesn’t mention the Woodville School House by name, it paints a picture of rural education in the 19th century. Children often attended small “field schools” or “poor schools” built from logs, with simple benches and shuttered windows. Teachers worked long hours—from sunrise to sunset—and were paid modestly, sometimes in food rather than money. Despite limited resources, these schools served families who deeply valued learning. Many students studied by firelight and went on to become respected leaders. It’s likely that the Woodville School House, built on land donated by Robert, resembled this kind of institution.

In 1928, nearly a century after Robert donated land for the Woodville School House, records show a contested trustee election for the Woodville–Bairdstown Consolidated School. While I can’t say with certainty that this was the same land Robert gifted in 1842, the continued use of the Woodville name and confirmation that the consolidated school building was located in Woodville make it a strong possibility. The school had clearly evolved—merging with Bairdstown in Oglethorpe County and becoming part of a broader public education system. Through all the changes and legal disputes, its roots in Woodville suggest that Robert’s original gift may have continued to serve the community for generations.

Robert’s contribution isn’t my family’s only connection to Woodville schools. Census records confirm that my father’s family lived in Woodville in 1940 and would have attended school there. Many years ago, my Aunt Lucile (Lankford) Epps purchased two books at a Greene County book sale and gave them to my Daddy (Sam Lankford), who in turn gave them to me. Both books were from Woodville schools and had been assigned to Daddy, his sister Lucile, and their brother Clark. One of the books, The Story of Our Republic: A History for Beginners by Irving P. Foote, Ph.D., held a surprise when you opened the pages. I wrote about the two books in 2018, which you can read about on my blog: Vintage school books.

References

• Greene County, Georgia, Deeds 1839–1852, image 290, FamilySearch.
• Greene County, Georgia, School Records 1790–1943, Probate Estate Case Files 1790–1943, images 1293–1296, FamilySearch.
• Rice, Dr. Thaddeus Brockett, History of Greene County: 1786–1886, pp. 178–179, edited by Carolyn White Williams, The J. W. Burke Company, Macon, Georgia, 1961.
• U.S. Federal Census, Woodville, Greene County, Georgia, 1940.