William Hobson, a staunch nineteenth-century Quaker minister and determined follower of Jesus Christ, was shaped by revival, Quaker history, and his Friends upbringing. As a young adult he left his home state of North Carolina for the Iowa frontier where he honed his God-given leadership skills while shepherding the pioneer congregation at Honey Creek. After two decades in Iowa, Hobson received a mid-life call from God to establish a new missions-focused Quaker community somewhere on the West Coast. Following an extensive search for the perfect location, Hobson eventually chose Newberg, Oregon, and Quaker influence in the region quickly spread, culminating in the organization of the Evangelical Friends Church (Quakers) in the Pacific Northwest. Hobson’s lifelong determination to follow God continues to serve as a godly example inspiring us to likewise dedicate our lives to God’s kingdom purposes. "In a lively contemporary vernacular, Anderson tells how Hobson combined the roles of Quaker minister and enterprising farmer, both in Iowa and then in Oregon. Far from preachy, Anderson's book lets Hobson's story speak for itself--a story of faithfulness, endurance, hard work, and love." --Philip Smith, George Fox University "Julie Anderson's book on the life of William Hobson is well researched and documented, showing her familiarity with original correspondence, diaries, and other documents of the period. As such, it is not only an excellent biography but also an indirect history of the dramatic changes that occurred among Friends across the American continent in the nineteenth century." --Richard Sartwell, Portland Seminary "Anderson's biography of William Hobson traces the lively story of a religious and cultural conservative who embraced revivalism and social reform in the mid-nineteenth-century American West. His great contribution to Quaker history was founding the first officially recognized Friends Meeting west of the Rocky Mountains and contributing significantly to the growth of Newberg, Oregon, a regional network of Friends churches, and what is now George Fox University." --Ron Stansell, George Fox University, emeritus Julie M. Anderson lives in Newberg, Oregon with her husband and their two daughters. Julie serves as the Congregational Care Pastor at Newberg Friends Church and is a graduate of George Fox University. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, Bible study, writing, drawing, gardening, and researching Quaker history. Julie would love to travel back in time and enjoy the plain Friends experience. This is her first book.