The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 613-614
Wyoming
JOHN K. HOBAUGH. Prominent among the men whose activities are
felt in the coal mining industry of Wyoming County is John K.
Hobaugh, superintendent of the Miller Pocahontas Coal Company at
Corinne, one mile east of Mullens, on the Winding Gulf branch of
the Virginia Rail- road. Practically his entire life has been
passed in this industry, with all the details of which he is
thoroughly familiar. He was born at Sunnyside, Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania, August 29, 1877, and is a son of David and Nancy
(Kelley) Hobaugh.
David Hobaugh spent his life in connection with mining in
Pennsylvania, and died in 1914, when sixty-four years of age, his
wife having passed away in 1902, at the age of fifty-two years.
One of the men of integrity, who had the full confidence of his
fellow-citizens, he served capably for a number of years as
justice of the peace and wielded an influence for good in his
community. He was active in both church and Sunday School work,
as was his worthy wife, both being of the Methodist faith.
Fraternally Mr. Hobaugh was identified with the Senior Order of
United American Mechanics and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. There were four sons and three daughters in the family.
One of the sons, H. B. Hobaugh, was for a few years identified
with the West Virginia mines, being a fore- man in the mines at
Mount Hope and also acting in the same capacity on the White Oak
branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.
John K. Hobaugh attended the public schools of Sunny- side,
Pennsylvania, and later supplemented his education with a course
on mining subjects received through the International
Correspondence Schools of Scranton, Pennsyl- vania. When still a
boy he began to help his father in the mines, and passed through
all the positions in his upward climb, being successively a
trapper, coal miner, fire boss, foreman and superintendent in
Pennsylvania before he came to West Virginia, in February, 1913.
At that time he came to Fayette County and was superintendent of
the Summer-Lee and Lochgalley mines, owned by the New River Coal
Company, a concern with which he remained for five years, then
becoming superintendent of the McKell Com- pany mines for two
years. When he left that company it was to join the Miller
Pocahontas Coal Company, which is connected with the Deegans
interests, and during his superintendency many improvements have
been made in the way of equipment and general conditions. Mr.
Hobaugh has always been sensible of the value of education, and
built the schoolhonse at Corinne and the one at Monticello.
Corinne has become, largely through his efforts, a model coal
camp, and was recently incorporated with a full set of officers.
Mr. Hobaugh is a member of the Senior Order of United American
Mechanics, the Knights of Malta and the Loyal Order of Moose. He
is a republican in polities, and is progressive in action and in
ideas.
In 1917 Mr. Hobaugh married Miss Ada Newman, a daughter of Asa
Newman.
Submitted by Valerie
& Tommy Crook
