Curtis Hobbs

The remains of an old cotton mill at Scull Shoals

BIRTH 1778 • South Carolina, USA

DEATH 1802 • Greene, Georgia, USA

3rd great-uncle

Curtis Hobbs was born in 1778 in South Carolina. He died in 1802 in Greene County, Georgia, at the age of 24.

Traitors during the American Revolution

Curtis was a young boy and while his father was gone in the War, he had to be the man of the house, so to speak, he also heard tales from his father.  

During the American Revolution, the loyalties of both citizens and soldiers’ were scrutinized.

Curtis Hobbs was living in South Carolina, as a young boy, during the American Revolution when everyone’s loyalties were called into question.  His Grandpa Curtis Caldwell's loyalty was called into question as he was caught and a Prisoner of War.  He died during that time it appears.  

The Revolutionary War divided leading and common American families alike—esteemed Patriot leader Benjamin Franklin and his son William found themselves on opposing sides. 

Having been born and raised British subjects, many colonists couldn’t simply denounce their lifelong identities. Even so, during the war newly minted states swiftly passed laws on how to treat traitors, South Carolina no different, while the Continental Army searched for turncoats within its ranks. 

In 1777, Pennsylvania declared that any resident found sympathetic to the British would face the gallows and his property would be surrendered to the state. The most infamous defector was also a Patriot military leader and hero: Benedict Arnold. Consistently passed over for the field command he thought he deserved, Arnold entered into secret talks with the British starting in 1778. When his duplicity was discovered, Arnold fled to British lines before he could be arrested and as a Red Coat, finally received the military title that he valued above all else. TRAITOR!

Over the years when I connected Curtis Caldwell to Robert Hobbs' wife Mary, I had to wonder looking over his estate record that all of his son in laws were Patriots.  Curtis was a Tory.  I wondered if he fought under the crown knowing all of his son in laws were Patriots, what kind of discussions there were as a result of this.  Curtis had made many purchases of land from the Crown, to go against that I think he felt he had to be loyal.  

Now for this grandson Curtis Hobbs was a small boy and wouldn't remember any of this as he was just a few short years old at the time this was going on.  

Curtis was also discovered to be a son as a result of a obscure tax list I found years ago, that named him.  His first tax he had to pay in Greene County, Georgia.   

1801
Greene County, Georgia Tax Index 1800-1802
Robert Hobbs
Thomas Hobbs
Curtis Hobbs 

This is the one and only record that  Curtis Hobbs shows up on.  I have assumed since he is no where else, not married, non existant past this point, that he died after this Tax Index.