Samuel Hobbs was born in 1750 and became part of American history when he participated in the Tea Party when he was only 23 years old. Hobbs worked at a tannery in Sturbridge, MA. He later took over the business and operated it until his death in 1823 at 73 years of age. Later generations of the family continued the business at least as late as 1870. Interestingly the house built by Hobbs few years after the Tea Party still stands today and is privately owned.

Sturbridge Heritage Inventory Reconnaissance Report describes Hobbs’ property as 23.43 acre parcel of land, bordered by Hall Road on the east and Hobbs Brook on the west, is notable for a long stretch of open field that parallels the road and is defined on the east by a tree-lined stone wall that marks the effective edge of beaver-dammed wetlands. The property includes a wood-frame house built by Samuel Hobbs, with an attached carriage shed and a barn. A tannery also stood near the intersection of Hall Road and East Main Street., although no sign of the business is immediately visible today