BIOGRAPHY: John F. HOFFMAN, Mifflin County, PA

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The Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley, Comprising 
the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, and Perry, Pennsylvania.
Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, Volume I, page 472-473.

  JOHN F. HOFFMAN, Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., was born July 12, 1836, near 
Meiningen, Saxony, son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Fischer) Hoffman, and one of a 
family of eleven children.  He received his education in the excellent public 
schools of Germany.  According to the custom of the country, his confirmation 
took place when he was fourteen years old, and at school.  A year later he came 
to this country to join his brother Charles, who then resided in Lewistown.  
After a voyage of fifty-two days, young Hoffman landed in Baltimore.  For the 
first four years of his residence in this country, he was employed at farm work.  
He then went to Philadelphia and became an employee at Rollins' Iron Works.  
Here he remained until, on April 15, 1861, he enlisted in Company A of Colonel 
Small's regiment.  He was in Baltimore on April 19, the memorable day of the 
riot, and was wounded in that affray, but not so severely as to delay him.  On 
the 20th of April he went to Washington, and was mustered into Captain Yeager's 
company, from Allentown, Pa.  His was one of the first five companies that 
entered Washington, which were known as the "Allen Infantry;"  they then were 
made part of the Twenty-fifth Pennsylvania Volunteers.  After the three months' 
term had expired Mr. Hoffman was discharged at Allentown, July 23, 1861.  He 
then came to Lewistown, where he again enlisted, before the end of that month, 
in the First Pennsylvania Cavalry, under Captain Mitchell.  The term of 
enlistment having ended in February, 1864, while the regiment was in Virginia, 
he immediately re-enlisted, at Warrington, in the same company.  Receiving a 
furlough for thirty-five days, Mr. Hoffman spent some time with his brother 
Charles, who was now at Worcester, O.  The young soldier than again joined his 
regiment at Warrington, and saw active service during General Grant's campaign 
in Virginia.  At Deep Bottom, Va., during an attack made by his company, Mr. 
Hoffman received a gunshot wound which caused the loss of his left leg.  He was 
then sent to David's Island, New York Harbor;  thence to Central Park, New York 
City;  thence to Philadelphia;  thence to Chester, Pa., and thence back to 
Philadelphia, where he received his final discharge, May 20, 1865.
  Mr. Hoffman then came again to Lewistown, and was in the restaurant business 
there until 1870, when he paid a visit of four months' duration to his native 
country.  Returning to Lewistown, he was employed in the saloon business until 
1887.  He then became a mercantile traveler, and visited many States of the 
Union, meeting with encouraging success in his business.  In 1894 he began in 
Lewistown the business which he still conducts, at the Fountain, a lucrative 
trade in confectionery.  He is honored in the community as one of the few 
survivors of the first defenders of the Union.  He was formerly a Democrat, but 
in later years has voted the Republican ticket.  He is a member of Colonel 
Hulings Post, No. 176, G. A. R., at Lewistown.
  John F. Hoffman was married in 1873, to Anna M., daughter of Michael and 
Caroline Ayres, who had but one other child, their son George.  The children of 
Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman are:  William H.;  David H.;  John F., who died in 1882, 
aged about twenty-two months;  Annie Sophia;  and Daisy Dean.  Mr. Hoffman and 
his family attend the Lutheran church.