While in Mobile Mr. Barnes was soundly converted, and thereafter lived an earnest, consistent Christian life. He was a man of deep convictions and was endowed with a courage sufficient to express them, but his entire life was a beautiful lesson of charity and good will to all. For many years he was an active and official member of the first Methodist Episcopal church of Yonkers, and when the Central Methodist church was organized he became an earnest and zealous member and supporter of the same, being at one time president of the board of trustees. There are many in Yonkers who will ever revert with deep respect and affection to this noble and kindly pioneer, whose life was one worthy of emulation.
HOBBY, WILLIAM OAKLEY
Mr. Hobby is one of the most enterprising young business men of Westchester county, his success in the past few years being nothing short of phenomenal, yet accounted for only by his excellent methods of transacting and managing his financial affairs. He deserves great credit for the prosperity and high standing he has achieved, and the future for him is one of much promise, judging from what he has already accomplished. In political matters he is liberal, using his ballot for the nominee whom he considers best qualified to fill any given position, and he has served as a city committeeman. For the most part, he uses his franchise in favor of the Democratic platform and party. Fraternally he is a member of Hiawatha Lodge, F. & A. M. ; of Mount Vernon Encampment of St. John of Malta; the Ancient Order of Foresters; the Mount Vernon City Club, and at the .present time is a member of the Central Hose Company. In all matters affecting the city and community he takes zealous interest, his influence being ever given to progress and improvements in all lines.
W. O. Hobby is a son of James R. and Kate C. (Gent) Hobby, and was born in the city of New York, February 18, 1867. He received his education in the schools of the metropolis, graduating in the same. He then entered the employ of Acker, Merrill & Condit, of New York city, and remained with them for five years, thoroughly learning the details of the wholesale liquor business. Afterward he was for a short time an employee of Luyties Brothers, of the same city, that firm being in the same line of trade.
Seven years ago Mr. Hobby came to Mount Vernon and established a bottling plant at Boston road and Third avenue. He began this enterprise on a small scale, at first employing but one wagon. At the end of two years his business had doubled and two wagons were necessary to deliver his goods, and at last he was impelled to seek increased facilities for handling his large and remunerative trade. Then, for a few years, he did business at No. 37 South Fifth avenue. In 1898 he was again obliged to extend his business and increase the capacity of his plant, and he accordingly organized the Hobby Bottling Company, of which he is the president and general manager. He is also the agent and collector for the Henry Zeltnor Brewing Company and the William A. Miles Brewing Company, of New York city.
The handsome new brick building which the Hobby Bottling Company occupies at Nos. 21, 23, 25 Prospect avenue, is constructed in a modern manner, the style of architecture being particularly pleasing. The front is of pressed brick and the building, three stories in height, is fifty by one hundred feet in dimensions. The brick stables and wagon-house in the rear of the lot are thirty by one hundred feet in dimensions. The machinery with which the works are fitted is of the most approved modern style, every possible device for convenience and rapidity of working, etc., being found here. Everything that can possibly be done by machinery is done, and the high grade of the goods turned out here is all the proof necessary of the merits of the system in use. Only the best class of hotels and families are catered to, and only the finest and most expensive materials are utilized in the manufacture of the various "soft" drinks and other styles of liquor bottled here. Tanglewylde spring water, positively pure and sweet, and Saratoga spring gases (in use in carbonated waters) are used exclusively, and pure fruit syrups and extracts are manufactured in the plant, by cold process, in porcelain tanks. Two carbonators, one for high, and one for low pressure, are used, thus keeping the waters charged absolutely free from all vitreous and marble dust. From the time when the pure spring water enters the tanks until the sparkling beverage is corked and labeled in the special bottles of the company (corked with a specially fine "Crown" cork), the entire process is carried on. automatically. This finely-equipped plant cost upwards of forty-seven thousand dollars, and in 1897 one hundred thousand dollars' worth of business was transacted by the company. In the manufacture, sale and delivery of the beer, ale and lager, carbonated waters, "soft" drinks, etc., forty men are afforded employment and fifteen wagons are kept running continuously. The firm has branch agencies at Mamaroneck and White Plains. All things considered, the works here are as complete as any to be found in New York, city and they are far superior to many of the bottling establishments in various other large cities. The Hobby Bottling Company contemplate enlarging their plant and buildings by the addition of another floor to the main building in the spring of 1899, doubling its capacity.
William Oakley Hobby was united in marriage, July 14, 1887, to Miss Kate Agnes Rehil, a daughter of Thomas and Rose Rehil, and to this union have been born three children, viz. : Kate, William and Charles.
HACKETT, FRANCIS J.
For the past ten years Francis James Hackett has been engaged in business in Yonkers, Westchester county, and has won an enviable reputation for square dealing, thoroughness and general reliability. He is quite a factor in local Democratic politics, and is now representing the seventh ward, as an alderman. This ward is the largest one in the place, comprising, as it does, about one-third of the territory covered by the city, and its importance, therefore, is obvious. Mr. Hackett was elected to this office in 1897, and has been in thorough sympathy with all movements of public improvement, judicious expenditure of the people's funds, and progress along all lines. The same good judgment which he exercises in the management of his own business affairs he brings to bear in his public office, and thus his friends and the citizens in general place great confidence in his ability and wisdom. Often he has been delegated to attend the various conventions of his party, and for years he has been aggressive in the support of the banners of the Democracy. He belongs to the Seventh Ward Democratic Club and is connected with the city fire department. Socially he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and of the Knights of Columbus.
Francis J. Hackett is one of the eight children of Charles and Elizabeth (Fitzpatrick) Hackett, five of the number being sons. He was born November 23, 1865, in the city of New York and there acquired his education in the public and parochial schools. When he was seventeen years of age he left his studies and entered upon the more serious business of life. His father was a stone-cutter by trade, and the son concluded to follow the same line of business. For five years he worked as a journeyman, and at the end of that time, believing that he was master of the trade, he embarked in the same line of work upon his own account, at his present location on Midland avenue, in the seventh ward. He quarries and deals in all kinds of building stone and does a very extensive business, employing as many as sixty-five men at one time, during busy seasons. By well-directed energy and enterprise he has succeeded in building up an extensive trade, and all with whom he has had dealings speak in terms of praise of the manner in which he fulfils contracts and adheres .to the letter thereof. He is a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church and is liberal in his benevolences and contributions to the worthy poor. Kindly by nature, and having himself worked his own way upward, he is ever ready to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate than himself.
DWORNICZAK, CHARLES HENRY
The subject of this sketch is better known at Croton, New York, where he is engaged in the drug business, by the name of Charles Henry, than he is by his full name. He is a German by birth, early association and education, but has been a resident of this country since 1862 and is thoroughly identified with America and her interests.
He was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1841, and in his native land had the advantage of college training, his education being directed toward the medical profession. He did not, however, enter the practice of that profession. When he started out to make his own way in the world it was
