Ruth (Hobart) Gilkyson, a native of Michigan. On the maternal side Mr. Gilkyson is descended from Edmund Hobart, who came from England to America May 7, 1633, locating in Charlestown, Massachusetts, with his family; Garret A. Hobart, former vice-president of the United States, being a lineal descendant of this emigrant. Members of this family were participants in the Revolutionary war, Daniel Hobart having been an officer in Colonel Colman's regiment, and was killed at the battle of White Plains, fighting under General Washington, October 28, 1776. Its representatives also took part in all the early wars and were prominently identified with the early history of the country. Randal Hobart moved west, locating in Michigan in 1831, where he made his home until 1849, and was the first registrar of deeds of Calhoun county and magistrate of the town of Marshall. With his son William he came to California in 1849, settling in Butte county, his family joining him in 1852, and he filled the positions of deputy county clerk, county judge and magistrate. In 1856 he joined the conference of the methodist Episcopal church and became an able minister of the gospel, having been superannuated in 1862, and his death occurred on his farm near Chico, Butte county, in February, 1870. In his family were twelve children, four sons and eight daughters.