William Hobson (1820–1891)

“In a lively contemporary vernacular, Anderson tells how Hobson combined the roles of Quaker minister and enterprising farmer, both in Iowa and then in Oregon. Far from preachy, Anderson’s book lets Hobson’s story speak for itself—a story of faithfulness, endurance, hard work, and love.”


—Philip Smith, George Fox University





“Julie Anderson’s book on the life of William Hobson is well researched and documented, showing her familiarity with original correspondence, diaries, and other documents of the period. As such, it is not only an excellent biography but also an indirect history of the dramatic changes that occurred among Friends across the American continent in the nineteenth century.”


—Richard Sartwell, Portland Seminary





“Anderson’s biography of William Hobson traces the lively story of a religious and cultural conservative who embraced revivalism and social reform in the mid-nineteenth-century American West. His great contribution to Quaker history was founding the first officially recognized Friends Meeting west of the Rocky Mountains and contributing significantly to the growth of Newberg, Oregon, a regional network of Friends churches, and what is now George Fox University.”


—Ron Stansell, George Fox University, emeritus