Boy in Blue Passes to His Reward at an Advanced Age; Father of William Hoffman of Mount Morris
(Great-great-grandfather of Webmaster, Ron Taylor)
1939 Picture above shows Christopher Hoffman, 96, wearing his civil war soldier's cap; seated
alongside is his son, William Hoffman of Mount Morris holding Joyce Burger of Dansville,
gggranddaughter of the civil war veteran; standing are Jay Hoffman of Dansville, grandson
of the elder Hoffman, and Mrs. Louise Burger, also of Dansville his ggranddaughter. Those in
the group make up five generations of the Hoffman family. (Picture from clipping of Mt. Morris,NY Paper)
Christopher Hoffman, the last Civil War veteran in Angelica and Allegany County*, passed away quietly in his sleep a week ago Monday night at his home in Joncy. He was born in Baden, Germany, 96 years ago.
He came to the United States as a small boy, the family first settling in Buffalo. He went to Angelica to work in the Joncy Paper Mills, where he was employed for 22 years. After the mills burned, he moved to Pennsylvania and returned to that village about 55 years ago. For 38 years he had lived in the house in which he died.
Mr. Hoffman was married to Elizabeth Isaman of Grove, April 6, 1868. He enlisted in the army when 17 years of age, as a member of Company G, First New York Dragoons, and received an honorable discharge in June, 1865. He was a charter member of Wilbur Haver Post, GAR, and was the last remaining member of that organization.
Deceased is survived by three sons, William of Mount Morris, Charles and Edward of Angelica; two daughters, Mrs. Neva Wilkins of Belmont, and Mrs. Hattie Hartman of Friendship; 12 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren, and one half-brother, John Hoffman of Transit Bridge.
Funeral services, following a prayer at his late home, were held Friday afternoon in the Angelica Methodist Church, with Rev. L. C. Teague officiating. Burial was in Angelica cemetery, with Robert C. Hill Post, of the American Legion in charge.
An obituary was printed in the Angelica Advocate, a weekly paper, Angelica, NY, July 13, 1939. He died on July 10, 1939. )
*NOTE: An error was made in this obituary stating Christopher Hoffman was last civil war veteran living in Allegany County. He was actually the next-to-last, John Jones being the last. He was the last in Angelica. rt
Submitted by Ron Taylor from the Mount Morris, NY Paper; July 21, 1939.