BIOGRAPHY: Joseph HOFFMAN, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 362-3
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JOSEPH HOFFMAN, a substantial farmer and highly respected citizen, of near the 
city of Johnstown, is a son of Jacob Hoffman, and was born in Jenner township, 
Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1816. His paternal grandfather, Jacob 
Hoffman, Sr., went from Lancaster to Somerset county, some time before the 
commencement of the present century. His ancestors settled at an early day in 
Lancaster county. He married in his native county, and his son, Jacob, 
accompanied him to Somerset county. Jacob Hoffman, younger, was a farmer by 
occupation and a blacksmith by trade, and in connection with his Somerset county 
farm, ran a blacksmith shop. He was a zealous member of the Evangelical church, 
and an old-line whig in politics, and held several township offices. He was 
industrious and economical, and died at sixty-four years of age. He married a 
Miss Good, whose father came from Lancaster to Somerset county, where he died.
     Joseph Hoffman was reared on his father's farm, and became early accustomed 
to the hardships and privations of a farmer's life in a backwoods section of 
country. He was carefully trained to the habits of industry and economy that 
have remained with him through life. Schools were few and often inferior in his 
neighborhood, and he did not attend any of them, but secured in different ways a 
practical business education. He cultivated for thirteen years his father's 
farm, and then purchased it. Three years later he sold it and bought his present 
farm in Stony Creek township, this county, on which he has resided ever since. 
His farm contains one hundred and eight acres of good farming and grazing land, 
lies convenient to school, church and markets, and being but a short distance 
from Johnstown. It has been brought up to a high state of cultivation and 
productiveness by Mr. Hoffman, who, in connection with farming, ran a dairy for 
seventeen years, selling his milk in Johnstown and its immediate vicinity.
     On April 20, 1844, Mr. Hoffman married Eve Hoffman, a daughter of Killian 
Hoffman , of Somerset county. They have one child living, Sarah Amanda, who 
wedded Mr. George Schraeder, now a resident on the Bedford pike, near Johnstown.
     For many years, Joseph Hoffman has been prominently identified with the 
civil and political affairs of his township. Originally an old-line whig, he 
afterwards became a republican, in which political faith he has ever since 
remained. He served three years as constable, nine years as auditor, three years 
as supervisor and twelve years as school director. He was elected and served 
four years as justice of the peace, and his services in that office were so 
satisfactory that he was re- elected with hardly any opposition, but making his 
change of residence at the time to Stony Creek township, necessitated his 
resignation. Squire Hoffman is a member of the Lutheran church of Johnstown. He 
is a good business man. He is also a careful and successful farmer, and has 
given close attention to the improvement and development of his farm.