HOFFMAN, Thomas L. - 1890 Bio (1839-1901)

HOFFMAN, LEWIS, ANTHONY, MONTGOMERY, MORRISON, KING

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 8/10/2007 at 16:24:47

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 264-266

Thomas L. HOFFMAN, one of Fairfield's esteemed citizens, is a representative of one of the older famiies of this city. His parents, Philip and Margaret (LEWIS) HOFFMAN, locating in Jefferson County, in 1845, are numbered among its honored pioneers. Tracing the ancestry of the family back through several generations, we find that the great-grandfather of our subject, accompanied by a brother, emigrated to America prior to the Revolutionary War. He was a Presbyterian clergyman, and was the father of seven sons, the youngest of whom, Peter HOFFMAN, is the next in the line of direct descent. He married Barbara ANTHONY, who was a native of Maryland, although her ancestors came from near the border line of Switzerland and France. Peter HOFFMAN was a potter by trade, and lived to the age of sixty-two years, while his wife reached the age of sixty-four years. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the youngest and only one living, is the father of our subject.

Philip HOFFMAN first opened his eyes to the light of day in Lancaster, Pa., May 4, 1815. In his youth he was not surrounded by many advantages, his opportunities for securing an education were limited, and at the early age of fifteen years, he began learning the carpenter's trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. At the expiration of that time he commenced work as a journeyman in Detroit, Mich. In 1832, he was employed in Chicago, at that time a mere hamlet, where property could be obtained at a nominal price. Almost any where in Illinois he could get an acre of land for a day's work. As a carpenter on a boat, he went down the Mississippi River to New Orleans, but the cholera was prevailing, and he returned. Proceeding up the Ohio to Cincinnati, he went to Batavia, an inland town, hoping to escape the disease, but hardly had he reached the place, when the fatal plague broke out. On he went to Pittsburg, but the disease had become so prevalent in that city, that no one was allowed to stop, so he returned to Huntingdon. In that city, on the 16th of March, 1836, he wedded Margaret LEWIS, a native of Monmouthshire, England, born November 20, 1817. Her parents, John and Elizabeth LEWIS, spent their entire lives in the old country where her father engaged in merchandising. Miss LEWIS came to the United States when about fourteen years of age.

In 1845, accompanied by his wife, Mr. HOFFMAN reached Fairfield, where he worked at his trade of carpentering forty years. Many residences still stand as monuments of his industry, and a portion of the Leggett house was erected by him. Like his father he advocated the principles of the Whig party until the formation of the Republican party, when he espoused that cause, being still one of its adherents. His wife is a member of the Baptist Church. For the past fifteen years she has been afflicted with total blindness, but bears her affliction with Christian fortitude.

In the family of Philip and Margaret HOFFMAN were eight children, as follows: Dr. William, the eldest, practicing physician of Sigourney, Iowa, served nearly three years as surgeon in the Navy during the late war, and toward the close was made surgeon in charge of the squadron of the Tennessee; Thomas L. is the next younger; Isaac served nearly four years in the late war as a member of Company F, Third Iowa Cavalry; Isaiah, who was in the border service, died in his twenty-second year; Henrietta is the wife of J. A. MONTGOMERY; Emma is the wife of T. Y. MORRISON; Alice died when nineteen years of age; Margaret, the youngest, died in childhood.

We now come to the immediate history of the subject of this sketch, Thomas L. HOFFMAN, who has been prominently identified with the history of Fairfield, and her business interests. He was but six years of age at the time of the removal of his parents to this city, and hence his education was acquired in her public schools. He was born in Huntingdon, Pa., on the 24th of August, 1839, but memory takes in only his residence in his adopted State. His early education was supplemented by a course in the Fairfield University, of which he is a graduate, but prior to attending college and during his vacations, he worked at the plasterer's trade, and upon the completion of his collegiate course he entered the law office of Slagle & Acheson, being admitted to practice in the district courts early in 1861. He was not destined then to engage in practice, events were shaping themselves otherwise, and the time of the Civil War was drawing near. Hardly had he been admitted to the bar, before hostilities began, and twelve days after the firing upon Ft. Sumter, he enlisted in Company E, Second Iowa Infantry, his regiment being the first to leave the State for the scene of the conflict. He participated in the three noted battles, Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, and Corinth, besides many minor engagements, coming out unscathed, and after a faithful service of three years, was discharged in Louisville, Ky., May 28, 1864.

Immediately after being mustered out of service, Mr. HOFFMAN returned to his home, and in 1865 sought a location in the West. He settled in Brownville, Neb., where he was admitted to practice in the United States District Court. Meeting Charles D. McGuffy, son of the author of the school books bearing that name, together the two visited Salt Lake City, Arizona, Montana, Oregon, and British Columbia. Except in Montana, where he engaged in mining, Mr. HOFFMAN ran a pack train. In 1868, he returned to Fairfield, and for seven years carried on contracting and building. He then engaged in the insurance business, and held the office of Justice of the Peace for some years. In 1882, he was appointed by President Arthur, Postmaster of Fairfield, and continued to serve in that position for more than four years. Change of administration caused him to be superseded by an adherent of the party in power, and once more he turned his attention to contracting, having charge of the construction of some important works, including the wagon factory of Turner & Co., in which he also placed the machinery.

In Fairfield, on the 10th of June, 1868, a marriage ceremony united the destinies of Thomas L. HOFFMAN and Miss Ellen KING, who is a native of Chicago, Ill., and a daughter of Dr. J. E. KING. Unto them has been born one child, Ella. Socially, Mr. HOFFMAN is a Knight Templar Mason, and a member of the Eastern Star, to which his wife also belongs. Politically he is a Republican. His circle of friends and acquaintances in Jefferson County is large, and includes many who have been witnesses of his career from boyhood, which fact indicates that he has led a useful and respected life, and is now regarded as a worthy citizen.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.