Frances Thorpe (McCoy) Hoffman (1855 - 1936)

Born 24 Jan 1855 in Hannibal, Marion, Missouri, United States

Ancestors

Wife of William Henry Peavler — married 20 Jun 1881 (to 16 Sep 1885) in Sullivan, Missouri, United States

Descendants

Died 27 Jun 1936 at age 81 in Garfield, Oklahoma, United States

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Biography

Frances Thorpe McCoy was born the 24 Jan 1855 to Joel McCoy and Susan Elizabeth Thorpe. She had four older sisters. She was a posthumous child, her father dying around Christmas 1854. Fannie lived a long eventful life. Three times a widow, Fannie passed away in 27 June 1936, surrounded by her children from three marriages.

Who was this brave pioneer woman most often referred to as Fannie and called “Grandma Hoffman” by her numerous grandchildren?

Some of her story was recorded in an April 1972 letter written by her daughter Bessie. “…My mothers father died of pneumonia before my mother was born leaving my grandmother with 4 daughters and a baby expected… so when a couple traveling through the town where she lived wanted to adopt mama, grandmother let them and they went on to their home in New York State.”

Fannie married Archibald Standifer under the surname Hale. We located her in 1870, not in New York, but in Scottsville, Sullivan County, Missouri. However, the Hale family, with Fannie age 11 years, was found in Steuben County on the 1865 New York State census.

Fannie met and fell in love the young Archie Standifer when he was visiting his grandfather, Lewis Peavler, who lived in Sullivan county. They were married on 21 Jan 1877. They made their home with Archie's parents. In the late fall of 1878 Archie developed blood poisoning after being struck in the leg with an axe. He died on 31 December 1878. Fannie began the New Year as a widow and pregnant with a son she named Archie.

Fannie married second on 20 June 1881, William Henry Peavler. William was no stranger to sorrow. When just a toddler, his father died of disease contracted during his military service in the Civil War. Fannie and William had two sons, Amos and Truman. In the fall of 1885, Fannie was once again a widow.

In the spring of 1889, Fannie (Hale) Standifer Peavler, now twice a widow, with three sons under ten years, loaded up a wagon, hitched it to a team of mules and started for the Oklahoma Territory where she purchased a lot in the townsite that became Norman.

Fannie hired a carpenter, Peter Fisher Hoffman, who built a house to her specifications. When the house was finished she and Peter were married. To this union three children were born, Charles who died at birth and daughters, Mabell and Bessie. Fannie sold the house in Norman and by 1900 the Hoffmans were living in Noble. Then tragedy struck for the third time when Peter died on 8 May 1901 from blood poisoning that developed after he injured his hand on barbwire in February.

Bessie (Hoffman) Pinkston wrote that when Fannie lived in Norman or Noble, Susan (Thorpe) McCoy Allen, Fannie's biological mother, came to see them. At least one daughter came with her.

When the 1910 census was taken, Fannie and her two daughters were living in Caddo County on the 160 acre farm her eldest son Archie had drawn in the 1902 Land Lottery. She and the girls shared a small house just a few steps from Archie and his growing family.

By 1920 both daughters were married and Fannie was enumerated with daughter Mabell and her husband George Pinkston. When the 1930 census was taken, Fannie was living at Foraker in Osage County with son Archie and his family.

Fannie (McCoy) Standifer-Peavler-Hoffman died on 27 June 1936 at age 81 years 5 months and 3 days. At the time of her death she was living with her son Amos Peavler at Garber, Garfield County, Oklahoma. She was buried in the Noble, Oklahoma cemetery next to husband Peter Hoffman and infant son Charles.

Sources

• Obituary, Minco (Okla) Minstrel, Thursday, 2 July 1936.
• Bessie (Hoffman) Pinkston, “Bessie’s Letter” 17 Apr 1972 about her mother, her mother’s adoption as an infant, her reunion with her birth mother, her siblings, her three marriages, her Run of 1889 experience.
• Marriage and Death Dates: Abstracts from Family Bible belonging to Frances Thorpe McCoy. Original held by Pauline Peavler Whitlock, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 6 Mar 1973.
• Missouri Marriage Records. Linn County, Missouri. Archie Standifer. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1171/images/vrmmo1833_c28516-0276?pId=9831347
• 1880 U.S. Census. North Salem, Linn County, Missouri. Fannie Standifer age 25.(Widowed) daughter-in-law. In the household of Thomas Standifer with her son Archie Standifer born August. Identified as grandson of Thomas Standifer. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4241901-00021?pId=34116375
• Missouri Marriage Records. Linn County, Missouri. William Henry Peavler. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1171/images/vrmmo1833_c28516-0362?pId=9832441
• 1885 Birth of son Orange Truman Peavler. Bear Branch, Linn County, Missouri. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1170/images/vrmmo1833_c28530-0133?pId=307990401
• 1890 First Territorial Census of Oklahoma (Population Schedule) City of Norman, County No 3. 13 Jun 1890. Enumeration District 44, p 15 / 663. Fannie is listed with her three sons, Archie, Amos & Truman Peavler on East Symmes Street in Norman. https://www.okhistory.org/research/1890results?fname=&lname=Peavler&action=Search
• Oklahoma Marriage Records. Cleveland County, Oklahoma Territory. 1892 Marriage to Peter F Hoffman. Shows parents as Jo McCoy and S. E. Thorpe. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61379/images/TH-266-12320-215355-1?pId=963462871
• 1900 U.S. Census. Noble, Cleveland County, Oklahoma Territory. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7602/images/4119013_00241?pId=57793487
• 1910 U.S. Census. Lone Rock, Caddo County, Oklahoma. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7884/images/4449551_00542?pId=22770027
• 1920 U.S. Census. Grant, Garfield County, Oklahoma. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4384976_00371?pId=105173129
• 1930 U.S. Census. Foraker, Osage County, Oklahoma. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/4661238_01072?pId=94724658
• Find a Grave. Noble IOOF Cemetery. Noble, Oklahoma. Fannie Hoffman. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19615810/frances-thorpe-hoffman