My research on the Hobdy family starts with Robert Hobday, who was probably born May 13, 1744 in Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, VA. From parish records his mother was Sarah and his father was unnamed. Robert moved from Virginia to Windsor, Bertie County NC., and about 1763 he married Talitha Cotton. Robert had twelve children, the three older children stayed in North Carolina when Robert and Talitha came to Sumner County Tennessee in 1796. Robert died in 1797 and his will is recorded in Sumner County Tennessee. The children of Robert were: (1)Robert Hobday Jr., (2)Ripsey Ann Hobday, married John Wimberly Harrell in 1792. (3)Hannah Hobday, married Wyriott Blount in 1793. (4)Edmond Hobday, married Nancy Harrell and had twelve known children. (5)Thomas Hobday, married Elizabeth Brackin and had nine known children. (6)Elizabeth Hobdy married John Rhoads and had nine know children, (7)Patience Hobdy, married Jacob Cartwright in 1803, they had eight known children and lived in Davidson County Tennessee. (8)William Hobdy, more on this family later. (9)John W. Hobdy, married Nancy Cummings in 1817 and Elizabeth Clay Hodges in 1835, John had eleven children and he lived in Sumner County Tennessee. (10)Talitha Hobdy, married William Byrn in 1808, they had six known children and lived in Sumner County Tennessee. (11)Tabitha Hobdy married Wylie Howell in 1810 and had eight known children, they moved to Howell County Missouri. (12)Richard D. Hobday, married Betsy Cotton in 1819 and they had eleven known children and lived in Sumner County Tennessee. Richard is buried in Cottontown, Tennessee.

My direct line comes from William Hobdy, May 17, 1787-January 4, 1857, he married Elizabeth Scruggs on December 20, 1810 and they lived in Sumner County Tennessee and had nine children: Napoleon B. Hobdy married Sidney Jane Hollis, Vienna Hobdy married Reuben Wright, Eliza Jane Hobdy married Friar Trail then John Frazier, Moore Cotton Hobdy, more later, Mary D. Hobdy married William Smith Mayes, Jerome B. Hobdy married Louisa McGlothlin then Nancy McGlothlin, Harriet W. Hobdy married John Hollis, William Donaldson Hobdy married Rebecca Ann Hargis, Elizabeth D. Hobdy married Erasmus D. Fonville.

Moore Cotton Hobdy November 20, 1820-June 8, 1903, married Matilda Harrell November 13, 1842 and they had five children, after their first child was born in Sumner County Tennessee in 1843 they moved to Allen County Kentucky and the other four children were born there. In 1882 Moore Cotton Hobdy moved to Simpson County Kentucky. The children of Moore Cotton Hobdy are: James Wallace Hobdy who married Estella B. Edwards. William Rabey Hobdy who married Amanda Belle Horn. Joseph Cotton Hobdy who married first Mary F. Hinton and then Fannie M. Wilkins. Martha E. Hobdy who married Joseph S. Chaney and a daughter born 1856 and died 1857.

Joseph Cotton Hobdy, my great grandfather, was born in Allen County, Kentucky, September 10, 1848. Joseph received an excellent English and scientific education in youth, at the Presbyterian Academy of Bowling Green and at the Greenwood Academy of Sumner County, Tennessee. In January of 1879 he moved to the northwestern part of Simpson County Kentucky where he bought a farm of 351 acres. Joseph first married Mary F. Hinton daughter of William G. and Elizabeth C. (Horn) Hinton, both natives of Allen County, Kentucky. To this union were born two children: Leslie, died in infancy and Cora who married Benjamin Denton Harris. Mary F. Hobdy's death occurred June 7, 1880. Mr. Hobdy next married, on September 11, 1883, Fannie M. Wilkins, a native of Franklin, Simpson Co., Kentucky, before her marriage Fannie attended Nazareth Female Academy of Nelson County Kentucky. Joseph Cotton and Fannie had three children: Mary Francis Hobdy who married Alfred J. Carpenter, Anna Thomas Hobdy who married Benjamin F. Harris and Nathan Wilkins Hobdy, my grandfather, who married Nancye Elizabeth Helm. Nancye attended Auburn Seminary and Nathan Wilkins attended Kentucky Military Institute before returning to Simpson County.

Nathan Wilkins Hobdy and Nancye Elizabeth Helm had two children: Mary Virginia Hobdy who died in infancy and Nancye Elizabeth Hobdy born May 1, 1915 and married Clay Cornwell Law December 16, 1934. Elizabeth and Clay had two children Bobby Cornwell Law and Linda Ann Law.

Additional information on the Robert Hobday family can be found at the Mormon Library Archives in Salt Lake City, Utah, Film # 1597919, 1597920 and 1597921.