▁a ▁brother , ▁John , ▁who ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 5 . ▁Hob son ' s ▁parents ▁were ▁Joseph ▁and ▁Margaret ▁Hob son . ▁ ▁Hob son ▁attended ▁log ▁school h ouses ▁in ▁Gu el ph ▁for ▁his ▁primary ▁school ing . ▁He ▁then ▁moved ▁to ▁Toronto ▁and ▁was ▁there ▁for ▁seven ▁years . ▁He ▁app r entic ed ▁with ▁John ▁Tul ly ▁as ▁a ▁land ▁survey or . ▁During ▁this ▁time ▁he ▁did ▁layout ▁plans ▁for ▁the ▁Ontario ▁towns ▁of ▁K itch ener ▁and ▁Gu el ph . ▁Later ▁he ▁app r entic ed ▁under ▁C . ▁Sch of ield ▁and ▁he ▁passed ▁his ▁final ▁exam ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁for ▁a ▁provincial ▁land ▁survey or . ▁ ▁Engineering ▁career ▁▁ ▁Hob son ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁joined ▁the ▁firm ▁of ▁G z owski ▁and ▁Mc Ph erson ▁in ▁Toronto . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁K itch ener ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁from ▁Toronto ▁to ▁work ▁for ▁the ▁county ▁of ▁Water lo o ▁as ▁their ▁engineer ▁on ▁a ▁part - time ▁basis . ▁Besides ▁being ▁the ▁county ▁engineer ▁he ▁also ▁did ▁private ▁surve ying . ▁One ▁of ▁his ▁contract s ▁was ▁the ▁surve ying ▁of ▁the ▁town ship ▁of ▁B id well ▁on ▁Man it ou lin ▁Island . ▁ ▁Hob son ▁was ▁later ▁an ▁assistant ▁engineer ▁on ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Railway ▁from ▁St . ▁Mary s ▁to ▁S arn ia . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁engaged ▁in ▁railway ▁surve ys