My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE M. HOFFER. The Hoffers are among the old and honored families of Cumberland county and supposed to be of Swiss origin. The first of the family of whom we have authentic record is George Melchior Hoffer, who died at Carlisle, Pa., about 1842, aged eighty-one years. He had spent many years of his life here, had wedded his second wife here, and for a long period had an extensive coopering trade. He was active in the M. E. Church, in which he was a distinctive figure, and so thoroughly did his views permeate his family that they belong still to that religious body. By his first marriage he had one son, William, who in young manhood left Carlisle and was ever after lost to the ken of his family. The second marriage brought Mr. Hoffer a family of seven children, as follows: Melchior, father of our subject, and a resident of Carlisle; John, engaged in a coopering business at Pittsburg; Joseph, engaged in the hat business at Pittsburg; Jacob, who remained at Carlisle until his family was almost grown and then removed to Bucyrus, Ohio, where he died (he also carried on a cooper business); James, who passed all his life at Carlisle, dying aged fifty years (he was a butcher by trade and was elected for one term as sheriff, on the Whig ticket); Catherine, Mrs. Bell, who died at Carlisle; and Ann, Mrs. Reed, whose husband is a cabinet-maker at Newville, this county.

Melchior Hoffer, the eldest son in the above family, was born in 1797 at Carlisle and died in 1849. He followed the cooper trade through life. He was a good and pious member of the M. E. Church. He married Catherine Zellinger, who was born at Lebanon, Pa., and died at Carlisle, aged eighty-six years, and the twelve children of this marriage were as follows: (1) John when a boy started to learn the hatter’s trade at Pittsburg, ran away on account of accidentally breaking a piece of crockery, and later had an adventurous life, boating on the Mississippi river and becoming a member of the famous Texas Rangers, under Capt. Bell. In a fight at Mere Mux the whole command was captured and taken to the City of Mexico, and later escaped to the swamp, where, after starvation for a week, they were re-captured. In barbarous fashion, each tenth man was ordered shot, John Hoffer escaping and being sent again to Mexico City, where he was released through the intercession of Gen. Andrew Jackson. The courageous youth immediately rejoined the Rangers, participated in the Mexican war under Gen. Taylor, and finally died on the march through Texas, of yellow fever, an enemy all his courage and daring could not conquer. (2) James, the second son, learned the carpenter’s trade and followed same for years, becoming an extensive contractor and builder in Carlisle. Later, during the Civil war, he engaged in a coal, lumber and feed business. At his death, at the age of forty-one years, he left a widow and two daughters. (3) Jacob became a dentist and resided at Columbia, Lancaster county, where he died in the spring of 1901, leaving a widow and five children. He also served through the Mexican war, under Gen. Winfield Scott. (4) Catherine, wife of Frederick Swartz, of Harrisburg, died leaving four children. (5) George M. is a retired resident of Carlisle. (6) William learned the business of stonecutting and after some years that of butchering, which latter he followed until his death, in 1896, leaving four children. (7) Elizabeth (deceased) was the wife of John N. Armstrong, a late extensive lumber dealer at Carlisle. (8) Charles followed the trade of painter through life, and died leaving a widow and two children. (9) Miss Charlotte lives in Carlisle. The other three members of this family died in infancy.

George M. Hoffer was born Oct. 29, 1829, in Carlisle, in which city his life has been passed. After his school days were over he learned the carpenter’s trade and worked some years at the same, and then engaged in a butchering business which he continued until 1898, when he retired from active business life. In 1896 he erected his handsome private residence, one of the fine homes of the city, situated at No. 150 West South street, Carlisle, a very pleasant portion of the city.

In 1857 Mr. Hoffer married Sarah E. Weaver, a daughter of James Weaver, a well-known cabinet-maker of Carlisle. She died in August, 1896, at the age of sixty-two years. Three sons were born to this marriage, viz.: James, of Steelton, foreman in the signal shop of the steel Company, married Emma Taber, and they have children — George, Bessie, Frank and Margerie; Frank, who succeeded his father in the butchering business is unmarried and resides at Carlisle; Charles, who is also in the butchering business at Carlisle, married Lela Lease.

Another member of this family, J. Edgar Hoffer, is a son of Dr. Jacob Hoffer, deceased, of Columbia, Pa. He is a graduate of West Point and is now stationed at Frankfort Arsenal, Philadelphia, as a captain of artillery. The family all through is noted for sterling worth and high character.