Where did the word "hobo" come from?
by Frank Turner with editorial comment
Frank Turner of Van Buren shares the following: "The word "hobo" came as a result of those who rode from town to town in freight cars. Originally there were many cottonfields in the area. In order to get a job when they arrived at a new town, hoboes had to carry their own hoe."
Editor's Note: In 1951 and 1952, the creator of River Valley Web lived with her parents by the tracks in Palestine, Arkansas (near Forrest City). We often had hoboes come to our door. Mother never appeared fearful of them, and she never turned one away. However she never invited them in the house either.
She would answer the door with me behind her skirt tails. They would inevitably ask for something to eat. Having just gotten off the train, they were hungry for another meal.
Mother would say, "Ok, just a minute," and lock the door while they waited outside. She would go to the kitchen and gather whatever was available, open the door, and give it to the hobo. The hoboes always thanked her, and were courteous and respectful.
I did a little research on the net and couldn't find anything to support Frank's statement about the hoe. But I do remember that some of them carried a knapsack on the end of a long stick over their shoulder. No doubt the long stick was a hoe!
It's been said that "A Hobo is a person that travels to work. A tramp is a person that travels and won't work. A bum is a person that will neither travel or work."
 -- LST
| 
