My Genealogy Hound

JACOB HOFFMAN, son of John Jacob and Louisa (Halwick) Hoffman, is a native of Ohio, where he was born January 14, 1844. In 1852, the father bought the farm now owned and occupied by Andrew J. Murphy, in Lower Gwynedd township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, containing 114 acres of land, of which about thirty-five acres was woodland, which was cultivated by the parents of Jacob Hoffman, farming being combined with dairying.

Jacob Hoffman attended the school taught by Andrew J. Lewis, of Gwynedd township, the same person who was for many years a justice of the peace in that township. After attending school three years, he relinquished his studies and began to participate in the management of the farm, and at eighteen years of age he took full charge because of his father’s failing health, and so continued until the death of his father.

Jacob Hoffman married, April 23, 1871, Caroline, daughter of Charles and Hannah (Lentz) Gouak, who were farmers of Horsham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Gouak were natives of Saxony, in Germany, who emigrated to this country. The children of Jacob and Caroline Hoffman: Daniel Geiger, born January 31, 1873, attended the public school at Gwynedd until his twentieth year, after which he remained at home assisting on the farm; Hannah Louise, born August 19, 1874, attended Maple Grove school, and like her brother Daniel resides with her parents, being unmarried; John Charles, born July 3, 1876, attended school at Maple Grove, and is unmarried, residing with his parents and assisting on the farm; Walter Jacob, born October 25, 1880, died May 19, 1884; Edward Jacob, born January 1, 1886, attended Friends’ School at Gwynedd and also Maple Grove public school, and is now a pupil at the Williamson Trades School at Media, class of 1905.

John Jacob Hoffman (father) was born in Styart, Wurtemberg, Germany, and emigrated to America, locating in Philadelphia when he was seventeen years of age. He learned the trade of carriage building. Being offered a situation in a shop at New Orleans, he went to that city and was employed at his trade for some years there. While at New Orleans he married Louise Halwick, also a native of Germany. Their children: Christian, born in New Orleans, deceased; John C., deceased; Louisa, married Christian Booner, and resides in Philadelphia; Jacob, subject of this sketch; Caroline, married Jacob Zoll, and resides at Centre Square, in Whitpain township; Mary, married Christian Beener, who lives retired in Norristown; Julia Frances, married Benjamin Franklin Murphy, son of John and Tacy (Gillin) Murphy, and resides in Whitpain township; Susanna, married and resides at Centre Square.