John Hoffman (abt. 1808 - 1878)

Born about 1808 in Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Caroline (Sauers) Hoffman — married about 1830 in Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Died 21 Feb 1878 at about age 70 in Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joachim Hawn [send private message]

Biography

JOHN HOFFMAN

The following references are those mentions preceding the HOFFMAN Genealogy as they are part of other subject's primary information. The page and principal as named will be shown...

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF WATERLOO....Page 68

One of these companies consisted of Peter Weber and family, Widow Wenger, mother of the late Isaac Wenger of Ayton, Grey County, Ontario, Daniel Levan, Samuel Hurst, Michael Eby, JOHN HOFFMAN, and others who settled in the neighborhood of Dundas. This company left on the 3rd day of May and arrived at Waterloo on the 24th of the same month. JOHN HOFFMAN was then a boy not quite 17 years of age and all the wealth he then had consisted, besides his clothing, of " twenty-five cents." He learned the carpenter trade with Samuel Bowers who came here the same year as HOFFMAN

Page 174...BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF WATERLOO

562-IV HENRY BAUMANN, son of Martin and Magdalena (Baer) Baumann, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, October 10th, 1805, and came to Waterloo County with his mother when a young man. She resided at Bloomingdale. On September 8th, 1828, he was married to Judith, daughter of Christian and Magdalena ( Weber) Baumann. She was born in Waterloo County, April Ist, 1805, and died November Ist, 1866. He died August 16th, 1874.

They resided in the town of Berlin where they both died. Mr. Bowman in company with JOHN HOFFMAN, opened the second store in the town of Berlin.

Page 874...BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF WATERLOO

4218-I*DANIEL K. LEVAN, Progenitor of the Levans of this County, was a native of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania where he was born in May, 1800. When pretty well advanced in his "teens" he commenced the life of a coppersmith, and after having served his apprenticeship o. three years he was engaged in Skippack, Pottstown, and other places in Montgomery County until 1825; when he, in company with others, namely JOHN HOFFMAN, Michael Eby, Samuel Horst, Mrs. Winger and family, all from Lancaster County, moved to Canada and settled in Waterloo County, Ontario.

HOFFMAN

Family

JOHN HOFFMAN

Nearly all the Hoffman’s of this county are descendants of old GEORGE whose parents were natives of Switzerland. Old II GEORGE resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he raised a family of eight children, namely:

III CHRISTIAN HOFFMAN

III BARBARA HOFFMAN

III GEORGE HOFFMAN

III JOHN HOFFMAN

III PETER HOFFMAN

III JACOB HOFFMAN

III HENRY HOFFMAN and

III ELIZABETH HOFFMAN

Of the above family some of the descendants of GEORGE and PETER settled in Canada.

We shall first give the descendants of GEORGE, then of PETER.

3775 III GEORGE HOFFMAN

Was born November 9th, 1772. He was married to ANNA GOOD. They resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. To them were born six children, viz:

3776 IV ELIZABETH HOFFMAN

Was born February 12th, 1795. She was married to JOSEPH BAUMANN, February 20th, 1825, and died May 6th, 1879. (See Nos. 147 to 206)

3777 IV BARBARA HOFFMAN

Was born June 30th 1796. She was married to JOHN LICHTY, a farmer. They resided near the town of Waterloo where she died April 7th, 1875. (See John Lichty's family).

IV KATHER HOFFMAN

IV SUSANNAH HOFFMAN, and

IV MARY HOFFMAN

No report was received. They never resided in (Canada.)

8778 IV SAMUEL HOFFMAN

Was born on June 12th, 1811. On December 9th, 1831, he was married to VERONICA BRICKER who was born January 6th, 1815 and died April Ist, 1892.

Soon after their marriage, they moved to Woolwich Township, a few miles west of St. Jacobs, where he followed farming. They resided nearly sixty years on the farm they cleared up.

He died October 28th, 1893, leaving a family of five children, viz:

8779 V BARBARA HOFFMAN

The eldest, was born August 8th, 1835. She is not married and has her home, since the decease of her parents, with one of her brothers.

3780 V DANIEL HOFFMAN

Was born on March 5th, 1837. He is married to LYDIA BAUMANN and resides in Woolwich Township, on the Wellesley Township line, where he is engaged in farming.

Their family consists of six children, namely:

VI MENNO HOFFMAN

VI ELIZABETH HOFFMAN

VI REBECCA HOFFMAN

VI NANCY HOFFMAN

VI DANIEL B. HOFFMAN, and

VI LYDIA HOFFMAN

3782 V GEORGE HOFFMAN

Was born February 22nd, 1842. He is married to NANCY BAUMANN. They reside on his father's old homestead.

They had a family of two children, namely:

VI JUDITH HOFFMAN (dead) and

VI HENRY HOFFMAN (dead)

8783 V JOSEPH HOFFMAN

Was born December 10th, 1845. He is married to CATHARINE BRUBACHER. They reside in Woolwich Township, about a mile north of Heidelberg, where is engaged in farming. :::: To them were born four children, namely:

VI BARBARA HOFFMAN

VI SARAH HOFFMAN

VI SUSANNAH HOFFMAN, and

VI AARON HOFFMAN

8784 III PETER HOFFMAN

The fourth son of old II GEORGE HOFFMAN, was born September 27th, 1776. He resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His family consisted of five children, viz:

3785 IV GEORGE HOFFMAN

Was married to a Miss LEHMAN. They resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he was farming.

3786 IV ELIZABETH HOFFMAN

Was married to MICHAEL JUDDER, a farmer. They resided in Juniata County, Pennsylvania.

3787 IV BARBARA HOFFMAN

Was married to CHRISTIAN SHIRK. They resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and had a family of several children, three of whom, namely:

V PETER HOFFMAN*

V BARBARA HOFFMAN and

V MAGDALENA HOFFMAN, and also

V LEHMAN, a son of V THOMAS IV…reside in this county. The others are all in the United States.

3788 IV JOHN HOFFMAN

Son of PETER HOFFMAN, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, January 17th, 1808

In 1825 he, with others, settled in Waterloo County where he learned the trade of cabinet-maker with SAMUEL BOWERS of Berlin. He always took quite an active part in all measures intended to develop and improve the land of his adoption. When well advanced in years he was elected mayor of Berlin by acclamation. This position of honor he held for several years in succession. When a young man he was married to CAROLINE SAURS who was born in 1810 and died September 10th, 1857. He died in Berlin, February 1st, 1878.

His family consisted of five children, viz:

3789 V MARY ANN HOFFMAN

Was married to ISAAC WEAVER. They resided in Waterloo for many years. She died in Berlin, leaving a family of several children. (See Isaac Weaver's family).

3790 V JOHN SAUERS HOFFMAN

A druggist and chemist, he is married to EMMA MEDLAND and resides in the town of Berlin where he followed the apothecary business for a number of years but now lives retired.

They have a family of several children, viz:

3791 VI ADELE HOFFMAN

Is married to J. S. Mills, a chemist and druggist, and resides in Toronto, Ontario.

3792 VI MILTON HOFFMAN

Is married and resides in New York City, New York, where he is engaged with the Standard Oil Company.

3793 VI CHARLES EVERETT HOFFMAN

Is also a chemist and druggist and is now the proprietor of his father's business in Berlin.

He is married to MINNIE PATTISON

3794 VI BURTON HOFFMAN

Is also a chemist and druggist and resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

3795 VI OLIVE HOFFMAN

Is married to JOHN H. LANDRETH, chemist and druggist and proprietor of the White Drug Store, Berlin.

3796 V HANNAH HOFFMAN

Is married to WILLIAM BOWMAN, an agent. They reside at Peoria, Illinois. {See No. -131}.

3797 V ALLAN HOFFMAN

Is married to MINNIE TAYLOR and resides at Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.

3798 V ANGELINE HOFFMAN

Was married to SAMUEL H. DATE. They resided in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S., where she died about the year 1890.

3782 V GEORGE HOFFMAN

Was born February 22nd, 1842. He is married to NANCY BAUMANN. They reside on his father's old homestead.

They had a family of two children, namely:

VI JUDITH HOFFMAN (dead) and

VI HENRY HOFFMAN (dead)

8783 V JOSEPH HOFFMAN

Was born December 10th, 1845. He is married to CATHARINE BRUBACHER. They reside in Woolwich Township, about a mile north of Heidelberg, where is engaged in farming. To them were born four children, namely:

VI BARBARA HOFFMAN

VI SARAH HOFFMAN

VI SUSANNAH HOFFMAN, and

VI AARON HOFFMAN

8784 III PETER HOFFMAN

The fourth son of old II GEORGE HOFFMAN, was born September 27th, 1776. He resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. His family consisted of five children, viz:

3785 IV GEORGE HOFFMAN

Was married to a Miss LEHMAN. They resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he was farming.

3786 IV ELIZABETH HOFFMAN

Was married to MICHAEL JUDDER, a farmer. They resided in Juniata County, Pennsylvania.

3787 IV BARBARA HOFFMAN

Was married to CHRISTIAN SHIRK. They resided in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and had a family of several children, three of whom, namely:

V PETER SHIRK*

V BARBARA SHIRK and

V MAGDALENA SHIRK, and also

V LEHMAN, a son of V THOMAS IV…reside in this county. The others are all in the United States.

3788 IV JOHN HOFFMAN

Son of Peter Hoffman, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, January 17th, 1808

In 1825 he, with others, settled in Waterloo County where he learned the trade of cabinet-maker with SAMUEL BOWERS of Berlin. He always took quite an active part in all measures intended to develop and improve the land of his adoption. When well advanced in years he was elected mayor of Berlin by acclamation. This position of honor he held for several years in succession. When a young man he was married to

CAROLINE SAURS who was born in 1810 and died September 10th, 1857. He died in Berlin, February 1st, 1878.

His family consisted of five children, viz:

3789 V MARY ANN HOFFMAN

Was married to ISAAC WEAVER. They resided in Waterloo for many years. She died in Berlin, leaving a family of several children. (See Isaac Weaver's family).

3790 V JOHN SAUERS HOFFMAN

A druggist and chemist, he is married to EMMA MEDLAND and resides in the town of Berlin where he followed the apothecary business for a number of years but now lives retired.

They have a family of several children, viz:

3791 VI ADELE HOFFMAN

Is married to J. S. Mills, a chemist and druggist, and resides in Toronto, Ontario.

3792 VI MILTON HOFFMAN

Is married and resides in New York City, New York, where he is engaged with the Standard Oil Company.

3793 VI CHARLES EVERETT HOFFMAN

Is also a chemist and druggist and is now the proprietor of his father's business in Berlin.

He is married to MINNIE PATTISON

3794 VI BURTON HOFFMAN

Is also a chemist and druggist and resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

3795 VI OLIVE HOFFMAN

Is married to JOHN H. LANDRETH, chemist and druggist and proprietor of the White Drug Store, Berlin.

3796 V HANNAH HOFFMAN

Is married to WILLIAM BOWMAN, an agent. They reside at Peoria, Illinois. {See No. -131}.

3797 V ALLAN HOFFMAN

Is married to MINNIE TAYLOR and resides at Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.

3798 V ANGELINE HOFFMAN

Was married to SAMUEL H. DATE. They resided in Rochester, Minnesota, U. S., where she died about the year 1890.

Page 96

Profiles of Waterloo County Councillors

HOFFMAN, John

Family: son of Peter, brother of Jacob

Bom: 1808, Jan 17 Died: 1878, Feb 20

Municipality: Waterloo

Years on local council: Waterloo: 1857-1861

Councillor; Reeve 1863-66;

Berlin: Mayor 1872-73

Years on County Council: 1863 1864 1865 1866

Occupation: Miller; cabinetmaker; speculator

Origin: Lancaster County, PA

Migration date: el825, left, returned 1837

Spouse: Caroline Saurs

Children:

John S.;

Mary Ann (m. Isaac Weaver)

Hannah (m. William Bowman)

Allan;

Angeline (m. Samuel H. Date)

Landholdings: At one time, claimed to be the largest Berlin-Waterloo landowner, owning "all the property on both sides of the road from the high school to the Zimmerman Hotel in Waterloo" 400 acres

Politics: Independent

Religion: Evangelical; Swedenborgian

Notes: 1825 - according to Eby he "learned the trade of cabinetmaker with Samuel Bowers of Berlin"; according to an article in KPLvf, he arrived early 1830s where he lived between Galt and Preston for 5 years and then left for Circleville, Ohio

• 1837 - returned to Waterloo County and opened the second store in Berlin with Henry B. Bowman. Hoffman bought his partner’s interest
• 1839 - Zion Evangelical Church, Berlin organized, with Hoffman as one of the leaders
• 1840 - built a horse-powered furniture factory with his brother and opened another store in Berlin (on land given by Benj. Eby)
• 1846 - bought a steam boiler and engine in Buffalo and hauled them to his furniture factory, one of the first steam engines in the area. Hoffman’s steam-powered furniture factory gave him a technological advantage over his competitors and began factory production
• 1853 - sold furniture factory and store to his brother Jacob and moved to Waterloo with Isaac Weaver. A fire in Berlin had destroyed Hoffman’s entire business section, one of the reasons for making him turn to Waterloo.
• 1854 - "Elias Snider sold most of his holdings of land to John Hoffman and Isaac Weaver, (400 acres) retaining the mill property, the dam and various lots. The price obtained was said to have been $32,000 (also noted as $37,000). The land was surveyed by Mr Schofield...It was at this time that Waterloo really began to show substantial growth, as the policy of the new owners of the land was to sell and promote rapid settlement. The population was but 250 in 1851, and in 1857 its rapid growth allowed it to assume the dignity of a village" (WHS1928 16:28); about this time, Hoffman owned the Barnabas Devitt house on King Street
• Oct 23, 1854 - March 11, 1856 - owner of Waterloo sawmill, upgrading it to a steam mill in 1855. He later sold to S.S. Snider, S. Felman and Enoch Eby (WHS1918 6:24), and went into the produce and grain buying business with Isaac Weaver, taking in some 2,000 bushels of wheat daily (McLaughlin P38).
• Established a cattle market in Waterloo
• 1872 - while mayor of Berlin, helped to organize a Saturday market for farm produce Businesses and Organizations:

Union Mills, Waterloo

Zion Evangelical Church, Berlin

Church of the Good Shepherd, Kitchener

Bowman and Hoffman, Berlin

South Waterloo Agricultural Society - president ("elected president of the newly formed Agricultural Society for the Township of Waterloo")

Sources: WHS1918 6:24, WHS1928 16:28; KPLvf; Eby #3788;

McLaughlin Photo: Hall of Fame photo

The Source for the preceding information was:

WATERLOO COUNTY COUNCILLORS

A Collective Biography

Elizabeth Bloomfield, Design and Co-ordination

and Linda Foster, Research

Caribou Imprints

1995

Copyright C by Caribou Imprints 1995

All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication, reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system, without written consent of the publisher is an infringement of the copyright law.

ISBN 0-9698660-1-1

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Main entry under title:

Waterloo County Councillors: a collective biography

Includes bibliographical references and index

ISBN 0-9698660-1-1

1. Waterloo (Ont. : County). Council - Biography.

2. County council members - Ontario - Waterloo (Regional municipality) - Biography.

3. Waterloo (Ont. : Regional municipality) - Biography.

I. Bloomfield, Elizabeth. II. Foster, Linda, 1949-

FC3095 .W32Z48 1995 971 .3

' 44 ' 0099 C95-932771-1

F1059.W32W37 1995

Copies may be ordered from:

Caribou Imprints

16 Caribou Crescent

Guelph, ON, N1E 1C9

The BIOCOCO database may be searched on the Waterloo Historical Society’s computer in the Grace Schmidt Room of Local History, Kitchener Public Library. Researchers are invited to use this research tool, and also to let us know of facts that might be added or corrected in the database.

___________________________________

5547-II CAROLINE SAUERS, born 1812 was married to JOHN HOFFMAN, born 1808 died 1878.

They resided in Berlin, Ontario where they both died (See John Hoffman’s family below)

3788-IV JOHN HOFFMAN, son of PETER HOFFMAN, was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, January 17th, 1808

In 1825 he, with others, settled in Waterloo County where he learned the trade of cabinet-maker with SAMUEL BOWERS of Berlin.

He always took quite an active part in all measures intended to develop and improve the land of his adoption. When well-advanced in years he was elected mayor of Berlin by acclamation. This position of honor he held for several years in succession.

When a young man he was married to CAROLINE SAURS who was born in 1810 and died September 10th, 1857.

He died in Berlin, February 1st, 1878. His family consisted of five children, viz:

3789-V MARY ANN HOFFMAN, was married to ISAAC WEAVER. They resided in Waterloo for many years. She died in Berlin, leaving a family of several children. See Isaac Weaver's family.

3790-V JOHN S. HOFFMAN, a druggist and chemist, is married to EMMA MEDLAND and resides in the town of Berlin where he followed the apothecary business for a number of years but now lives retired.

They have a family of several children, viz:

3791-VI ADELE HOFFMAN, is married to J.S. MILLS, a chemist and druggist, and resides in Toronto, Ontario.

3792-VI MILTON HOFFMAN, is married and resides in New York City, New York, where he is engaged with the Standard Oil Company.

3793-VI CHARLES EVERETT HOFFMAN, is also a chemist and druggist and is now the proprietor of his father's business in Berlin. He is married to MINNIE PATTISON.

3794-VI BURTON HOFFMAN, is also a chemist and druggist and resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

3795-VI OLIVE HOFFMAN, is married to JOHN H. LANDRETH, chemist and druggist and proprietor of the White Drug Store, Berlin.

3796-V HANNAH HOFFMAN, is married to WILLIAM BOWMAN, an agent. They reside at Peoria, Illinois. (See No. 131).

3797-V ALLAN HOFFMAN, is married to MINNIE TAYLOR and resides at Bel Air, Maryland, U.S.

3798-V ANGELINE HOFFMAN, was married to SAMUEL H. DATE. They resided in Rochester, Minnesota, U.S., where she died about the year 1890.

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The Updegrove-DiMarco Home Page:....Information about Elizabeth Lydia Sowers, on

Genforum and Genealogy.com:

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/d/i/m/Janice-U-Dimarco/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1243.html

______________________________________________________________

ELIZABETH LYDIA SOWERS b. October 09, 1797, d. July 04, 1869

ELIZABETH LYDIA SOWERS was born on October 09, 1797, at Earl Twp, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and died July 04, 1869, at Oakfield Twp, Kent County, Michigan.

She married SAMUEL BOWER 1815, son of Moses Bower and Barbara Friederich.

Includes Notes for Elizabeth Lydia Sowers:

[lycofam.ged]

A Biographical History of Early Settlers and their Descendants in Waterloo Township," by Ezra E.

Eby, 1895/1896 and supplement by Joseph B. Snyder, 1931:

" SAUERS, LYDIA, was married to SAMUEL BOWERS

They resided near Berlin where they had a large family. . ."

"SAMUEL BOWERS was a native of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. In 1815 he was married to Lydia Sauers, and in 1825 they moved to Canada and settled in Waterloo County, Ontario, near the town of Berlin.

Their old home is now owned by the heirs of the late Mr. Richart. To them was born a family of 11 children..."

" JOHN HOFFMAN,...In 1825, he, with others, settled in Waterloo County where he learned the trade with SAMUEL BOWERS of Berlin."

__________________________________________________

A History of Kitchener, Ontario, by W. V. (Ben) Uttley:

". . . In 1825, JACOB SAUER, SAMUEL BOWERS, JOHN HOFFMAN, and William Moyer had settled in the township. . ."

___________________________________________________

FOUNDING FAMILIES of WATERLOO TOWNSHIP, 1800-1830

[per letter of 17 Feb. 1997 from Lucy Belill]:

Founding Families by Date of Migration -

Migration Date:............1825

Family:.......Bowers, Samuel

Vital dates:...............1790?N

Marriage Age:...................35

Source:.............Northumbld

Spouse:...........Sauers, Lydia

M:PW:P

Chn:11

Land:...........................GCT19

Acres:...............................453

Cult:....................................81"

_______________________________________________________

Per WATERLOO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, V. 1-10, p. 37

Bowers, Samuel - trustee Trinity United Church (Methodist)

Per Lutheran Church Records, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada:

Samuel "Bauers" is listed as a witness to the baptism of his sister-in-law Sarah (Sauers) Roat on 20 Sept. 1835.

Per e-mail from Lucy Belill dated 20 Nov. 1998:

Per look-up in marriage books of early marriages (1840-1852 )

in some districts of Ontario, Canada (per a friend in Canada):

"Jacob Sawrs to Francerienna Craft, both of Waterloo, 26 Mar. 1843. Wit: SAMUEL BAUERS, Joseph Harlachier, Lida Bauers and Christian Unger. Marriage performed by Rev. Geo. Ferguson, Wesleyan Methodist Minister, Dumfries."

_____________________________________________________

Notes on LYDIA SAUERS:

Her birth-year is given sometimes as 1796, but figuring from her age on her death certificate and grave, it comes out to 1797. : Her mother is also variously listed as Elizabeth Horst, but the Sauers family descendants believe it is Elizabeth Kolb.

Per 1800 Earl Township, Lancaster Co., PA census: Lydia was probably one of two females listed in the "under 10" age category. Which would have made her age 2.

Per 1810 Earl Township, Lancaster Co., PA census: Lydia was probably one of two females listed in the age "10-16" age category with the "Jacob Sower" family. She would have been age 12.

Per 1851 Waterloo Township, Waterloo Co., Ontario, Canada census: Lydia was born in U.S. Religion was listed as "W. Meth."

[IV, 26, 33]

____________________________________________________________

Per to granddaughter (Matilda Bower's) diary, on file at the Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener, Waterloo Co., Ontario, Canada:

"...Friday, March 11, 1864:...Just before sundown Father and Mother made their appearance with quite a load!! Grandmother's parlor stove, cane bottom chairs, and what is more - a cradle, which by the way seems to be a great favorite with...

________________________________________________________

PLEASE NOTE The following information was select excerpted for references and mentions per to JOHN HOFFMAN, likewise identified in the same content are other early Waterloo and Region Pioneers

________________________________________________________

The SIXTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE WATERLOO HISTORICAL

SOCIETY~NINETEEN~TWELVE

NINETEEN~TWENTY~EIGHT

CHRONICAL PRESS

WATERLOO, ONTARIO

COUNCIL

1928

_________________________

Page 28

WATERLOO BEGINS A More RAPID GROWTH

In the year 1854, ELIAS SNIDER sold most of his holdings of land to JOHN HOFFMAN and ISAAC WEAVER, retaining the mill property, the dam and various lots.

The price obtained was said to have been $32,000. The land was surveyed by Mr. Schofield, a well-known Berlin surveyor of that time, staked off into lots, and the lots sold. It was at this time that Waterloo really began to show substantial growth, as the policy of the new owners of the land was to sell and promote rapid settlement. The population was but 250 in 1851, and in 1857 its rapid growth allowed it to assume the dignity of a village.

Messrs. HOFFMAN and WEAVER advertised the lots to be sold by auction, and on the day of the sale, a large wagon, drawn by oxen, was loaded with refreshments, liquid and solid. The auctioneer used this wagon as a stand and moved from lot to lot until all were sold, the people meanwhile helping themselves to the refreshments they wished, free of course.

Page 29

The first retail store was opened by JOHN HAMILTON in the same locality. Before 1854, a large proportion of the buildings in the settlement were located north of Erb Street, mostly along King. No doubt this was due to this section being higher and better-drained land than that south of King, which was largely cedar swamp. Exceptions to this were the fine residences of JOHN HOFFMAN and ISAAC WEAVER. Mr. HOFFMAN built the fine residence now occupied by Mr. FORD KUMPF and his spacious grounds, with trout pond and large orchard, extended from King Street, east to where Willow Street has since been surveyed. There was no George Street, or Allen Street at that time. A picnic grove, where many village picnics were held, was reached by means of a lane, the entrance being a large gate at King Street, at the late residence of Mr. and Mrs. GEORGE DIEBEL. The grounds were located between what are now Herbert and Willow Streets, a well-wooded grove on the hillside.

Page 31

EDUCATIONAL

In 1855 Messrs. HOFFMAN and WEAVER established a large steam sawmill with a capacity of 15,000 feet a day, and this was nearly all consumed locally and in the surrounding district.

The former pupils went to school once more, the teacher, Benjamin Burkholder, occupying a position at his desk at the end of the room, just as he did sixty or more years before. It was a remarkable gathering when one considers that the log building discontinued being a school in 1842.

Those who went to school again on this occasion were:

GEORGE ELBERT, ISAAC HOFFMAN, GEORGE H. BAUMANN, ABRAHAM SHERK, SIMON BEATTY, JOEL GOOD, HENRY STAUFFER, JACOB BRICKER, ISRAEL D. BOWMAN, Mrs. ABRAHAM ERB, Mrs. RICHARD McMAHON, DAVID EBY, JACOB RATZ, ISAAC DEVITT, JOHN C. BRICKER, Mrs. DANIEL BURKHOLDER, ROBERT BARKWELL, THOMAS QUICKFALL, RICHARD QUICKFALL, AMOS WEBER, JOHN DEVITT, JOHN LONGMAN, BENJAMIN DEVITT, WENDELL BAUMANN, 24 pupils in all.

ABRAHAM ERB knew the value of education as was proved in later years when he made provision for promoting it. It is therefore certain that he took a prominent part in organizing the building of this first school in 1820.

Page 40

The following composed the first Village Council: Reeve, MOSES SPRINGER; Councillors, DANIEL SNYDER, HARTMANN SCHNARR, JOHN HOFFMAN and JACOB TEUSCHER, with W. ROBERTS as clerk.

Mr. SPRINGER continued as Reeve for five years, when he was succeeded in 1862 by DANIEL SNYDER.

In 1863 JOHN HOFFMAN was elected reeve and held this office until 1867 when MOSES SPRINGER was again elected, and held the position until 1870, when GEORGE RANDALL assumed the Reeveship, and held it until 1873, when MOSES SPRINGER was again chosen, and remained reeve until 1876, when the village became a town. The village clerks who followed W. ROBERTS until 1876 were: S. S. BOWERS, J. J. BOWMAN, FREDERICK COLQUHOUN.

When Waterloo was incorporated as a Town in 1876, the ward system was adopted, and the first council was composed of the following: Mayor, MOSES SPRINGER; Councillors - North Ward, JOHN KILLER, GEORGE HEIMBECKER, and JACOB BRICKER; East Ward, JOHN SHUH, GEORGE MOORE and SIMON SNYDER; South—Ward, WALTER WELLS, ABSALOM MEMER and DAVID KUNTZ; West Ward, WILLIAM SNIDER, J. KALBFLEISCH and J. B. HUGHS.

Page 51

The present officers are: President, GEORGE M. HOFFMAN; 1st Vice-President, J. F. HERTZEL; 2nd Vice-President, W. C. TOLETZKI; Secretary-Treasurer, NORMAN ZICK; Conductor, Prof. C. F. THIELE; Managing Subcommittee, the above named and GEORGE GROSZ, D. BOHLENDER and GEO. HAEHNEL.

Page 54

In May 1865, committees appointed by the village councils of Berlin and Waterloo met at the site of Mount Hope Cemetery (then an open field) for the purpose of purchasing a cemetery jointly. They must have reported favourably, for the present cemetery was purchased shortly after. Waterloo purchased seven acres from Reeve JOHN HOFFMAN on September 10th, 1866, for $455.00 and Mr. HOFFMAN presented the village with an additional acre as a gift, to be used as a free cemetery.

Page 68

THE KITCHENER PUBLIC LIBRARY *

Little is known of this library prior to its organization as a Public Library in March, 1884, except that it was established under the name of Mechanics’ Institute in 1854. In the Perth and Waterloo Gazetteer for 1870-71 there is the following record concerning the library ——

Established 1854. It is just now in a flourishing condition. The entire library numbering some thousand volumes was entirely destroyed a few years ago. Through the energy of the directors, however, a new library is being rapidly accumulated. It already numbers some 600 volumes. Books are exchanged every Saturday evening.

Annual subscription $1.00.

Directors: John Fennell

President; William Gaul

Vice-President; W. H. G. Knowles

Treasurer; F. MacPherson

Secretary; George S. Howard

Librarian; Thomas Pearce, W. H. Bowman, H. Gauntley, William Jaffray.”

Evidence that the Mechanics’ Institute was active in 1868, and of a valuable book given to its library, is contained in the following extract from the minutes of the Berlin (now Kitchener) village council meetings, under date of May 4, 1868. “The Reeve (W. H. Bowlby) read a letter received from the Department of State at Washington which accompanied a volume of 930 pages entitled

‘Tributes of the Nations to Abraham Lincoln’

Wherein it appeared that the Govt. of the United States presented said volume as a testimonial of the grateful appreciation on their part of the condolence and sympathy on the assassination of President Lincoln communicated to them in a touching manner by the resolution passed by the Citizens of Berlin at a public meeting (in the County Court House) on the 19th April, 1865, which resolution appears on page 238 of said volume .....

“Moved by I. Hoffman, seconded by M. Erb that the Clerk on behalf of the Council do write the Secretary of State of the United States thanking the Government of the United States of America for the handsome testimonial presented to this corporation, and that the volume received from the United States Government be for the present place in the Mechanics Institute Library. Carried.”

This book may have been in the fire spoken of. In any event it has long disappeared. Since 1884 the growth of the library has been steady. From the dingy, cramped and uncomfortable quarters under the steps of the old town hall, recently demolished, progress to the splendid building at the corner of Queen and Weber Streets with its modern improvements and equipment is an accomplishment which marks a remarkable development during the forty-four years existence of the Kitchener Public Library.

‘ From the Kitchener "Daily Record" of April 5. 1924 by Dogrig (Dorothy Grieg) revised and brought up to date by B. Mabel Dunham. B.A.. Chief Librarian.

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Mayor JOHN HOFFMAN - Waterloo Region Generations

1 Feb 1878 Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo Region Generations....

JOHN HOFFMAN was the Berlin class leader; his brother, JACOB, was class leader for the Waterloo-Lexington...Kitchener, Ontario, Canada:

Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993

Waterloo Generations:

https://generations.regionofwaterloo.ca/getperson.php?personID=I2041&tree=generations

ERB KUMPF House

The original portion of the Erb-Kumpf House was built around 1812 by Abraham Erb, the founder of Waterloo, making it one of Waterloo's oldest homes. It was a three-bay structure facing a mill situated near the south-west corner of King and Erb Streets.

Abraham Erb came from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1806 and settled on Lots 14 and 15 of the German Company Tract, land which now comprises the central business district of Waterloo. He established a sawmill on Beaver (Laurel) Creek in 1808 and a grist mill in 1816. In 1828, he sold his mills and a considerable quantity of land to Jacob C. Snider.

Magdalene Erb sold the home to Barnabas Devitt, her adopted son, in 1835. His son

Benjamin served as Mayor of Waterloo from 1881 to 1883.

An addition to the house was probably built by Devitt in 1849. A slight hump in the roof on the north side indicates the location at which it joins the original structure. The application of a vertical board and clapboard which does not align is further evidence that it was added at a later date. The second addition, probably built by HOFFMAN around 1855, included the two-storey verandah at the front.

Elias Snider acquired the home and later sold it to Christian Kumpf in 1869. Kumpf was a newspaper owner, Mayor of Waterloo from 1879-1880, as well as Postmaster for 42 years. : He was instrumental in the establishment of the Dominion Life Assurance Company in 1889. His son Ford, who became affectionately known as "Mr. Waterloo", was born in the home in 1877 and assumed ownership in 1899. One of the community's most public-spirited citizens, he served as Treasurer of Waterloo and Clerk/Manager of the Water and Light Commission. He was President of the Waterloo Red Cross Society and The Dominion Life Assurance Company.

At present, the house demonstrates a mixture of architectural styles. Among its Georgian characteristics is the six-over-six windowpane arrangement. The facade, with its two wings, treillage, Gothic barge board and Doric columns, reflects the Regency influence.

In 1979, the home was sold to a law firm which has maintained the integrity of the exterior. A third addition in keeping with the style of the building has since been constructed.

Designated Properties www. waterloo.ca

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A mission was begun by Rev. Christian Holl shortly after his arrival in Berlin on May 9, 1839, and a class (or congregation) was organized several months later on August 29, 1839 by Bishop John Seybert of the Evangelical Association during a camp meeting held at David Erb's farm near Lexington.

JOHN HOFFMAN was the Berlin class leader; his brother, JACOB, was class leader for the Waterloo-Lexington congregation.

Ambrose, Rosemary--Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide to Churches

Established Before 1900. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Waterloo-Wellington Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1993. [used the kind permission of Rosemary Ambrose 2011]

Occupation

From the Region of Waterloo Hall of Fame website.

JOHN HOFFMAN, who, like many other Waterloo County pioneers was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1837 had the unique distinction of erecting in Berlin the first furniture factory operated by horsepower. A few years later he built a furniture factory in which steam replaced the horses as a source of power.

A pioneer in many areas, HOFFMAN was a forerunner of modern town planning.

In 1854 he and his son-in-law, ISAAC WEAVER, bought 400 acres of land between the K-W Collegiate Institute on King Street in Kitchener and the corner of Erb and King Streets in Waterloo and developed a town plan that they hoped would become a reality. He gave one acre to Mount Hope Cemetery.

HOFFMAN also established cattle, grain and produce markets in Waterloo.

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Bridgeport United Church

The early Evangelical Association congregations in Berlin and Waterloo date back to August 1839 when a Camp Meeting was held over a number of days at David Erb's farm (Lot 7, German Company Tract) at Lexington. Classes (or congregations) in Berlin and in Waterloo were organized at that meeting by Bishop John Seybert - on August 29th. Twenty-six charter members were divided into the two classes. Class leader for Waterloo and vicinity was JACOB HOFFMAN. His brother, JOHN, was class leader for Berlin.

The Waterloo class, along with classes at Lexington and Breslau, was connected to the Berlin Mission until the organization of the Canada Conference of the Evangelical Association in 1864. The Waterloo Mission was formed at that time. In 1866 the Breslau class was merged with the Lexington class and in 1876 the Lexington class, with 31 members, was referred to as the Bridgeport class for the first time.

An old log schoolhouse was purchased in 1879 for $500.00 on condition that it be used only for Sunday School services, not for preaching. The exterior walls were covered with lumber and the building was dedicated on November 9, 1879. A new white brick church was built ten years later, in 1889, when the old schoolhouse became inadequate for the growing congregation. This church was in use until 1934 when the present building was completed. A decision had been made at a congregational meeting in July 1933 to proceed with construction of a new church. The ground-breaking service was held on August 28, 1933 and on October 1 of that year the cornerstone was laid by Rev. W.J. Zimmerman. Dedication services were held in the new red brick church on Sunday March 18, 1934. In 1942 the old brick church was sold to Mr. Minnacker for $100. An addition which was built on to the west side of the church in 1958 provided additional space for the Sunday School, as well as offices and a kitchen. The new complex was dedicated on November 30, 1958 with Professor John F. Schaefer of Naperville, Illinois preaching the dedication sermon.

Bridgeport and Waterloo were a joint parish from 1876 until 1910, when Bridgeport was joined with Strasburg. This association lasted until 1914 when Bridgeport called its own full-time pastor. The Evangelical Church joined with the United Brethren in Christ Church on November 16, 1946 to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. On January 1, 1968 when the Evangelical United Brethren joined with the United Church, Emmanuel's name was changed once again - to Emmanuel United Church. In February 1987 the congregation voted to change the name of the church to Bridgeport United Church.

Rev. J. Kaechele (1864-1865) was pastor in 1864 when the Waterloo Mission was formed; Solomon Kraft was the Bridgeport class leader when the schoolhouse was bought in 1879 and Rev. S.R. Knechtel (1888-1891) was pastor in 1889 when the new white brick church was built.

Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900--By Rosemary Ambrose

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Zion United Church

A Sunday School was established in Berlin in 1837, meeting in Jacob Hailer's carpenter shop which was located at the southeast corner of what is now King and Scott Streets. A mission was begun by Rev. Christian Holl shortly after his arrival in Berlin on May 9, 1839, and a class (or congregation) was organized several months later on August 29, 1839 by Bishop John Seybert of the Evangelical Association during a camp meeting held at David Erb's farm near Lexington. JOHN HOFFMAN was the Berlin class leader; his brother, JACOB, was class leader for the Waterloo-Lexington congregation. The Berlin congregation met in the old Town Hall until their first church was built in 1841 on Queen Street South across from Church Street on land purchased as of August 24, 1841 from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Schneider. The church was dedicated on September 25th of that year, with Rev. Christian Hummel of Buffalo, New York, officiating. Rev. Joseph Harlacher was pastor from 1840-1842. In 1842 the Waterloo Mission became a Circuit of the East Pennsylvania Conference.

Two years later it was part of the New York Conference.

The second church building was built of brick on the same site in 1866, and dedicated in 1867; Rev. C.A. Spies was pastor at the time. The old frame church was sold and moved to Elgin Street where it was used as a dwelling. In the same year Berlin became a station.

The present church building was built in 1893 on Weber Street; dedication services were held on June 15, 16 and 17, 1894. This building was heavily damaged by fires in 1942 and 1965 but was renovated and restored each time.

The union of the Evangelical Church and the United Brethren in Christ Church on November 16, 1946 created the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The name of the church was to change again, to Zion United Church when the Evangelical United Brethren Church joined the United Church of Canada on January 1, 1968.

Of interest: some maps of early Berlin show this church as a German Methodist church.

Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By--Rosemary Ambrose

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Emmanuel United Church

The first Evangelical missionaries arrived in the Waterloo area in 1837. The first Waterloo class (congregation) was formed on August 29, 1839 by Bishop John Seybert during a camp meeting at David Erb's farm near Lexington. JACOB HOFFMAN was the Waterloo-Lexington class leader; his brother, JOHN was class leader in Berlin. A brick building which was erected by Samuel Burkholder in 1849 on Church Street, near King, was offered to the congregation for their use as a church, rent-free, provided that they agreed to finish and furnish the building. Dedication of the new church was in 1851. The house, known as Burkholder House, is still standing, but Church Street in Waterloo is now known as Central Street.

In the early 1890s Waterloo was in the North District of the Canada Conference of the Evangelical Association, and was ministered to jointly with Bridgeport. Pastors in those years were Revs. C.R. Knechtel (1890-1891), F. Meyer (1892), D. Kreh (1893), and W.J. Yaeger (1894).

A new church, which was built in 1871 at the corner of Cedar and Water Streets (now Bridgeport Road and Dorset Street), was replaced in 1905 by the present structure.

Dedication was in May, 1906. Emmanuel Hall was built in 1938. Changes made in 1963 included an addition, a new front entrance and renovation of the former Christian Education area.

On November 16, 1946 the Evangelical Church joined with congregations of the United Brethren in Christ Church to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. When the Evangelical United Brethren Church joined the United Church of Canada as of January 1, 1968, Emmanuel became a United Church..

Waterloo County Churches A Research Guide To Churches Established Before 1900 By Rosemary Ambrose

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JOHN HOFFMAN, Mayor 1872-3

Mr. JOHN HOFFMAN, Mayor in 1872-3, was the pioneer furniture manufacturer of Berlin.

He was born in Pennsylvania. He and his brother established a small furniture factory when they grew up. It was driven by horsepower. Later they installed the first steam engine used in the village of Berlin. The boiler was purchased in Buffalo, N. Y., and fetched by Mr. Isaac B. Shantz, who used a three-horse team in hauling it in. The boiler had no tubes. Mr. HOFFMAN was a born leader. He is remembered as having been mayor of Waterloo before he became mayor of Berlin.

Official souvenir of the celebration of cityhood, July 17th 1912, Berlin, Ontario, The German Printing and Publishing Co

JOHN HOFFMAN from Waterloo Historical Society annual volume 1928

File name…….Hoffman, John 1808-1878.jpg

File Size………20.42k

Dimensions…418 x 480

Linked to…….Mayor John Hoffman

https://generations.regionofwaterloo.ca/showmedia.php?mediaID=67&medialinkID=79

Hoffman, John 1808-1878

When Samuel Bowers built his carpenter shop he had an apprentice named JOHN HOFFMAN, who subsequently opened a shop of his own near Jacob Hailer’s spinning wheel shop.

Before 1835 Henry B. Bowman, a young farmer from the Bloomingdale district, and grandfather of Mrs. A. J. Roos, joined resources with JOHN HOFFMAN and opened a general store, west of Jacob Hailer’s. In 1835 Berlin obtained its first newspaper. It was established on the southeast corner of King and Scott Streets by the leading men of the dorf and township in order. to have a. weekly paper and church books printed in their mother tongue. The paper was called the Canada Museum, and was conducted by Heinrich Wilhelm Peterson, who hailed from the State of Delaware. Years before the Museum appeared the Mennonite settlers had increased their church accommodation by building a frame annex (1818). The addition was also used as a school.

From 1818 until 1844 Bishop Eby taught classes in the school, wholly in German and using the bible as a textbook. During his long period of service he had the assistance of both German and English teachers. With the growth of the hamlet a second school was opened on the Frederick Street fire hall lot in 1835-36. In that year a Scottish surgeon named John Scott opened an office near Jacob Hailer’s and began practicing medicine. He rose to be the village spokesman and chief officer.

About the year of the rebellion in Upper Canada (1837), Rev. F. W. Bindemann founded St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Soon after the Zion Evangelical Church and the Church of the New Jerusalem were organized; and a few years later the Wesleyan Methodist Church, now Trinity United Church.

Mention has been made of the fact that Henry B. Bowman and JOHN HOFFMAN opened the second store in Berlin. They were young eagles and the store nest soon became too small to hold both of them. They separated. Henry Bowman bought his partner’s interest, while.

JOHN HOFFMAN devoted himself to his carpenter shop, building houses in‘ the summer and making certain pieces of furniture in the winter. In 1839 Henry Bowman built an Inn on the city hall site, called the Golden Swan.

In 1840 JOHN HOFFMAN, who had his brother JACOB with him, built a furniture factory, Berlin’s first, on the Bank of Nova Scotia corner. But he also opened another store. That riled Henry Bowman. Soon afterward he and a Mr. Correll grounded a second furniture factory where the Canada Furniture factory now stands, on E. King Street; Subsequently Mr. Bowman, in association with a Mr. Feick, erected a foundry on South Ontario Street, where they made sugar kettles and cast-iron stoves.

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TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE WATERLOO HISTORICAL

SOCIETY 1932

COMPLETING VOLUME IV. ~

KITCHENER, ONTARIO

PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY

April 1933

Sources

• "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FMNR-GWG : 11 March 2018), John Hoffman for John Hoffman and Sarah Grenzenbach, 03 Mar 1880; citing registration, New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,869,509.
• "Ontario Deaths, 1869-1937 and Overseas Deaths, 1939-1947," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDVN-76J : 27 April 2019), John Hoffman, 21 Feb 1878; citing Berlin, Waterloo, Ontario, yr 1878 cn 14416, Registrar General. Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,853,225.
• "Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2YM-3H5R : 17 March 2018), John Hoffman for William Bauman and Hanah Hoffman, 18 Sep 1861; citing Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,066.
• "Ontario, County Marriage Registers, 1858-1869," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2CY-19WZ : 9 March 2018), John Hoffman for Samuel H Date and Angeline Hoffman, 08 Jun 1869; citing Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,030,067.