Person:Myron Hoffman (1)

parents born France Immigration: 1832 I was the youngest son of Frederic and Barbara Hoffmann, and was born March 3, 1824 in Waldhausen Canton, Wohlminster, Lorainne, Germany, this land was then under the French Government, but was of German descent. Our family consisted of 6 boys and 1 girl. Mother's maiden name was Black and she dies at the age of 78 and was buried in the Catholic Section of the old Ludwig Cemetery in Jackson Township, Sandusky CO, OH. Father's trade was a stone-cutter, his brother's name was Jacob and by trade he was a shoemaker.

When I was 6 years old my parents started for America in October of 1830. Besides having little money, misfoortune befell them at the onset, as Father, Frederic died on boardship the first day out, in the harbor of Havre. The Captain turned the ship back to shore and he was buried there. Mother did not lose her courage but boarded the ship again with her children, bound for America. We were supposed to land in Baltimore, Maryland, but for unknown reasons the Captain took us to the port of Charleston, So. Carolina on New Years Day 1831. On arriving there the family had just one dollar in money left. After a six week stay in Charleston in which the family earned some money, we went by water to Baltimore, MD. From there we continued our journey by covered wagon over the moutains of Pennsylvania to Steubenville, OH and then to Canton, OH where we lived on a rented farm for 3 years, which was located on the south-east side of town. I had my First Holy Communion and was also confirmed in Canton. In January of 1834 we then moved to a farm southeast of Elmore, OH, on our government claim of 80 acres of land. I went to school for several winters at Elmore until we moved to farm near Millersville in December of 1842. At the age of 21, I received 40 acres of land for pay from my brother, George. George had bought 200 acres of timberland for $600. Wages then were $9.00 to $13.00 per month, worked at clearing land, ect. Worked the winter of 1845 in Clark CO, OH. As a boy walked from Upper Sandusky to Elmore (42 miles) in 3/4 day. Got out timber for building the Sandusky and Baltimore Railroad for $13.00 a month wages.

When the "gold" fever swept over the country, I also got it and in the Spring of 1850 we started out for California. Those who went in 1850 were still called 49'ers. We started for California March 19, 1850 via railroad from Tiffin to Cincinnati via OH RIver, Mississippi River, stopped at St. Louis, up the Missouri to St. Joseph, and stopped two or three weeks there. My companions were Dennis Lane, John Young, Joseph Weibel, and Fred Fabing. Left St. Joseph by wagon, the wagontrain consisted of 27 wagons headed by captain McClelland. First point was Ft. Kearney, next Scott's Bluff and from here we could see the Rocky Mountains 200 miles away. Fort Laramie was next enroute. On the Platte River I saw 4,000 to 5,000 indians. We encamped within 30 rods from them. Buffaloes could be seen by the thousands, also a lot of elk, antelope, and herds of 50 to 100 deer. We encountered lots of mountains as we were on our way to Green River, one of them was Chimney Rock, a large perpendicular rock on a level plain about 150 feet high. Also Independent Rock on Sweet Water River which covered about 5 acres. We then reached Devil's Gate a bluff cut through by streams. This chasm wsa 45 ft deep, rock seemed to almost meet at top. The same day we crossed a marsh taking one spading of turf off of the top, a solid mass under it. Also saw a bed of pure soda covering a large area similar to a little lake.

We continued on crossing the Rocky Mountains and on the Bear River (likely on South Path). Passed Pike's Peak at the quite distant north. This was about the first of June and snow was just about gone on the Rocky Mountains. THe Platte RIver was crossed above Fort Laramie by paying $5.00 to ferry a wagon about 4 miles.

Personal Notes of Myron Hoffmann given to Frank X. Hoffmann in the Spring of 1901Facts about this person:

Burial St. Mary Cem., Millersville, OH, ,

Source: hoffpaf.PAF Medium: Other Date of Import: Aug 25, 1999