Sparteye - BIG congrats on an impeccable piece of research.

re: "My grandmother told me that hoboes were common during the Great Depression.."

So too here in Oztraya - only they were referred to as "susso(s)" and "reffo(s)". I recall the reasons for this being explained by my grandparents and in the novel "My Brother Jack" by George Johnston. No doubt somebody will know the correct reasons, but it was something like: "susso" referred to those who'd work for food (sustenance) and those who wandered from place to place to do this were reffoes (refugees).

These provide yet another example of Ozzies adding a trailing vowel - because we can!! There's also: "ambo" for an amulance driver, "garbo" for garbage collector, Shaneo - Shane, Campo - the legendary David Campesi (known to all Rugby devotees - but nobody else). Just to be different, Fire Fighters aren't "firoes", they're "fieries". Confusing innit?

stales