HOFFMAN, Thomas L.

HOFFMAN, KING, MARTIN

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/2/2006 at 14:05:37

"Fairfield Ledger", March 27, 1901, Pg. 3, Col. 3

HE WAS SUDDENLY SUMMONED -- Thomas L. HOFFMAN, one of Fairfield's best known citizens, was stricken by death Friday afternoon about 4 o'clock.... Mr. HOFFMAN, as boy and man, had been a resident of this city for more than fifty years. He was a son of the late Philip HOFFMAN and was born in Huntingdon, Penn., Aug. 24, 1839. The family came to Fairfield in 1845. The son grew to manhood and received his education in the public schools and the Fairfield University. He entered the office of Slagle & Acheson as a law student late in the '50s and was admitted to the bar in 1861. But the breaking out of the Civil War changed the course of his life, and he enlisted in Company E, Second Iowa Infantry, the first company organized in Jefferson County for that conflict and the first regiment to go from the state. He was with his regiment at Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, and in all the great battles in which it participated, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ken., May 28th, 1864.

From 1865 to 1868, Mr. HOFFMAN made his home at Brownsville, Neb., or was mining and prospecting in the Rocky Mountains. June 10th of the latter year he was married in this city to Miss Ellen KING, who survives him. They have only one child, Mrs. L.T. MARTIN of Long Island, Kan....

After his return to this city he engaged in building and contracting more than in any other business, and superintended the erection of such structures as the Jefferson County Court House and the Jefferson County Library. He served as Justice of the Peace in this city for several years, and was postmaster under the Arthur administration and a most satisfactory official. Mr. H. had a fine military record, was a splendid citizen and a throughly honest and incorruptible man.... Was one of the original members of Gethsemane Commandery, Knights Templar, of this city, and his remains were interred according to the ritual of that order.

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