Overview

    The Hobson Family Cemetery at Vernon was established in 1882 by Willis Wilson Hobson, Sr. on his farm, upon the death of his wife, Arabella Gilliam Hobson. The cemetery is approximately 12-foot-square, surrounded by a two-foot-high masonry wall. A small iron gate provides entry. A single strand of barbed wire runs along the top of the wall, presumably to keep livestock out. As of April 2026, the cemetery is severely overgrown and is nestled in thick woods.

    In 1895, Willis' second wife, Betty Lewis Hobson passed away and was buried in the cemetery. In 1917, Willis died and was buried in the cemetery as its final occupant. 

History

    The land where the cemetery is located is part of a 9350-acre tract patented on September 28, 1730 by Major William Mayo of Goochland County, under a grant from King George II of England. The western 1400 acres was known as Indian Camp and contained the richest farmland. William built a house on the property and still exists today, in its expanded form, at 6177 Blenheim Road. At what point the house and acreage became known as "Blenheim" is unsure, however the 1861 Cumberland County Land Book refers to it as "Blenheim". 

    In 1815, Mayo's grandson sold 1177 acres of Indian Camp, including the house, to brothers John and Joseph Hobson. Upon John's death in 1819, Joseph became owner of the entire Blenheim property. Joseph died in 1832 and was buried in the family cemetery situated near the Blenheim house. Upon Joseph's death, Blenheim transferred to his wife, Mary Mumford Hobson. In 1835, the property was broken up and Mary ended up with about half of the Blenheim acreage, including the house. Mary passed away in 1860 and willed Blenheim to a son, Joseph Virginius Hobson. Joseph eventually sold Blenheim in 1881 to a non-family buyer.

    Willis Wilson Hobson, was born in 1826, another son of Joseph and Mary. Sometime in the mid-1800s, he acquired 481 acres of Blenheim situated along Deep Creek, and called his holding "Vernon". He married Arabella Gilliam Bolling of Petersburg, Virginia in 1849 and they had nine children together. Arabella passed away in 1882 and Willis remarried in 1885 to Betty Lewis, who died in 1895. 

    While not documented anywhere, it would be presumed that Willis established a family cemetery on Vernon for two reasons. First, he may have wanted a cemetery on his own land that he loved. Or maybe more importantly, the old family cemetery near the Blenheim house belonged to a non-Hobson owner at the time of Arabella's death in 1882.

    Willis died in 1917, and his daughter Lucy Hobson, continued to live on the farm for a time, until the property was sold to a non-Hobson buyer.

Submitted by John S. Casey, great-great-grandson of Willis Wilson Hobson, Sr. and Arabella Gilliam (Bolling) Hobson