My Genealogy Hound

Robert Hoffmann, president of the Washington Clay Manufactory, of Washington, Mo., was born in Saxony, Germany, in 1832, and is the son of Gottlieb and Frederica (Berger) Hoffmann, both natives of Germany, born in 1812 and 1807, and died in 1871 and 1876, respectively. The father was a carpenter and contractor by trade. Our subject was the second of three children. He was educated in his native country, and, when fourteen years of age, began serving as an apprentice to learn the carpenter’s trade with his father. He worked four years, and afterward worked as a journeyman. In 1853 he left his native country, immigrated to the United States, and worked in the East a short time, after which he went to Chicago and worked for a machine company at that place. He also assisted in building the Central Depot, and then took a contract for erecting a bridge at Mazo Manie, Wis. In 1857 he came to Washington, and began contracting and building. He erected the public school building and numerous business houses in Washington, and also erected the Warren County Courthouse. June 18, 1863, he married Miss Julia Stumpe, a native of Franklin County, Mo., born in 1841. To them were born six children, viz.: August, Lyda, Clara, Henry, Charles and Pauline. In October, 1869, he was working on a two-story frame building, when the scaffold on which he was working gave way, and he was compelled to jump, but in doing so his left leg was broken, and at the end of a month amputation was necessary. In the year 1874 he was elected county collector and served two years. In 1876 he was elected treasurer of Franklin County, and in 1878 and 1880 was re-elected. Two years later he was again elected. February, 1887, he was elected president of the Clay manufacturing establishment, and April, 1887, he was elected mayor of Washington. Mr. Hoffmann is a Republican in politics, and was a member of the Home Guards during the war. He and wife are members of the German Lutheran Church.