Person:John Hoffman (63)

Research Notes

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• Report of Col. John S. Hoffman, Thirty-first Virginia Infantry, commanding Smith's brigade JUNE 3-AUGUST 1, 1863.--The Gettysburg Campaign

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Huffman Lowther, in Lowther, Minnie Kendall. History of Ritchie County: with biographical sketches of its pioneers and their ancestors, and with interesting reminiscences of Revolutionary and Indian times. (Wheeling, W. Va.: Wheeling News Litho Co., c1911)
   p 16.

   ... Dr. Robert married Mrs. Ellen Stringer Huffman, and located at Weston, and from there migrated to Mississippi, where he died after a nine days' illness of fever. His wife soon followed him to the grave from a broken heart, and the half-brother brought the two little sons, aged four and six years, back to their grandfather, Jesse, near the year 1839. Daniel was educated at Lexington and West Point, and after finishing his college work, came to Harrisville, where he opened a law office, and where he died a few months later, in 1856. William, who was also a lawyer, went to Texas, where he met his death at the hands of a man that he had decided a case against. Huffman, who was a colonel in the Confederate army, and who lost a leg in the cause, died at Clarksburg, unmarried. ...
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   [Huffman is John S. Hoffman, son of Ellen's first husband. Many researchers have him incorrectly listed as "Huffman Lowther" as a result of this text.]

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 John S. Hoffman.

   VA Grants 102, p. 552 ; Library of Virginia Digital Collection:Land Office Patents and Grants
   ==========
   John G. Stringer & others ; 264 acres ; Lewis now Gilmer County ; Delivd. to Mr. Jas. Bennett
   Mar. 13. 1850.
   
   John B. Floyd Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia:
   To all to whom these Presents shall come---GREETING: KNOW YE, That in conformity with a survey made on the fourth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty four, by virtue of Land Office Treasury Warrants, Nos. 5352 & 5165, there is granted by the said Commonwealth, unto John G. Stringer, William G. Stringer, Anna, now Anna McKinley, wife of William McKinley, children & heirs of Daniel Stringer dec. & unto John S. Hoffman, Daniel S. Lowther & William Lowther children and heirs of Eleanor Lowther decd. daughter of said Daniel Stringer decd. & wife of Robert H Lowther, a certain Tract or Parcel of Land, containing two hundred and sixty four acres situated in Lewis County now in Gilmer County, on the Little Kanawha river & bounded as follows, Viz: Beginning at a white oak standing on the Northerly side of said river one hundred & twenty poles above the mouth of Stinking Creek, and running thence N.5°W. 60 poles to a white oak N.75°W. 300 poles to a white oak; Then S.70°W. 53 poles to a Sugar; Thence S.40°W. 164 poles to a mulberry tree, corner to a Survey made for said Stringer Thence with said line reversed S.45°E. 40 poles, crossing the river to a Sycamore his corner; Thence N.42°E. 60 poles to a beech N.75°E. 102 poles to an ash on the bank of the river; Thence up the river with its meanders S.55°E. 160 poles to a Sugar; Thence N.78°E. 162 poles to the beginning with its appurtenances, being the same land that was patented to the said Daniel Stringer decd. on the 30th day of May 1837, which said patent by virtue of an order of the County Court of Lewis County showing the demise of the said Daniel Stringer prior to the issuing of said grant, has been cancelled & this issued in lieu thereof
   
   TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said Tract or Parcel of Land, with its appurtenances, to the said John G. & William G. Stringer, Anna McKinley, J. S. Hoffman, Daniel S. & William Lowther, and their heirs forever.
   IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the said John B. Floyd Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his hand, and caused the Lesser Seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed, at Richmond, on the thirty first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty nine and of the Commonwealth the Seventy fourth ~
   John B. Floyd

3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6} CSA Col. John S Hoffman, in Antietam Person.
4.   .

   Southern Historical Society, and Rev. John William Jones, Robert Alonzo Brock, James Power Smith, editors, Southern Historical Society Papers, 52 Vols., Richmond: Southern Historical Society, 1876-1959, Vol. XXXII (1904) [AotW citation 261]
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   [May 12, 1864 - at Spottsylvania, while leading Brigade] "In these woods I found Colonel John S. Hoffman, of the 31st Virginia, in a thicket of bushes, fingering the leaves at his feet, and asked him where he was hit. He said the bushes had knocked his spectacles off and he could not see. I told a man standing near him to find the Colonel's spectacles for him, and if he could not do so to lead the Colonel back to the rear, as he could not see a yard without his specks".
   - Colonel J. C. Gibson, 49th Virginia.

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Will of John S. Hoffman, in Cases and Points of the Supreme Court of the United States
   p 13.

   (Filed March 4, 1902.)
   JOHN S. HOFFMAN'S WILL.
   (15) I, John Stringer Hoffman, of the county of Harrison and the State of West Virginia, wishing to dispose of such property as I may own at the time of my death, to such of my kindred and friends as I have known best, and who have been most kind and servicable [sic] to me, make this my will:
   First. I direct my personal representatives to cause to be made eight handsome canes, with gold heads, and deliver one to each of my long esteemed friends, Judge Gideon Draper Camden, who aided me in my boyhood when I most needed assistance ; Col. John R. Boggess, who has been my kind friend and nurse in health and sickness ; Caleb Boggess, of Clarksburg ; Albert G. Stringer, Thomas McKinley and John S. McKinley, sons of my aunt, Anna McKinley, Robert Johnson, of Harrisonburg, Va., and Thomas A. Edwards, of Weston. And to cause to be made six fine plain gold rings and deliver one to each of my cousins, which I now mention: Mrs. Lide Boggess, Mrs. Callie Neel, wife of George B. Neel, of Parkersburg; Mrs. Lide Harrison, wife of Matthew W. Harrison; Mrs. Martha Sommers, Mrs. Eva Edwards, wife of Thomas A. Edwards, of Weston, and Mrs. Dora Ramsburg, of Frederick City, Maryland, as a special token of my affection and regard.
   Second. I bequeath to my cousin, Maj. Gideon Draper Camden, Jr., my sleeve buttons and such other personal ornaments as I may have.
   Third. I bequeath to my name-sake, Hoffman Sommers, my library, but if he should determine not to adopt the profession of the law, I confer upon him, during his minority, with his mother's approbation expressed in writing, to dispose of it.
   Fourth. Because of the care and delicate attention of Mrs. Martha Allen, of Clarksburg, for a long period, during my feeble and suffering condition, I bequeath to her my watch and make a further provision for her hereinafter mentioned.
   Fifth. I devise and bequeath to my personal representatives the residue of my estate, real and personal, in trust for the purpose hereinafter specified. To sell and convey the real and personal property, a public or private sale, (16) upon such terms and conditions, as to them may seem best, and after discharging my debts, their expenses and the specific legacies before named, to pay the residue, as follows:
   Sixth. To my cousin, Martha Sommers, already mentioned, and to my name-sake, Hoffman Sommers, each one-tenth part, and the remainder of my estate in equal parts, to Vieva Boggess (daughter of Mr. Caleb Boggess), my cousin, Dora E. Damsburg, Gideon D. Camden, Jr., John A. Camden, each of the children of my cousin, Martha M. Sommers, except Hoffman, who is especially provided for, each of the children of my cousin, Eva Edwards, each of the daughters of my cousin, Eliza Harrison; Ellen, the daughter of my uncle, William G. Stringer ; Florence Pugh, a granddaughter of my uncle just mentioned ; each of the children of my cousin, Caroline Neel, of Parkersburg; Mrs. Ann Moss, of Parkersburg; Mrs. Mary Jordan, the daughter of my cousin, William Hoffman, of the State of Kentucky; Edwin Stringer Boggess, son of John R. Boggess; my name-sake, Hoffman Johnson, son of Robert Johnson, my long tried friend, and Mrs. Martha M. Allen. I have other relatives, some of whom I do not know personally, and others whose friendship and hospitality I have not enjoyed to the same extent that I have that of the persons that I have mentioned. Therefore, the bequests and devises, heretofore made, are intended to include all that I may own at the time of my death.
   Seventh. My estate not being large and my kindred and friends being numerous, my legacies and devices are mere tokens of friendship and intended to afford some of them a slight support than to be of susstantial [sic] value.
   Eighth. In order to prevent embarrassment in the settlement of my estate, by the interference of their creditors, I provide that my devises and bequests, or any property, in which they may be invested, shall not be liable for the debts, contracts, defaults and encumbrances, or assignments of the devises, or lgatees [sic], and should any of them die without issue or without receiving all, or any part of such devise or legacy, the same shall go to the other devisees, or legatees, in the same proportion as are herinbefore provided.
   (17) Ninth. Should a majority of my devisees and legatees deem it best in order to advance the interest of my estate to provide for the time or terms of sale or disposal of all or any part of my property, power is given said majority, at any time before the sale or disposal, to presecribe, in writing, the time or terms of the sale of such property.
   Tenth. I authorize and direct my personal representatives to make deeds for any lands that I have heretofore sold, or may hereafter sell, and for which deeds have not been made by me, according to the terms and conditions of the contracts. An I give them authority to compromise, adjust and settle all matters of dispute and controversy respecting my property or estate.
   Eleven. I appoint Judge Gideon D. Camden and John R. Boggess, the executors of this my will.
   Witness my hand and seal this 15th day of October, 1877.
   J.S. HOFFMAN, [Seal]
   
   The Foregoing will of the above named John S. Hoffman composed of two sheets of paper, was this day signed and acknowledged by him, as his will, in the presence of us, and, at his request, we have subscribed our names as witnesses thereto, in his presence and in the presence of each other.
   LUTHER HAYMOND, T.S. SPATES, C.S. LEWIS
   West Virginia. In vacation, office of the clerk of Harrison County Court, November 29th, 1977 [sic].
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   [Note: there is more after this concerning deeds and a land dispute, etc.]