Hoffmayr, John C.

HOFFMAYR

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/16/2019 at 15:52:54

John C. Hoffmayr

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.338)
CITY ROLLER MILLS of Council Bluffs were erected in 1856 by Mr. JACKSON and was then known as the City Mills. It was the largest mill in the west at that time, having a capacity of ninety barrels a day. It has changed hands a number of times and is now in the possession of J.C. HOFFMAYR & CO. The capacity has been increased to 150 barrels a day, the roller system with Hungarian process being introduced in November 1882 under the direction of its present owner. The original mill was but three stories high; it is now four stories high and there are added an iron clad elevator, warerooms, etc., with a storage capacity of 1,500 barrels of flour and 10,000 bushels of wheat. The Brands of flour manufactured here are Fany Patent, White Loaf, Early Riser and Rough Diamond.

Julius C. HOFFMAYR was born in the eastern part of Prussia, February 17, 1834, the son of Charles J. and Emma (VON TRESKOW) HOFFMAYR. Both the parents are deceased. He was educated at home by private tutors until the age of ten years; then he attended schools in Frankfurt until his 14th year, when he entered the machine shop of Stoeckart & Co. at Landsberg, one year, and the locomotive works at Borsig, the largest works of the kind in that country, at Berlin. He was there six months. At the age of 16 years, he was employed by the Berlin & Stettin Railroad, learning the art of running locomotives; was also employed in the drafting office of the company six months. He then passed examination as locomotive engineer and was employed on the eastern division of the Government railroad system, between Berlin and St. Petersburg; was also employed in the location and erection of the railroad bridges over the delta of the Vistula River at Dirschau and Marienburg and surverying and locating the railroad to Koenigsberg. On the completion of the road to Koenigsberg, he was given control of the first engine over the road; and at the age of 17 years, a few days after that appointment, he was given the first train, the inauguration train, with the King of Prussia on board, who opened the road. After this he entered the Polytechnic School at Frankfurt; next the Royal Polytechnic Institute at Berlin; next in his 19th year he was sent by the Government to Manchester, England, and worked in the large locomotive works of Sharp Brothers, to gain a knowledge of the construction of the same by English makers. In a few months he was placed in the engineer corps of the Royal Navy and cruised along the Mediterranean coast subduing pirates on the north African coast and around Cape of Good Hope to the east Indies, when he returned home. His father then presented him a steam flouring and saw mill, which he operated some nine months, when in June 1855, he came to America, with the chief engineer of the eastern division of the Prussian railroads, Charles SEEGER, landing at St. Mary’s, Mills County, Iowa. He assisted him and erected mills in the timbered lands of the company, and attended to their management until Mr. Seeger’s return.

In 1857 he returned to Prussia, spent a year there, was married and in 1858 came again to this country, stopping at St. Mary’s, Mills County, Iowa. The mills which he had built before his departure for Europe had been sold to Colonel Peter A. SARPY, the old fur trader of the American Fur Company, and Mr. HOFFMAYR managed the mills for him. In 1859 he removed the mill to the left bank of the Missouri River, opposite Plattsmouth, Nebraska. At that period, 1855, the Indians, Pawnee and Omaha tribes, lived and were abundant in the vicinity. In 1867 while on the plans with the Pawnee scouts, he was made an honorary member of the Pawnee tribe and named Co-ka-tits-ta-kah. In 1862 he came to Council Bluffs where he took charge of the City Mills for OFFICER & PUSEY, for six months, then in 1863 he assumed full control, which he maintained until 1865, when he sold to Hon. J.T. BALDWIN and visited Europe again, returning the same year to Council Bluffs. In 1870 he bought back the city mills and ran it alone until 1882, when he took as partner Hon. J. T. BALDWIN, with whom he was associated until the death of the latter. Its present owner, Mr. HOFFMAYR, is the oldest miller in this part of the west, that is, has been the longest in the service, and is feeding the hungry yet.

Politically he is independent, but acting mostly with the Democratic party. He is an old member of Bluff City Lodge, No. 71, AF&AM, of Star Chapter No. 48, and of Ivanhoe Commandery, No. 17, K.T. and P.E. Commander, and as such a life member of the Grand Commandery of the State of Iowa. He is also a member of the Council Bluffs Rifle and Council Bluffs Gun Clubs. He won the state championship honors and the best aggregate score in all matches at the state tournament of the State Association for the Protection of Fish and Game, of 1880, held at Des Moines. He was the first president of the Turn Verein of Council Bluffs in 1863. During the war, in 1864, Gov. W.M. STONE called out three regiments of state troops to protect the southern border of the state, and commissioned him 1st Lieutenant of Company A, 1st Regiment, on April 1, 1865, he was promosed and commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the same regiment the late Colonel W.F. SAPP commanding the same.

While on a visit to his native country, on the 21st of April 1858, he married Miss Antonia WOLFRAM, who died at Council Bluffs, July 8, 1876, leaving three children: Ellen H., who died July 23, 1876, and Harry J. and Arthur T., both now residing in Council Bluffs. He was married again February 7, 1878, to Miss Clara TZSCHUCK, daughter of Hon. Bruno TZSCHUCK, ex-Secretary of the State of Nebraska. She was born in St. Mary’s, Mills County, Iowa, and died February 8, 1883, leaving one child, Julia May.