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Below is a family biography included in The History of Darke County, Ohio published by W. H. Beers & Co. in 1880.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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ABSALOM HOFFERT, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 36; P. O. Greenville. The subject of this memoir was born in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield Co., Ohio, Jan. 25, 1827; he was a son of Solomon Hoffert, who was probably born in Pennsylvania in 1795, and came to Ohio when quite young and located in Fairfield Co., where his death occurred April 4, 1876, at the advanced age of 91 years. He married Margaret Hendricks, who was born in 1790, and died in 1861, aged 71 years; they were the parents of ten children, of whom eight are now living. Our subject obtained a common-school education in his youth, and was raised to agricultural pursuits until June 5, 1851, when he was united in marriage with Nancy Fantz; she was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, Nov. 20, 1832; they were the parents of five children, viz.: Elizabeth, now Mrs. James Westfall, of Brown Township, born June 4, 1852; Matilda, born May 8, 1855, died April 23, 1858; Ellen, born April 25, 1857, now Mrs. Wesley Slade, Neave Township; Margaret, born March 20, 1859, now Mrs. Charles Fletcher, of Miami Co.; Emma F., born Feb. 8, 1862, now Mrs. George Hathway, living upon the home farm. Mrs. Hoffert was a daughter of Michael Fantz, who was born in Baden, Germany, in 1792, and came to America in 1819; he died in Hocking Co., Ohio, May 23, 1863, aged 71 years 8 months and 19 days. He married Elizabeth Stacer; she was also born in Baden, Germany, in 1791, and died in Fairfield Co., Ohio, Sept. 10, 1860, aged 69 years, 4 months and 28 days. Upon the marriage of Mr. Hoffert, he commenced farming for himself, which business he followed in Hocking and Fairfield Cos. until April, 1864, when he disposed of his property in Fairfield Co., and purchased 40 acres in Darke Co., and located upon his present place where he has since lived; he now owns 47 acres upon his home place, located less than a mile and a half from Greenville. He with his wife and two children are members of the Reformed Church, and one daughter a member of the Church of the United Brethren, Mr. and Mrs. Hoffert having been members for the past ten years.

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This family biography is one of 659 biographies included in The History of Darke County, Ohio published in 1880 by W. H. Beers & Co.  For the complete description, click here: Darke County, Ohio History and Genealogy

View additional Darke County, Ohio family biographies here: Darke County, Ohio Biographies

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