1925 Biography - Christian Hoffman
Christian Hoffman the founder of the Hoffman family in the United States was a native of the province of Hesse, Germany, and was the father of five sons, one of whom, John, was indentured to pay the passage of his father's family to America. They settled in Alamance County, North Carolina which joined Guilford County. John Hoffman built a mill on Back Creek, Alamance County. He married a Miss Ingle. He died about 1836. Their children were George, Daniel, Christian, John, Jacob, Henry and David. George married Eliza Shoffner and they had nine children one of whom was Hillery who married Siloma Clapp. George H. Huffman was a native of Gilford County, North Carolina and a son of Hillary and Siloma. His father moved to western Tennessee and on account of his union sympathies, removed from there to Johnson County, 1860. Of a family of several children all have left the county, except George H. A brother resides at Grand Tower, this state and a sister Mrs. Alice Meredith lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. Huffman enlisted in the Civil War under Captain Perkins in the 14th Illinois Cavalry, which belonged to Sherman's Army. Their campaign was mainly in Tennessee and Georgia, they were also on that famous march to the sea. He was a prisoner for eight months in the historical Andersonville, Libbey and other prisons, but was finally taken to Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he escaped. In 1922 he visited his old home in company with a son and daughter and also the neighborhood of his last imprisonment, and showed them the route of his escape. They met the families of the people who had helped him in getting away. Those who actually assisted him to escape have died or moved away. He was secreted by Lazarus Pearson, a Quaker, for seven days, and this good man gave him his exemption papers for which he had paid the Confederacy $500.00. Mr. Huffman's companion in escape was Henry Preston. The Quaker gave him his son-in-law's papers and accompanied by Mr. Pearson's two daughters, they passed the Confederate lines with safety. At the close of the war, Mr. Huffman returned to this county and engaged in such pursuits as blacksmithing, farming stock raising and occasionally operating a saw mill. He was unfortunate in losing one arm in an accident many years ago, while engaged in the latter business. He was our county treasurer for four years. Recently he retired from active business. He and family are members of the Methodist Church of Vienna where they have resided for some time. He is also a devoted member of the G. A. R. Post there being very few left at the present time. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Jones, a member of one of the old families of the county. Hoffman is the correct way of spelling the name and is still used by the families residing in the original location, but the families of this county spell the name with a u.
Extracted 06 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 395-396.
