Emily Hatfield was born on August 14, 1860 and educated at Northwestern University. She married Reverend William M. Hatfield in 1881 and joined him on a Methodist mission to China. The Hobarts lived in Peking for several years, where Mrs. Hobart studied Mandarin in order to better teach women the Christian doctrine. Mrs. Hobart was pregnant for most of her young life and lost several children to prenatal and early childhood complications. She raised to maturity two daughters and two sons. Mrs. Hobart schooled her children, which added considerably to the demands of her daily life. Once Rev. Hobart received charge of a mission, the family moved west to Tsun Hua in 1893. Mrs. Hobart grew increasingly lonely for her relations following a miscarriage in 1896 and an illness in 1898. After her recovery, she and her children went to live with her mother in Florida. Mrs. Hobart returned to her husband in Peking in 1909 and went back to the U.S. in 1913. In 1927 Mrs. Hobart rejoined her husband for work in the Shautung mission, just as Chiang Kai-shek began a three-year terror campaign against communists in Chinese cities. Although she was encouraged to leave, Mrs. Hobart remained with her husband within the mission compound. On April 29, 1928, Mrs. Hobart was fatally shot by nationalist troops firing over the compound's walls. Northwestern University erected a dormitory in 1928 which was named Hobart House in her honor.
From the description of Emily Hatfield Hobart papers [microform], 1884-1943. (Harvard University, Divinity School Library). WorldCat record id: 229668059
From the description of Emily Hatfield Hobart papers, 1884-1943. (University of Oregon Libraries). WorldCat record id: 54068997
