William Hobdy was one of the first Black business owners on record in Derry, NH.[i] William was born in Virginia in 1862, and grew up in Lawrence, MA where he worked in the Cotton Mill before moving to Derry. He was sole proprietor of Star Cleaning & Repairing Co., which opened in the summer of 1899.[ii]
Located right in the Derry Depot, his shop was under that of F.S. Pillsbury Hardware, currently the Abbott House.[iii]
Derry Public Library Map Case
Besides owning a business, William was also a talented pianist and cake walk performer who supported Derry’s summer destination economy.
- In November of 1902, he held the first ever ragtime ball in Derry.[iv]
- He hosted ice cream gardens for summer visitors.[v]
Between 1900 and 1915, William held summer concerts at popular entertainment venues (West Windham Hall, Hildreth Hall and Adams Memorial Hall) and was an entertainer that summer guests requested.[vi]
Everyone who ran into Hobdy and found out about his talents seemed to benefit. In 1906 William Hobdy had to travel to Manchester for an operation. When he departed Sacred Heart Hospital, he stopped to play piano for patients of all ages.[vii] The Derry Enterprise reported as follows:
The day preceding his discharge, his friend, who he had got to know him pretty well told the sister in charge of his discovery regarding Mr Hobdy, and asked if he might be given a chance to show his musical ability.
The first place he visited was the Old Ladies Home, where he played all kinds of music from ragtime to classical. He sang, too, and his clear voice rang through the halls of the home for half an hour. The next institution visited was the boys’ home, and then the girls’ home. At those places selections appropriate to the tastes of the children were struck up and for another 15 minutes in each place the retiring patient was the whole thing. He gave everybody in the home as pleasant a day as they have had for a long time.[viii]
Despite his popularity in the local entertainment industry, William had to work incredibly hard to get by. Throughout his 17 years in Derry, he was known to bury dogs (referred to in the local news as the Dog Undertaker), shoe shine, ump for the occasional local game, clean chimneys, houses and basements and play music for private parties.[ix] In August of 1911, William, Maud and adopted daughter, Rose, had moved to the tenements on South Avenue, which was struck with fire on 4 October 1912.[xi]
William Hobdy was 1 of 7 Black residents living in Derry in 1900 and 1 of 4 in 1910.[xii] It’s difficult to ignore the racism that swirled around him while he resided here in the early 20th century. According to local newspapers and City Directories, Coburn’s Crossing (Manchester Road near Londonderry) was referred to as N**er’s Crossing until the 1950-60s.[xiii] Minstrel shows were performed at the same venues he frequented, featuring white folk in full “burnt cork” disguises.[xiv] While he showed interest in fraternal orders, including the Knights of Pythias, he never joined the Derry order, instead, he traveled to Lawrence to attend the “colored lodge.”[xv]
William and family lived in Derry until about 1918 when they had planned to move, at least seasonally, to Old Orchard Beach, Maine.[xvi] Unfortunately, William died, suddenly, of Broncho Pneumonia on 6th July 1918 at the age of 55.[xvii] Reverend Enslin of the First Baptist Church performed his funeral services and he was interred in Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence, Massachusetts where he spent much of his youth.[xviii]
To conclude, William was a Derry community member from 1899 to his passing in 1918. He was one of the first Black business owners on record and his musical talents enriched the Derry community and its summer destination economy.
[i] Correlations throughout earlier census records and the Derry News Archives indicate that there were several other Black residents between 1790-1900, but cross correlating Census records and newspaper archives reveals only William Hobdy as a proprietor of a business. Other Black residents were servants, laundresses, laborers, farm hands and hucksters. See attached census abstracts.
[ii] “Star Cleaning & Repairing Co.” Advert, Derry Times (Derry, New Hampshire) 25 August, 1899, p. 8 c. 5; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] “William Hobdy,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 21 November 1902, p. 1, c. 6, para. 19; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library.
[v] “William Hobdy,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 4 April 1902, p. 1, c. 6, para. 29; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library. Note: An event by this name was only ever recorded in the Derry News in affiliation to William Hobdy, showcasing another area first
[vi] “Derry Doings,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 22 April 1910, p. 5, c. 1; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library.
[vii] “Hobdy at Home: His Last Day in Sacred Heart Hospital a Merry One,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 9 February 1906, p. 8, c. 3; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022), Derry Public Library.
[viii] Ibid
[ix] Annual Report of the Town of Derry (The Derry Enterprise, Derry, New Hampshire) 1906, p. 25; digital image, The Internet Archive (https://archive.org/ : accessed 2 February 2022) also Annual Report of the Town of Derry (The Derry Enterprise, Derry, New Hampshire) 1907, p. 33; digital image, The Internet Archive (https://archive.org/ : accessed 2 February 2022); And “Whitewashing, House Cleaning,” advert, Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 18 May 1906, p. 8 c. 3, bottom; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library. Also “Sad Defeat, The Local Barbers and Clerks Cross Bats,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 27 June 1902, p. 1 c. 4; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library. And “Shoe Shine” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 19 October 1906, p. 8. digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); And “Chimney Cleaning” advert, The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 6 July 1906, p. 5, c. 1, bottom; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022), Derry Public Library.
[x] Annual Report of the Town of Derry (The Derry Enterprise, Derry, New Hampshire) 1907, p. 21; digital images, The Internet Archive (https://archive.org/ : accessed 2 February 2022).
[xi] “Derry Doings,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 04 August 1911, p. 5, c 3; digital images Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library. Also “Derry Doings,” The Derry News (Derry, New Hampshire) 4 October 1912, p. 5. c.1; digital images Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022); Derry Public Library.
[xii] See compiled census abstract
[xiii] “An Aged Colored Woman,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 18 March 1919, p. 1, c. 3; digital images Advantage Preservation (https://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 March 2022); Derry Public Library.
[xiv] “Fourteen Derry Women Perform in Burnt Cork Disguises,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 1 February 1907, p. 3 c. 4; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 2 March 2022
[xv] “William Hobdy was in Lawrence, MA,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 19 May 1908, p.8, c.1, bottom; digital images, Advantage Preservation (https://www.derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : accessed 2 March 2022); Derry Public Library
[xvi] “Was Familiar Figure: William Hobdy Passes Suddenly Away July 5,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 9 July 1918, p. 1, c. 2, bottom; digital images, Advantage Preservation (http://derry.advantage-preservation.com/ : Accessed 2 February 2022). Derry Public Library.
[xvii] Death Certificate, William Hobdy, New Hampshire, 6 July 1918; digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 15 February 2022); citing New Hampshire, U.S. Death and Disinterment Records 1754-1947, New England Historical Genealogical Society.
[xviii] “Was Familiar Figure: William Hobdy Passes Suddenly Away July 5,” The Derry Enterprise (Derry, New Hampshire) 9 July 1918, p. 1, c. 2, bottom.
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