Notes:

Ben worked for Swift Packing Co., St. Louis, for a number of years and in later years for beehler Steel co. He died suddenly at work.

BENJAMIN married DRAKE STELLA B. on 4 Apr 1915. STELLA was born on 22 May 1894 in Of Charleston, Illinois. [Group Sheet]

1. Living

Notes:

William Frederick Hohman (partial article) 1979 Washington County History book.
Henry came from Seidinghausen in Northwestern Germany as a young man, having been baptized in a very old church whose foundation stones go back to the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century.
The Hohmans were farmers and shoemakers. The shoe business was continued in Nashville for three generations by Henry, son William, grandson Howard.
. . .
At time of death William Hohman was president of Turst Building and Loan and in show business with son Howard. Was a member of St. Paul U.C.C. and held various offices.
By: Ruth Hohman

Henry was born in the little village, named Siedinghausen, near Minden, in Westphalia in northwestern Germany and went to church and was baptized in a very old church (tradition has it that the church and possibly a few of its aactual foundation stones go back to the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century). It is definitely "Charlemagne territory" and lovely countryside, with rolling hills, quaint old barns and wooden painted statues of saints under the gables and a famous "kaisers denkmal", or statue on a river bend nearby, called Bergkirchen. Both Siedinghausen and Bergkirchen are really only crossroads, with Minden, for which our New Minden in Washington Co. was named, the nearest fairly large town (by 1969, it had grown to about 50,000).
The description of this area was given me by Elmo Hohman, who visited there in 1929 and again in 1958. He found the actual house where Henry lived still standing and occupied by the widow of a distant cousin named Hohman.
The Hohmans were combined farmers and shoemakers and teh shoe business was carried on in Nashville for three generations - by Henry - his son, William and William's son Howard.
Next to the church at Bergkirchen, which is very old and interesting is a cemetery which contains many names of families now living around Nashville, who are their descendants.
Henry left Germany in the 1850's, sailing from Bremen in a sailing boat to New Orleans - then up the Mississippi by river boat and on to Nashville, Illinois. He left Germany as a young man, in order to escape army duty, which was required of all young men when they reached a certain age. After arriving in America, it was said that his conscience bothered him, so he enlisted in the army here during the Civil War. He was a member of the 49th Infanatry Regiment. He was one of 8 brothers and sisters who eventually came to the U.S.
Henry's obituary said he died after a long illness (believed to have been cancer), at the age of 59. To quote from the obituary which appeared in a Nashville German newspaper, "The deceased was a good citizen, good Christian, good husband, good father, member of the church and many years Council Member of St. Paul's Evangelical Church.

ERNST married HOFFMAN CAROLINE WILHEMINE on 17 May 1866. CAROLINE (daughter of HOFFMANN JOHANN ERNST and HOFFMAN SOPHIE MARIA JUSTINA KATHARINA) was born on 7 Sep 1848 in farm sw of Nashville, IL; died on 25 Dec 1901. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Caroline, who was teh fourth child born to Catherine and John E., was, according to her pictures and those who knew her, a very pretty young lady. She was born and grew up on a farm southwest of Nashville, She was an invalid the last ten years of her life, having suffered a stroke which left her paralyzed.

Notes:

John Ernst Hoffman - b. Aug. 12, 1808 - d. March 11, 1862 - m. March 8, 1836 Magdaline Bruners - b. in Wuertemberg, Germany - d. May 9, 1939 in Lancaster, Ohio. 2 children - John Peter - William Alexander. John Ernst was born in Rothenufeln, near Minden, in the province of Westphalia in northern Germany. St. Paul's Evangelical Church records, Nashville, IL revealthat he came to the U.S. in 1832 and settled in Lancaster, Ohio.

2nd marriage on June 24, 1839 was to Catherine (also Hoffman) - no relation of Erdmannhausen, Wuertemberg in southern Germany. they were married in Lancaster, Ohio. They had 10 children.

Marriage records in the library of Fairfield Co. (Lancaster) Ohio give the date of marriage of John Hoffman to Magdaline Bruners as March 8, 1836. St. Paul's Evangelical Church records, Nashville, Illinois coroborate this, adding that she was from Wuertemberg, Germany and died May 9, 1939 in Lancaster. John and Magdaline were the parents of two sons, John Peter - born January 13, 1837 and William Alexander - born December 29, 1837.

About a month after Magdaline's death, he married Catherine, also Hoffman, whose full name as provided by the family tree from Erdmannhausen, Germany, was, Maria Justina Katharina.

Records kept by members of the family indicate that John E. and Catherine together with John's two little boys came to Washington Co., Illinois in 1840. Land grant records of Washington Co. Historical Museum show that he purchased farm land from the federal gov't on December 30, 1839 for $1.25 an acre. the gov't had passed a law in 1820 making this possible - with the stipulation that all sales must be cash.

This farm, now owned by the Albert Schorfhiede's is southwest of Nashville. I had until recently, believed that it was here that their 10 children were born. Records of St. John's Lutheran Church, New Minden, with their very earliest family groupings list Frederick, Anna, and Elisabeth as being born at New
Earliest records of St. John's New Minden list as charter members in 1846 Fred, John, and William Hoffman. John had the privilege of being a charter member of two churches - St. John's, New Minden in 1846 and St. Paul's Evangelical Nashville in 1854. In early years, the family also attended the Nashville Prairie Ev. Church (I have been told it was also called St. Luke's). In 1854, when St. Paul's was founded, records indicate he was one of the organizers - charter member and elected elder for 4 years.

Several cousins have visited Germany and brought back information about Catherine and her family. In addition, Catherine's daughter, Sarah who lived to be 88, was able to tell much about the family.

Catherine was born June 16, 1818 in Erdmannhausen, a small village near Stuttgart in Wuertemberg in southern Germany, in a section known as Swabia. Sarah said her mother was always homesick for Swabia and spoke frequently of being in "scho" nen (beautiful) Schwabenland".

Elmo Hohman, who visited this area said this was understandable, for Erdmannhausen is a beautiful country, consisting of high hills or small mountains, representing the outlying foothills of the Swiss and Bavarian Alps. In 1958, on one of Elmo's visits to the church and parsonage, the minister got out the early books and pointed out the actual entry of the date when Catherine, together with her parents, Johannes and Eva (nee Pommer) and her brothers and sisters emigrated to the U.S. This was in 1832 - the year after the birth and death of her youngest sister - Maria Dorothea.

They settled in Lancaster, Ohio, having come by sailing ship from Bremen, Germany to Philadelphia, and then by wagon to Lancaster. A ciary tells of Hoffmans landing in Philadelphia on a Christmas morning with Church bells ringing, after a sailing voyage of many weeks. We are not sure just which Hoffmans this was. Some 20 or more years ago when a cousin stopped at Lancaster to attend a family reunion, which for a number of years were held yearly, he found well over 100 Hoffmans - descendants of these Hoffmans. One, David, at that time was manager of Wiseman Dept. Store there. In spite of repeated efforts, I have learned very little about Catherine's brothers and sisters and double cousins and their families, many of whom, I believe, have remained in the Lancaster area. At least we know Catherine was the only one of her immediate family to come to Washington Co. as her daughter Sarah, in a letter to her nephew, George, wrote that her mother was the only one of the family to come here. Marriage and death records in Lancaster, have provided a little help. I ahve also learned that some are buried in the old Myers Cemetery, east of Lancaster in Berne Township. Included among these are a Johannes Hoffman - b. July 13, 1791 - d. Apr. 16, 1872 and wife Eva - b. 1795 d. July 20, 1876 - we believe these to be the same John and Eva who are Catherine's parents - also Johann Georg - b. Dec. 17, 1814 - d. Sept. 23, 1893 - Johann Fredrich - b. March 1816 - d. 1894 and Eva Magdalen Hoffman Sutter and John J. Sutter. Lutheran Minister - sons one 2 years old (no name on tombstone - at least not legible) d. Oct. 4, 1867 - and one 4 years old d. Oct 5, 1867. We have learned that the Sutters were the parents of at least 2 more children through family notes - they were Anna and Emma - last address Bellvue, Ohio. Eva was born Jan. 20, 1829 - m. Dec. 19, 1853 - no date of d.

The Lutheran Church in Erdmannhausen that Catherine attended as a girl has a baptismal font that dates back to 1494 and in 1969, when visited by Harold Hohman, had a membership of 2300.

Lancaster, Ohio, the Hoffmans first home in America, had been founded abnout 1800, by Co. Ebenezer Zane, famous merchant, trailblazer, prioneer and soldier of Wheeling. It was called New Lancaster at the request of Emanuel Carpenter, who came from Lancaster, Penn., as did many of the predominately early settlers.

Thanks to a cousin, Harold Hohman, who brought back a family tree from Erdmannhausen in 1969, we can trace Catherine's family back to 1662. I am including this tree as given to me, only translated into English.

On page 10 is a photostatic copy of the record of naturalization of John Hoffman, as it appears in Court Journal 13, page 129, dated the 8th day of Sept., 1838. I am very grateful to Elmer Hoffman of Washington D.C., a distant cousin, for securing this and sending it to me.
The above from "Hoffmans 1662 - 1972"
Compiled by Bernice Reinhardt

JOHANN married HOFFMAN SOPHIE MARIA JUSTINA KATHARINA on 24 Jun 1839 in Lancaster, Ohio. SOPHIE (daughter of HOFFMAN JOHANNES (HOFMAN) and POMMER EVA) was born on 15 Jun 1818 in Erdmannhausen in Kingdom of Wuertemberg, Swabia (southern Germany); died on 5 Oct 1874. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

John Fred William Hoffmann purchased 55 acres for his son carl but he died shortly after coming to America.

This land then was donated to St. John's on the day of its charter, November 8, 1846. Deeds for the land are dated August 23, 1847 (10 acres on the west side), and March 5, 1862 (the other 45 1/2 acres). Most of this land is still owned by the Congregation today; the buldings are situated on the ten acres to the west.

Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann was born Feb. 9, 1785, at Rothenufeln, in the Province of Westphalia, in Northern Germany. He was the only son of Johann Ernst Hoffmann and Anne Marie Christine (nee Blasen) Hoffmann. On June 18, 1803, he was married to Anne Marie Engel, who was born March 3, 1784 at Luttern, Bauerschaft, Haddenhausen, Germany. The groom was 18 years old at the time of their marriage and the bride 19.

They were the parents of ten children -all born in Rothenufeln.
They are: Johann Heinrich - Johann Friedrich Wilhelm - Johann ernst - Marie Christine - Sophie Marie Elisabeth - Friedrich Wilhelm - Marie Christine Louise - Christian Friedrich Wilhelm - Anne Marie Louise - Christian Carl Ludwig.

In 1838 a number of families from the Minden area left Germany and came to the United States. The leaders of this group, according to the obituary of Fred Ellerbusch, now in the possession of Miss Sarah Grefe, were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoffman, who already had two sons who had settled in America - one in New York (have no further information on this) - and one in Lancaster, Ohio.

The later was probably John E. as we have a copy of his naturalization paprs dated 1838 - record of his marriage in Lancaster in 1836 in addition to other things. Also know Frederick was married in Lancaster in 1839 so he also could have been there.

In the group was Fred Ellerbusch, the Herman Collmeyers and others. It is said the group stopped first in Lancaster, but upon hearing of cheap land in Washington Co., Illinois, decided in 1840 to move on. they traveled by covered wagon and got as far as Carlyle, Illinois, when they had to stop so Mrs. Herman Collmeyer, daughter of Fred Hoffman, could give birth to their first child, a daughter - Louise. After a delay of three weeks they moved on to Washington Co. and settled south of what is now New Minden.

Fred Ellerbusch had been a carpenter in Germany and when he settled in America, used this talent to build all the log cabins in the area. In one of these homes, believed to have been occupied originally by the Fred Hoffman's, now owned by the Carl Krughoff's, one can still see the log cabin, although the wall is now about 1 foot thick, having had several layers of other materials put around it over the years.

The Hoffman's and their descendants apparently acquired much farm land between New Minden and Nashville, as well as some north and west. this is not surprising as our Historical Museum shows much of it was purchased from the Federal Government for $1.25 an acre in 1840.

Herman Collmeyer had a farm for each of his 3 sons - 1 - the Melvin Collmeyer farm is now owned by the 4th generation Collmeyer. the other 2, which are adjoining are owned by Theodore Grefe, whose wife was a descendant, and the one to the north of it, now owned by Harold Reuter was until a few years ago, owned by Collmeyers. Across the highway from the Melvin Collmeyer farm is what was originally the Frederick Hoffman farm - now the Walter Nieman farm - also a Collmeyer descendant. Farms to the north and west are still owned by descendants of William Hoffman. To the northeast is the farm once owned by Frederick Hoffman and his wife Anne (my great-great grandparents.)

The meeting to organize a church and find a name for their new settlement was held on what is now the Melvin Collmeyer farm, November 8, 1846. The name chosen for the settlement was New Minden and St. John's Ev. Lutheran Church of New Minden came into being. Fred Hoffman Sr. donated a tract of land - said to be 55 acres to the congregation for a church and other buildings and a "burying ground". The deed is dated Aug. 23, 1847. I have been told this land was purchased for Fred's son, Carl, who had died at the age of 19 in 1846. this is Christian Carl Ludwig Hoffman who is buried on what is now the Carl Krughoff farm. Mrs. C. Krughoff remembers that there were at least two other grames there - probably the boys parents - Fred and Anne (nee Engel) Hoffman. Although we have searched - have not been able to locate these graves.

Following is the record of the deed of the property to St. John's. Since it is impossible to get a photostatic copy of this deed, I have tried to copy it and the sworn statement that the Hoffmans gave the ground willingly, exactly as it appears in Deed Record Washington Co., Book E, PP.436, as to wording, spelling, capital letters etc. Apparently Anne Marie could not read or write English as it has her mark.

Deed Record Washington County Book E page 436

This Indenture made and entered into this twenty third day of August in the year of OurLord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven by and between Fredrick William Hoffman Mary Engel Hoffman his wife of the County of Washington and State of Illinois of the first part and Frederick Hoffman Hiram Collmeier and William Hoffman Trustees of The Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Church in Minden Settlement, Washington County in the State of Illinois of the Second part witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in Consideration of their attachment to Said church and their ardent desire for it's prosperity have given donated transferred and conveyed and by these present doth give donate convey and firever Confirm unto the Said party of the Second part ten acres off from the west side of the following tract or parcel of Land to wit the South west quarter of the North west quarter of Section Eighteen in Township one South of Range two west laying in Washington County and State of Illinois to be held by the Said Trustees and their Successors forever to the use and for the benefit of Said Church and a part to be used as a burying ground and the remainder of Said tract of Land after taking off the said ten acres the Said first party doth hereby give donate Convey Confirm unto the Said party the second part to be held by the Said Trustee and their Successors to the use and for the benefit of Said Church for School purposes the Said first party forever reserving unto themselves their heirs and assigns forever all the Stone or rock in or upon the whole Said tract of Land.
In witness whereof we the Said party of the first part hereunto set our hands and Seals the day of year above written.

Frederick W. Hoffman (Seal)
Anna X (her mark) Maria Engel Hoffman (Seal)

Atteste
Joseph Wells

State of Illinois
Washington County

Be it remembered that on this twenty third day of August A.D. 1847 personally come before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace within and for Said County Frederick William Hoffman and Mary Engel Hoffman his wife who are personally known to me to be the persons described in the above deed as having Executed the same who acknowledged the above deed to be their free and Voluntary act for uses and purposes therein mentioned and Mary Engel Hoffman wife of aforesaid being examined Separate and apart from her Said husband and the Contents and meaning of Said deed being fully explained to her acknowledged that She Signed the Same and relinquished her right of dower to the land described in Said deed freely and Voluntarily and without fear or Compulsion of her said husband. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above in written.

Joseph Wells (Seal)


Above information from "Hoffmans 1662 - 1972"
Compiled by Bernice Reinhardt

The names and dates of birth of the children of Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffman and his wife, - nee Engel - were provided by Pastor Muller of Bergkirchen, Germany and taken from that church's records.

JOHANN married ENGEL ANNE MARIA on 18 Jun 1803. ANNE was born on 3 Mar 1784 in Luddern, Bauerschaft, Haddenhausen. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

The whole family migrated to North America on April 24, 1832.
From "Hoffmans 1662 - 1972"
Compiled by Bernice Reinhardt

JOHANNES married POMMER EVA on 26 Apr 1814 in Erdmannhausen, Germany. EVA (daughter of POMMER KASPAR) was born in 1795; died on 20 Jul 1876 in Lancaster, Berne Twp., Ohio. [Group Sheet]