Smith-Hobson, LLC is a family owned land management company established in 1865 by William Dewey “W.D.” Hobson. He is known as the “Father of Ventura County” for his efforts in the legislature which separated Ventura County from Santa Barbara County in 1873. W.D.’s interests and influence grew and soon he and his wife, Isabel, had a successful building and real estate business, beef packinghouse (current Patagonia building) and retail butcher shops. Two of their 10 children, Abe and Will, shared the same entrepreneurial spirit and took over W.D.’s businesses. Abe and Will Hobson’s children and future generations would expand beyond the cattle and real estate business to horses, orchards, coffee, vinegars, exotic fruit and vineyards.

In 1960, Rodney H. Smith, grandson of Abe Hobson took over the Hobson family business. He relocated the company from the beef packinghouse facility in 1963 to a new office in downtown Ventura. Smith-Hobson is the corporate office of numerous family owned companies. The entrepreneurial spirit of W.D., Abe, and Will, their reputation of honesty and integrity, their community involvement, and their long range vision of building something not only for themselves but the future generations makes this a very special diverse company.