HISTORY: Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia, Chapter 7, Hoffman, Dauphin County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/ http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/dauphin/runk/runk-bios.htm _______________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Containing Sketches of Representative Citizens, and Many of the Early Scotch-Irish and German Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Company, 1896, pages 116-118. _______________________________________________________________ 116 HISTORICAL REVIEW HOFFMAN FAMILY OF LYKENS VALLEY. I. Among the earliest settlers of the Wiconisco Valley was John Peter Hoffman, a native of Germany, born in 1709. With others of his family and friends he came to America in 1739, in the ship Robert and Alice, Capt. Walter Goodman, arriving at Philadelphia in September of that year. He first located in Berks county, where he worked at his trade, that of a carpenter. During the Indian troubles on the frontiers he served some time as a soldier in the Provincial forces. About the 1750 he came to the end of Short mountain in Lyken's Valley, where he built a small log house, just across the road from the present residence of Daniel Romberger. Sixty years ago this was used as a blacksmith shop. John Peter Hoffman was the contemporary of Andrew and John Lycans or Lykens, Ludwig Shott, John Rewalt, and others, and with them driven off by the Indians in their marauds of 1756. It was subsequent to this period that he brought his family to the valley. Here he followed farming, and died in 1798 at the age of eighty-nine years. His remains with those of his wife who had deceased previously were interred in the field near the present house on the old farm now owned by Mr. Romberger, before named. He left issue, among others: i. Catherine, m. Andrew Reigle, the head of a large family of that name in the "Upper End." They both reached the age of four score years. ii. Barbara, m. George Buffington, a soldier of the Revolution, and the head of the family of that name. iii. Elizabeth, m. Ludwig Sheetz, the head of the large family of that name. 2. iv. John, b. 1746; m. Miss Kauffman. 3. v. John-Nicholas, b. 1749; m. Margaret Harman. 4. vi. Christian, b. 1752; m. Miss Deibler. II. JOHN HOFFMAN (John-Peter), eldest son of John Peter Hoffman, was a native of Berks county, born in 1746. He served in the war of the Revolution, and commanded the Upper Paxtang company in its expedition up the West Branch in 1778, and participated in the battle at Muncy Hill. He resided near Hoffman's church, on the farm now owned by George Williard. He was a farmer, and served as a justice of the peace from 1771 until 1831, the year of his death. He and his wife, a Miss Kauffman, are buried in Hoffman's church graveyard. They had issue: i. Elizabeth, m. John Hoffman, a farmer. They resided near Hoffman's church, on the farm now owned by George Row. ii. Maria, m. Joseph Neagley, a farmer, who resided in the lower part of the valley. They had a large family, and lived to advanced ages. iii. Magdalena, m. Thomas Koppenheffer. He was a captain in Col. Timothy Green's battalion, and was at the battle of Long Island. Mrs. Koppenheffer lived to be over four score years of age. iv. Catharine, m. John Buffington, a farmer, who resided on the farm adjoining Robert Elder's, now owned by Jacob Hartman. Mr. Buffington was county commissioner from 1822 to 1824. v. Barbara, b. 1800; m. John N. Specht. She d. in 1879. 5. vi. John, m. Miss Deibler. vii. Jacob, married and removed to Schuylkill county, where some of his descendants yet reside. 6.viii. Daniel, m. Miss Snyder. III. JOHN NICHOLAS HOFFMAN (John-Peter), was born in Tulpehocken township, Berks county, in the year 1749. He settled on the farm now owned by Benjamin Richert, near Short mountain. He was the owner of a large tract of land, at present divided into a number of farms. He deeded land to the congregation of Hoffman's church, for church, school and burial purposes. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and participated in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. His life was an active, busy and useful one. He was married, April 22, 1772, by Pastor Kurtz, of the Lutheran church, to Margaret Harman, also a native of Berks county. They had issue: i. Catharine, b. 1775; m. Peter Shoffstall. They resided near Gratztown, and died at advanced ages, leaving a large family. ii. Susanna, m. Levi Buffington, a carpenter. He built the Hoffman church. iii. Sarah, m. Jonathan Snyder. They moved to Wayne county, Ohio, near Wooster, where they both lived to upwards of ninety years of age; their son Daniel resides there. DAUPHIN COUNTY. 117 iv. Margaret, m. Alexander Klinger, and removed to Crawford county, Pa. She died a few years ago at the age of 98. 7. v. Peter, b. September 22, 1778; m. Miss Lubold. vi. Elizabeth, b. 1780; d. in Sugar Valley, over 91 years of age; m. Jacob Hawk. 8. vii. Jacob, b. 1782; m. Catharine Ferree. 9.viii. Daniel, b. 1784; m. Hannah Ferree. 10. ix. Nicholas, b. 1790; m. 11. x. John, b. 1794; m. xi. George, b. 1798; resided in Gratztown; was appointed justice of the peace in 1834. IV. CHRISTIAN HOFFMAN (John-Peter), b. 1752; resided on the old homestead at the end of Short mountain. He died in Powell's Valley. He was a soldier of the Revolution and an active citizen in the "Upper End." He married Susannah Deibler, daughter of Albright Deibler, and died in Armstrong Valley at the age of 87. They had issue: i. Anna-Mary, m. John Pies, and left a large family. They resided at Sand Spring, in the upper end of Powell's Valley. ii. Susannah, m. Philip Shott, and had a large family. iii. Catharine, m. Jonathan Novinger; removed to Indiana. Cyrus Novinger, of Millersburg, is their son. 12. iv. John-B., b. 1790; m. Margaret Bowman. v. Jonas, was a farmer, and resided at the foot of Peter's mountain, where he died. vi. Peter, was a farmer; m. and resided near Fisherville, where he died, leaving a large family. vii. Christian, war a farmer; resided near Snyder's mill, Lykens Valley. viii. Daniel-G., b. 1795, was a farmer and resided near Fisherville; sixty years ago m. Susannah Harman, now 85 years of age; was a justice of the peace a long time, and held other offices. ix. Philip, b. about 1800; was justice of the peace for Jefferson township. V. JOHN HOFFMAN (John, John-Peter), resided near his father; was a farmer, and held the office of Justice of the peace until he received the appointment of steward of the county almshouse in 1824, a position he held until 1838 when he was elected register, serving until 1841; was the first local preacher in the valley, built the first fulling and carding mill in the Upper End, where Samuel Wolf now resides in Lykens township. He was married four times, his first wife being a Miss Deibler, sister to Daniel Deibler, Sr., and left a large family. VI. DANIEL HOFFMAN (John, John-Peter), m. Miss Snyder, and had one son, Daniel, Jr., a distinguished civil engineer, residing in Philadelphia. John R., a son of the latter, also a civil engineer in the employ of the Summit Branch railroad and Coal Company, resides at Pottsville. Daniel Hoffman, Sr., died young, in Lykens Valley, and his widow subsequently married John Hoke. VII. PETER HOFFMAN (John-Nicholas, John-Peter), was born on the 22d of September, 1778. He was a farmer and owned the farm now in the occupancy of William Hawk. He was a soldier of the war of 1812 and died in 1864, aged 86 years. He married Mollie Lubold, sister of Frederick Lubold. They are both buried in the Hoffman church graveyard. They had issue: i. Daniel, m. Miss Rissinger and removed to Crawford county, Pa., where his son Joshua now resides. Another son, Jonas, a carpenter, resides at Lykens. Daniel died a few years ago aged 73 years. ii. Jacob-Peter, was quite a politician and died a few years ago in Lykens, where his widow and children now reside. iii. John-Peter, b. in 1806; m. Elizabeth Umholtz, daughter of J. Philip Umholtz; was a farmer residing near Short mountain. Their son, Henry-B., resided at Millersburg, and John-P., in Powell's Valley. iv. Catharine, m. Daniel Reigle. Mr. Reigel was county commissioner, 1852-4. v. Elizabeth, m. Philip Keiser. Their son Daniel was a member of the Legislature, 1863-4. vi. Hannah, m. Samuel Thomas. VIII. JACOB HOFFMAN (John-Nicholas, John-Peter), b. in 1782, purchased his father's farm. He was a well-informed farmer, and was exceedingly popular. He filled several local offices, and in 1833 and 1834 served in the Legislature. He was quite prominent in 118 HISTORICAL REVIEW the church, and a zealous Christian. He married Catharine Ferree. They had issue: i. Amos, b. 1809; m. Amanda, daughter of the late Gen. Thomas Harper; was for a number of years steward of the almshouse, and resided at Berrysburg. At one time he had five sons in the Union army, Col. Thomas-W., Capt. Jacob-F., John-H., Edwin-A., and Henry. ii. Jacob-b., resided near Williamstown. iii. Hannah, m. John Romberger. iv. Sarah, m. Michael Forney. v. Catharine, m. Abram Hess. IX. DANIEL HOFFMAN (John-Nicholas, John-Peter), was born in 1784; was a farmer, and served in the war of 1812. He died in 1830 at the age of 46 years. He married Hannah Ferree, and had issue: i. David, was a merchant and justice of the peace. He died and is buried at Berrysburg. His son, Danel-C., became superintendent of a Kentucky and Tennessee railroad, and died of yellow fever in 1878 at Louisville, Ky. ii. Jacob-D., was a county commissioner and twice sheriff; resided at Harrisburg; of his family Isaac-W. is agent of the Northern Central railway at Millersburg; Adam, United States postal route agent; George-E., d. 1888; Ada, m. M. Wilson McAlarney, an attorney-at-law, postmaster at Harrisburg 1874 - 1886, now editor Daily Telegraph; Elmira, m. Joseph C. McAlarney, a lawyer, of Harrisburg; Rebecca, and Sarah. iii. Daniel, is a miner and resides at Lykens. iv. Joseph, resided at Hummelstown. v. Hannah, m. Isaac Uhler, a miller. vi. Elmira, m. John S. Musser, who was county commissioner 1860-62; resided at Millersburg. X. NICHOLAS HOFFMAN (John-Nicholas, John-Peter), was born in 1790 - a farmer, and served in the war of 1812. He died in 1874 at the age of eighty-four. He had issue: i. John-Nicholas, was director of the poor; resided in Washington township. ii. Isaac, was county commissioner 1867-70. iii. Sarah, m. _____ Sheaffer; their daughter Mary married William B. Meetch, former register of the county. iv. James, resided on the old homestead. XI. JOHN HOFFMAN (John-Nicholas, John-Peter), b. in 1794, was a soldier in the war of 1812; a tailor by trade, and resided near Berrysburg, where he died. He left a large family. George, Daniel and Henry Katterman, severally, married daughters of John Hoffman. XII. JOHN B. HOFFMAN (Christian, John-Peter), b. in 1790; was a blacksmith by trade; served in the war of 1812, in which he was promoted a lieutenant colonel. He filled a number of responsible official positions, and died in 1875, aged eighty-five years. He married Margaret Bowman and left a large family, most of whom reside in Powell's Valley.