Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Guide to the
Karl Hobson Papers 1934-1978
Cage 866
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives and Special Collections
- Creator
- Hobson, Karl, 1906-1986
- Title
- Karl Hobson papers
- ID
- Cage 866
- Date [inclusive]
- 1934-1978
- Extent
- 3.25 linear feet of shelf space, 7 boxes
- Language
- Collection materials are in English.
- Abstract
- The Karl Hobson Papers consist of the research and professional papers of Karl Hobson as an agricultural forecasting expert at Washington State College and an independent forecaster and publihser of Hobson's Farm Forecast. Hobson worked for extension services at the University of Idaho and Washington State College and published Hobson's Farm Forecast with Elliot Marple from 1950 to 1955.
Preferred Citation
[Item description]. Karl Hobson Papers, 1934-1978. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA.
Biographical Note
Karl Hobson was born in 1906 on a farm near Sedan, Kansas. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Idaho and did graduate work at Cornell University. In 1935, he worked as a state specialist in forecasting and farm management for the Idaho Extension Service before joining Washington State College (now Washington State University) as a specialist in livestock marketing in 1947. In 1948, Hobson became a full-time specialist in farm forecasting
In 1949, Hobson met Elliot Marple and in 1950 they formed a joint-partnership to publish Hobson's Farm Forecast, a weekly newsletter directed to farmers in the Pacific Northwest. Marple, a Seattle-based business forecaster, published Marple’s Business Roundup, a weekly newsletter covering business market opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. Hobson, in Pullman, provided the text, while Marple, in Seattle produced the weekly publication through his existing Roundup operation. In December 1952, Hobson and Marple dissolved their joint-partnership and created Hobson's Farm Forecast, Inc., in part as a preventive measure against possible libel suits from disgruntled subscribers to the Forecast. Shortly afterwards, Hobson left the Bureau of Agricultural Extension at WSC and worked full-time for the corporation. In 1955, Hobson and Marple sold Hobson's Farm Forecast, Inc. to Doane Agricultural Service, Inc., of Carmichael, California. The publication of Hobson's Farm Forecast also ended in 1955 with its subscribers subsumed by Doane's Western Farm Forecast.
Hobson accepted a promotion with the Bureau of Agricultural Extension at WSC, while continuing to write for the Western Farm Forecast part time. Doane ceased publishing the Western Farm Forecast in 1957. In 1966, Hobson won the Western Farm Economics Association’s Outstanding Extension Program Award for his prediction of wheat scarcity in the mid-1960s. Hobson retired in 1971. In the 1970s, he and his wife, Dorothy, moved to Maui, Hawaii, where he died from cancer in 1986.
Scope and Content
The Karl Hobson Papers consists of materials related to Hobson's work on farm forecasting. These papers include correspondence files for Hobson’s Farm Forecast as well as personal correspondence. The collection also contains files of clippings by or about Hobson, research files, and publications by Hobson including “Economic Facts for Idaho Farmers” and “World Food Needs and Productive Capacities.” Lastly, there are records from Hobson and Marple’s commodity trading partnership.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series: Hobson's Farm Forecast and Research and Personal Papers.
Series 1: Hobson's Farm Forecast, 1947-1978. This series consists of records directly related to Hobson's Farm Forecast, a publication produced by Hobson and Elliot Marple. It is divided into two series, Correspondence and Research and notes.
Subseries 1: Correspondence, 1948-1975. This subseries consists of correspondence and surveys from subscribers to Hobson's Farm Forecasts.
Subseries 2: Research and notes, 1947-1978. This subseries consists of publications and articles about the newsletter and articles published in the newsletter.
Series 2: Research and personal papers, 1934-1976. This series consists of materials created and gathered by Hobson separate from his newsletter. This series consists of two subseries: Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership and Work and education.
Subseries 1: Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership, 1958-1968. This subseries consists of transaction records, tax forms, and business correspondence resulting from the trading of agricultural commodities conducted by Hobson and Elliot Marple.
Subseries 2: Work and education, 1934-1976. This subseries consists of research Hobson performed as an employee of Washington State College and the University of Idaho, clippings on Hobson's work, Hobson's thesis for the University of Idaho, and a dossier for the Outstanding Extension Program award from the Western Farm Economics Association.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Washington State University Libraries Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections © 2017
http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open and available for research use.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright restrictions may apply.
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated to the Washington State University Libraries in multiple installments. Elliot Marple donated materials in 1997 and 1999 (MS.1997.40 and MS.1999.12) and the Hobson family donated the remaining materials in 2010, via Jeff Hobson (MS.2010.20).
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Samantha Case and Steven Bingo in 2017.
Related Materials
Related Material
Related materials may be found in the Hobson's Farm Forecast Records (Cage 608)
Separated Material
Several 1945 and 1949 issues of the Washington State University extension publication titled "Economic Land Class Maps of Washington County" were added to the Agricultural Extension Publications (WSU 17-42). Issues of "Keeping Upon the Farm Outlook" from 1948-1953 were removed, but can be found in the Extension Circular Series (WSU 17-41). Issues of the Agricultural Prices and Prospects from July 1954-December 1961 (retitled Farm Outlook in 1957) have been placed in WSU Publications (WSU 17-42).
The March 20, 1951 and May 26, 1952 issues of Hobson's Farm Forecast were added to the run currently housed with the Hobson's Farm Forecast Records (Cage 608).
Names and Subjects
Personal Name(s)
Subject(s) :
- Hobson, Karl, 1906-1986 -- Archives.
Subject(s)
- Agriculture -- Forecasting.
- Agricultural prices -- United States.
- Agriculture
- Businesses and Corporations
- Colleges and Universities
Detailed Description of Collection
Series 1 Hobson's Farm Forecast 1947-1978 |
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Subseries 1 Correspondence 1948-1975 |
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box | folder | |||
A 1952-1973 |
1 | 1 | ||
B 1961-1976 |
1 | 2 | ||
C 1972-1973 |
1 | 3 | ||
D 1953-1955 |
1 | 4 | ||
E 1953-1955 |
1 | 5 | ||
F 1973-1976 |
1 | 6 | ||
G 1952-1954 |
1 | 7 | ||
H 1968 |
1 | 8 | ||
I 1954-1955 |
1 | 9 | ||
J 1953-1970 |
1 | 10 | ||
K 1953-1968 |
1 | 11 | ||
Financial correspondence 1948 |
1 | 12 | ||
Mc 1953-1975 |
1 | 13 | ||
N 1974-1975 |
1 | 14 | ||
T. Nishimura 1953 |
1 | 15 | ||
Max Nishioka 1953 |
1 | 16 | ||
Chester Noh 1952 |
1 | 17 | ||
Keish Noriyuki 1954 |
1 | 18 | ||
Willis Nutzman 1954-1955 |
1 | 19 | ||
John O'Donnell 1954 |
1 | 20 | ||
Tak Ogawa 1953 |
1 | 21 | ||
Yosie Ogawa 1952 |
1 | 22 | ||
Emil Ohme 1953 |
1 | 23 | ||
Verl S. Okelberry 1952 |
1 | 24 | ||
L. P. Olenslager 1954 |
1 | 25 | ||
Elmer J. Oliver 1952-1953 |
1 | 26 | ||
N. N. Olsen 1952 |
1 | 27 | ||
William O. Olsen 1952 |
1 | 28 | ||
C. A. Olson 1953 |
1 | 29 | ||
Walter W. Olson 1952 |
1 | 30 | ||
Oscar Oltmanns 1952 |
1 | 31 | ||
Melvin Oppliger 1953 |
1 | 32 | ||
Lee Ormond 1952 |
1 | 33 | ||
Murray O'Rourke 1952 |
1 | 34 | ||
Frank L. Orth 1952-1953 |
1 | 35 | ||
Raymond E. Osborne 1953 |
1 | 36 | ||
Milton Osterhout 1953 |
1 | 37 | ||
Lyman Otteson 1953 |
1 | 38 | ||
Tak Oyama 1953 |
1 | 39 | ||
P 1952-1974 |
1 | 40 | ||
D. L. Pace 1953 |
1 | 41 | ||
H. L. Pace 1953 |
1 | 42 | ||
L. C. Pace 1953 |
1 | 43 | ||
Richard C. Pajarola 1952 |
1 | 44 | ||
R. J. Palisch 1952-1953 |
1 | 45 | ||
Rudolph Pancheri 1952 |
1 | 46 | ||
Howard G. Parish 1952 |
1 | 47 | ||
C. L. Parkinson 1953 |
1 | 48 | ||
B. L. Patrick 1952 |
1 | 49 | ||
Floyd Patterson 1952 |
1 | 50 | ||
J. K. Patterson 1953 |
1 | 51 | ||
Ed B. Patton 1952 |
1 | 52 | ||
H. G. Peckham 1952-1953 |
1 | 53 | ||
Vernon Pendlebury 1952 |
1 | 54 | ||
Jake F. Perry 1953-1955 |
1 | 55 | ||
Ray Pershall 1953 |
1 | 56 | ||
E. H. Persigehl 1953 |
1 | 57 | ||
Clem F. Peters 1952 |
1 | 58 | ||
Frank A. Petersen 1953 |
1 | 59 | ||
O. E. Petersen and Son Don 1954 |
1 | 60 | ||
Peterson Orchards 1953 |
1 | 61 | ||
A. O. Peterson 1953 |
1 | 62 | ||
C. J. Peterson 1953 |
1 | 63 | ||
Earial Peterson 1952 |
1 | 64 | ||
Henry M. Peterson 1954 |
1 | 65 | ||
L. W. Peterson 1953 |
1 | 66 | ||
Lloyd H. Peterson 1952-1953 |
1 | 67 | ||
O. H. Peterson 1954 |
1 | 68 | ||
Omar C. Peterson 1953 |
1 | 69 | ||
Reuben Peterson 1952 |
1 | 70 | ||
Spencer H. Peterson 1952 |
1 | 71 | ||
Mrs. Henry Petrick 1953 |
1 | 72 | ||
H. R. Pettijohn 1953 |
1 | 73 | ||
Alfred Pettygrove 1952 |
1 | 74 | ||
Jud Pettygrove 1952 |
1 | 75 | ||
Joe C. Pharris 1952-1953 |
1 | 76 | ||
Edward J. Phillips 1954 |
1 | 77 | ||
L. B. Piercy 1953 |
1 | 78 | ||
R. D. Plessinger 1953 |
1 | 79 | ||
Ray S. Pocock 1952 |
1 | 80 | ||
J. C. Poe 1952 |
1 | 81 | ||
Kenneth H. Poe 1952 |
1 | 82 | ||
H. Michael Porter 1953 |
1 | 83 | ||
Anton Potucek 1952 |
1 | 84 | ||
Clarence Poulsen 1953 |
1 | 85 | ||
Floyd T. Powell 1953 |
1 | 86 | ||
Aubrey Pratt 1954 |
1 | 87 | ||
Cliff Precht 1953 |
1 | 88 | ||
James Prestidge 1952 |
1 | 89 | ||
Joe Pretl 1954 |
1 | 90 | ||
Sheldon Pulley 1953-1954 |
1 | 91 | ||
R 1955-1974 |
1 | 92 | ||
N. R. Raedels 1952 |
1 | 93 | ||
Paul B. Ragan 1953-1954 |
1 | 94 | ||
Richard Rambach 1953 |
1 | 95 | ||
D. D. Ramseyer 1953 |
1 | 96 | ||
H. F. Ramseyer 1953 |
1 | 97 | ||
Edgar Randall 1953 |
1 | 98 | ||
Lloyd F. Randall 1953 |
1 | 99 | ||
Pete M. Rarick 1953 |
1 | 100 | ||
Max D. Rector 1952 |
1 | 101 | ||
D. B. Reed 1954 |
1 | 102 | ||
Elmer Rees 1953 |
1 | 103 | ||
Bruce C. Regua 1952-1954 |
1 | 104 | ||
Conrad Rehn 1953 |
1 | 105 | ||
Edward Reichert 1952 |
1 | 106 | ||
Fred Reichert 1952 |
1 | 107 | ||
Robert Reichert 1953 |
2 | 108 | ||
Eldro J. Reid 1953 |
2 | 109 | ||
Henry Reil 1954 |
2 | 110 | ||
Ernest A. Reinke 1953 |
2 | 111 | ||
Louis E. Reinke 1953 |
2 | 112 | ||
J. J. Remington and Sons 1953 |
2 | 113 | ||
L. E. Remington 1952-1953 |
2 | 114 | ||
Herman E. Renfrow 1953 |
2 | 115 | ||
Allen L. Richards 1953 |
2 | 116 | ||
Chas C. Richards 1952 |
2 | 117 | ||
L. Lalovi Rigby 1953 |
2 | 118 | ||
S 1975 |
2 | 119 | ||
Alfred Simmons 1952-1955 |
2 | 120 | ||
T 1956 |
2 | 121 | ||
Roy Toft 1952 |
2 | 122 | ||
Cecil Toner 1953 |
2 | 123 | ||
J. M. Topsick 1953-1954 |
2 | 124 | ||
Mat Toupin 1952 |
2 | 125 | ||
Dave Tracy 1953 |
2 | 126 | ||
Evan R. Tracy 1953 |
2 | 127 | ||
Eugene S. Trask 1952-1953 |
2 | 128 | ||
C. A. Traughber 1953 |
2 | 129 | ||
Fred Treasure 1953 |
2 | 130 | ||
Herschel Trunnell 1953-1954 |
2 | 131 | ||
James Turnbull 1953 |
2 | 132 | ||
W. A. Turner 1954 |
2 | 133 | ||
U 1952 |
2 | 134 | ||
Leslie Ude 1952 |
2 | 135 | ||
Vernon Pendlebury 1953 |
2 | 136 | ||
M. R. Vanausdlen 1952 |
2 | 137 | ||
Samuel E. Vance 1953 |
2 | 138 | ||
Wilburn C. Vance 1952 |
2 | 139 | ||
J. W. Vanderford 1952 |
2 | 140 | ||
Joe Verbeck 1953 |
2 | 141 | ||
Chas Verheyen 1954 |
2 | 142 | ||
Edgar D. Vincent 1953 |
2 | 143 | ||
Roger D. Vincent 1953 |
2 | 144 | ||
Glenn Vining 1954 |
2 | 145 | ||
Vinson Farms 1953 |
2 | 146 | ||
Aubrey E. Vittetoe 1953 |
2 | 147 | ||
W 1952-1974 |
2 | 148 | ||
X, Y, Z 1953 |
2 | 149 | ||
Subseries 2 Research and notes 1947-1978 |
||||
box | folder | |||
Commodity reserves 1951-1953 |
2 | 150 | ||
Cotton research and correspondence with John Judge and Ralph Scanlan 1947-1949 |
2 | 151 | ||
Idaho Potato Summaries 1950-1972 |
2 | 152 | ||
International Wheat Agreement, World Food Board Proposals 1944-1946 |
2 | 153 | ||
Marple's Business Newsletter 1976-1979 |
2 | 154 | ||
Pacific Northwest Wheat Publications 1963-1970 |
2 | 155 | ||
Pea seed dealers - Portland 1970-1973 |
2 | 156 | ||
Stockpiling 1947 |
2 | 157 | ||
Western Farm Forecast 1955-1957 |
2 | 158 | ||
|
||||
Series 2 Research and personal papers 1934-1976 |
||||
Subseries 1 Hobson and Marple commodity trading partnership 1958-1968 |
||||
box | folder | |||
Commodity vouchers on expenses - correspondence and ledger sheets 1959-66 |
3 | 159 | ||
Correspondence between Hobson and Marple 1964-68 |
3 | 160 | ||
Walston and Co (completed transactions) 1958-60 |
3 | 161 | ||
Goodbody and Co 1958-59 |
3 | 162 | ||
Bache and Co 1960-64 |
3 | 163 | ||
Siegel Trading Co 1966-67 |
3 | 164 | ||
Income tax and financial summaries (1 of 2) 1958-68 |
3 | 165 | ||
Income tax and financial summaries (2 of 2) 1958-68 |
3 | 166 | ||
Subseries 2 Work and education 1934-1976 |
||||
box | folder | |||
Agricultural Outlook 1937 |
4 | 167 | ||
Agricultural Outlook 1938 |
4 | 168 | ||
Agricultural Outlook 1936 |
4 | 169 | ||
Agricultural price supports 1949-50 |
4 | 170 | ||
Agricultural prices post-World War II 1944-1947 |
4 | 171 | ||
Alpha Zeta members (Idaho) and chapter history 1966 |
4 | 172 | ||
Article, interview, and notes by Hobson 1934 |
4 | 173 | ||
Articles by and clippings about Hobson 1952-1966 |
4 | 174 | ||
Awards 1968 |
4 | 175 | ||
Biographical file 1934 |
4 | 176 | ||
Boise clippings 1953 |
4 | 177 | ||
Bonneville Power Administration job correspondence 1944 |
4 | 178 | ||
Civil service exhibit materials 1937-1941 |
4 | 179 | ||
Clippings about Hobson 1952-1975 |
4 | 180 | ||
Clippings about Hobson 1960-1968 |
4 | 181 | ||
Clippings about Hobson 1931-1953 |
4 | 182 | ||
Clippings by or quoting Hobson 1948-1949 |
5 | 183 | ||
Clippings by or quoting Hobson 1951 |
5 | 184 | ||
Columbia Basin project development 1954 |
5 | 185 | ||
Correspondence and "Looking Ahead" articles 1956-75 |
5 | 186 | ||
Desirable Adjustments in the Wheat Region of Washington 1935 |
5 | 187 | ||
Economic Facts for Idaho Farmers 1939-1944 |
5 | 188 | ||
The Economic Reserve System, by Ralph Scanlan (1 of 2) 1940s |
5 | 189 | ||
The Economic Reserve System, by Ralph Scanlan (2 of 2) 1940s |
5 | 190 | ||
Employment and education record 1942 |
5 | 191 | ||
Epsilon Sigma Phi 1948-1954 |
5 | 192 | ||
Extension correspondence 1948-1963 |
5 | 193 | ||
Faculty Executive Committee 1945-1966 |
6 | 194 | ||
Future Agricultural Development in the Pacific Northwest, preliminary draft (1 of 2) 1947 |
6 | 195 | ||
Future Agricultural Development in the Pacific Northwest, preliminary draft (2 of 2) 1947 |
6 | 196 | ||
Land Classification Maps 1945 |
6 | 197 | ||
Legislative Hearing - Olympia, Late July, 1973 1973 |
6 | 198 | ||
Price data 1945-1973 |
6 | 199 | ||
Proceedings of the First Annual Poultrymen's Institute 1958 |
6 | 200 | ||
Publication and curriculum vitae 1939-1947 |
6 | 201 | ||
Publications by Hobson and others 1935-1969 |
6 | 202 | ||
Reader correspondence 1974-1976 |
6 | 203 | ||
Retirement letters and clippings 1971-1975 |
7 | 204 | ||
Second Annual Washington State Potato and Vegetable Conference Proceedings 1958 |
7 | 205 | ||
Seed pea meeting data 1973 |
7 | 206 | ||
Speech and presentation notes 1953-1955 |
7 | 207 | ||
Thesis 1941 |
7 | 208 | ||
University of Idaho Extension publications by Hobson 1935-36 |
7 | 209 | ||
Washington State University Extension publications on the Wheat Program 1963 |
7 | 210 | ||
Western Farm Economics Association Outstanding Extension Program award 1966 |
7 | 211 | ||
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