Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Hoffman, L. Hawley May 20, 1884 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com May 25, 2007, 3:00 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     L. HAWLEY HOFFMAN.  One of the leading building contractors in Portland 
is L. Hawley Hoffman, who has erected a number of the large and important 
structures in this city and has gained an enviable reputation as an able and 
reliable business man.   He was born in this city on the 20th of May, 1884, 
and is a son of Lee and Julia E. (Christensen) Hoffman, who came to Portland 
in an early day, the father coming here as superintendent of the building of 
the first Morrison street bridge. He was a widely known bridge builder, having 
supervised the construction of many of the largest railroad bridges through 
the northwest, as well as the Bull Run pipe line. He died in 1895 and is 
survived by his widow, who still resides in this city.
     L. H. Hoffman completed the course of the Portland public schools, 
graduating from high school, and then entered Harvard University, from which 
he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1906. On his return to 
Portland, he took up architecture in the office of Whitehouse & Honeyman, and 
later was with Whitehouse & Fouilhoux, of which firm he became a member in 
1913, maintaining that association until 1917. He then entered the employ of 
the Warren Spruce Company as right of way man, following that work until 1919, 
in which year he engaged in the contracting business. The success which 
quickly came to him proved the wisdom of the move and during the subsequent 
years he has attained a front place in the ranks of the important contracting 
firms of this city. Among the buildings erected by him are Terminal Sales 
building, the Public Service building, the New Heathman hotel, the Portland 
theater, the Pacific Properties garage, the Wentworth Irwin building and many 
other office and factory buildings. Some idea of the extent of his operations 
may be gained from the statement that in 1926 he erected twelve large 
apartment buildings and in 1927 built twelve factory buildings. He employs 
over four hundred men and his monthly payroll averages thirty thousand dollars.
     In 1910 Mr. Hoffman was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Couch Burns, 
of Portland, a daughter of Walter J. Burns. Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman have four 
children, Elizabeth, Lee, Burns and Eric. The republican party claims Mr. 
Hoffman’s allegiance and he is a member of the Arlington Club, the University 
Club, the Waverley Club and the Multnomah Club, as well as the Chamber of 
Commerce. He has prospered in his material affairs and is a director and 
president of the Pacific Properties Company, a director and vice-president of 
the Wauna Land Company and a director of the Northwestern Electric Company. 
His career has been characterized by integrity and honor in every relation and 
in the city where he has spent his life he commands the highest measure of 
confidence and esteem. 


Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Pages 314-315

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