Holt County, Missouri

Biographies

William HOBLITZELL

William HOBLITZELL, resident of Mound City, was born in Richland County, Ohio on October 29, 1833. His father, Adrian HOBLITZELL, was from Maryland and his mother, Elizabeth Dorland, was from Pennsyvania. In 1842, the family moved to Platte County, Missouri, engaged in farming there until 1844 when they moved to Holt Co. They settled first in the vicinity of Oregon and later moved into that town. William HOBLITZELL attended the common schools of Oregon, left the farm at age 18, and began clerking in a store at Oregon where he remained about 3 years. He has ever since been engaged in selling goods and has been actively connected with the merchandising interests of the county.

In 1855, he opened his own store at Brownville, Nebraska in partnership with J. T. WHITE. After running the store three or four years, he gave the store up and returned to clerking until 1861. He then moved back to Oregon and clerked in a store there. He came to Mound City in 1863 (the atlas shows 1853, but it must be a misprint, see James Allen biography) and for 6 months operated a store with James L. ALLEN, at that time the only store in Mound City. In 1864, he moved to St. Joseph where he clerked in a store.

Returning to Mound City, he opened a store in 1865 in partnership with B. B. FRAZER, now of St. Joseph. This partnership continued until 1873 when the interest of B. B. FRAZER was purchased by Mr. HOBLITZELL and T. D. FRAZER. This firm, in 1873 and 1874, operated a store at Bigelow where Mr. HOBLITZELL resided for about a year. The firm of S. B. Austin & Co., composed of Mr. HOBLITZELL and S. B. AUSTIN, was established at Mound City in Jan., 1875 and operates a large mercantile business which has helped give Mound City its reputation as a good business point. In connection with his brother, Mr. HOBLITZELL also operates the lumber business at Mound City and has a heavy trade in this business so important to the community. He was married in 1856 to Martha Jane Burnett of Oregon, Mo. He supports the Democrat party, but votes his principles on issues and candidates regardless of politics.

Source: "An Illustrated Historical Atlas Map, Holt County, MO.
Published by Brink, McDonough & Co., Philadelphia, 1877

Provided by Dave Roberts of Lyon County, Kentucky, a former Holt County resident.