Brown County MN Archives Biographies.....Hofmeister, Joseph C. 1867 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mn/mnfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 27, 2014, 1:37 pm Source: See Below Author: L. A. Fritsche PROF. JOSEPH C. HOFMEISTER. Prof. Joseph C. Hofmeister, well-known teacher of instrumental music and leader of the Second Regiment Band, Minnesota National Guard, at New Ulm, is a Bohemian by birth, having been born near the city of Egar, in Bohemia, March 29, 1867, son of Ignatz and Maria (Keim) Hofmeister, natives of Bohemia, who later became well-known residents of New Ulm, in this county, where their last days were spent. Ignatz Hofmeister was the first-born child and only son of his parents, he having had a sister, Theresa. His father was an official of the Bohemian government and was killed while in the performance of his official duties. Ignatz Hofmeister received an excellent education in his native land and became an efficient building contractor. There he married Maria Keim, daughter of a peasant farmer, and second in order of birth of the five children born to her parents, the others being Joseph, who died a resident of this county, he having been a well-to-do farmer of the Sleepy Eye neighborhood; Magdalina, now living in New Ulm, widow of John Eckstein; Catherine, widow of Wenzel Tauer, and Peter, who is an important citizen of the city of Vienna, capital of Austria. In 1885 Ignatz Hofmeister and his wife came to the United States, three of his sons and a few others of his kindred having preceded them here, and settled in New Ulm, where he became actively connected with the building trades and where he and his wife spent the rest of their lives, his death occurring two years after that of his wife. Both were devoted members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were seven of these children, all sons as follow: Franz, of Neuheisel, Bohemia; Joseph C., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Andrew, deceased; George, of New Ulm; John, also of New Ulm, and two who died in youth. Joseph C. Hofmeister was but fourteen years of age when he came to the United States in 1881. Upon arriving on the shores of this country he proceeded immediately to this county and joined kinsfolk who were farming in Milford township, and there he made his home for six years, working on the farm and completing his common-school education. In the schools of his native land he had acquired an excellent elementary education and had given particular attention to the study of music, which he had followed closely for three years under competent masters. He did not neglect his music upon coming here and when twenty years old left the farm and located in New Ulm, where he devoted himself assiduously to the further study of his favorite theme and became a very able musician, presently beginning the teaching of music, particularly instructions in the technique of the violin and wind instruments, it not being long until he was recognized as one of the ablest music masters in this part of the state, a prestige which he ever since has maintained. For nearly twenty years he has been the leader of bands in New Ulm and is now the leader of the famous Second Regiment Band, Minnesota National Guard, a musical organization consisting of thirty-six members and ranking second to none in the state. In addition to his duties as leader of the band, Professor Hofmeister has a large class of pupils and is a very busy as well as a very popular teacher. On April 25, 1892, Prof. Joseph C. Hofmeister was united in marriage at New Ulm to Anna Manderfeld, daughter of Anton and Anna (Holm) Manderfeld, a history of which family in this county is presented elsewhere in this volume in the sketch relating to Carl Manderfeld, and to this union four children were born, namely: Josephine, who after graduating from the New Ulm high school took a course in the normal school and taught school for three years, later marrying Albert Hacker, of Lafayette township, Nicollet county; Ella, who died in infancy; Hayden, who is taking a commercial course at New Ulm, and Frank, who is a student in high school. The mother of these children died on August 25, 1900, and on September 30, 1902, Professor Hofmeister married, secondly, Mary Hackel, daughter of Wenzlar and Anna Hackel, and to this union six children have been born, Louis, Walter, Peter, Hugo, Otto and Theodore. Mrs. Hofmeister was born in Bohemia and came to this country, locating in New Ulm, when a young girl. Her mother later joined her here and is now making her home with her, the father having died in the old country. Grandfather Hackel was a musician of note in Bohemia, as were all his children, and all held government positions there save Wenzlar, who was city clerk of Neurn, Bohemia. Professor and Mrs. Hofmeister take an active interest in the general social and cultural life of their home town and are held in high regard by all hereabout. Haydn, Frank and Louis Hofmeister are also enlisted in the Second Regiment Band as musicians. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY MINNESOTA ITS PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS L. A. FRITSCHE. M. D. Editor With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families VOLUME II B. F. BOWEN & COMPANY, Inc. Indianapolis, Indiana File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/brown/bios/hofmeist500gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mnfiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb