John Hannes HOFFMAN (1.Peter1) was born 5 January 1827/1834 in Luxembourg, Prussia, Germany. He was the son of Peter HOFFMAN and Eva [———?———]. John died 13 September 1907 in Pierz, Minnesota, at the age of 80.

Additional information about John:

Determining John's birth date and place is based on the following information:

Death Register of Little Falls, Minnesota shows death September 13, 1907, age 80 8 6 from Luxembourg. His mother was Eva, his father Peter.

Calculations from this indicate his birth was about January 7, 1827.

John's obituary, referring to him as "another old settler" was born in Luxembourg January 7, 1827, emigrated in 1861, settled in Brownsville, Caldonia, Houston County, married there in 1865; In 1875/1876 John and Mary Elizabeth (DENSCH) moved to Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota and settled on a farm five miles north of the village of Pierz until a short time before his death in 1907 when they moved to town. His name was spelled John HOFFMANN, with two N’s. Normally, it  was spelled with only one N.

His youngest daughter, Maggie Margaret Marie HOFFMAN, told me February 7, 1967 when she was 79 that he had three sisters, Eva, Mary and Annie and that neither one got married. It could be possible that Eva was not a sister, but his mother. Maggie  also stated he was born January 5, 1834.

The 1900 Minnesota census indicated John was 72, his birth was January, 1828 in Luxembourg and that he immigrated in 1862 to the United States and he was naturalized. In 1866 in made an intention of naturalization. There is one John Hoffman found in Morrison County, none found in Houston County for his name and time, saying he emigrated about  June, 1866, renouncing, the "Queen of England."  This was dated May, 1876.

The 1895 Minnesota census showed him at age 65, born in Germany and had spent 30 years in the state.

The 1885 Minnesota census showed him at age 56, born in Germany . The question regarding serving in the Civil War was not answered by anyone on that census page.

The 1880 Minnesota census showed him at age 46 and born in Prussia.

1870 Minnesota census at Brownsville shows John Hoffman, age 30, born in Prussia, Mary at age 21 born in Virginia, and Eva 2. 1870 census show the spelling HOFFMANN, with two n’s.

His marriage of September 15, 1867 indicated he was from Houston County.

Emigration records from the book German Immigrant Passengers from Bremen to New York 1855-1862: Johan Hoffmann 28, farmer, Luxembourg to Chicago, Ship Germania from Antwerp to New York April 22, 1863.

Other John HOFFMANs in the German Immigrant Passengers all spelled the name John Hoffmann:

John Hoffmann 25 from Bavaria, weaver; Johan Hoffmann, 32, farmer, from Wuerttemberg, ship was Autocrat from the Havre to New York October 10, 1859; Johannes Hoffmann, age 30, farmer from Southhampton to New York April 3, 1861.

The 1870 Minnesota census index indicates 24 John Hoffmans in the state of Minnesota.

The Hokah Blade of Pierz, Morrison County, Minnesota on 25 March, 1876 stated that "John Hoffman was unfortunate enough to loose (sic) about $200 by the flood in the way of fences, wood, etc. He also says that a number of his neighbors lost a considerable amount of property." April 29, 1876 shows "a difficulty arose between John Hoffman and our quiet fellow man Jacob Shook, one day this week and they agreed to settle the matter by stepping outside the village limits and participating in a prize fight, but Hoffman, changed his mind and dealt Shook a couple of heavy blows in the mouth with a "two glass beer" which speedily settled the misunderstanding."

May 19, 1877 noted John Hoffman had just finished planting his grain and that his corn was up and looking well. He had about 100 acres in wheat and corn.

  County. Our John Hoffman was not in the 1880 census index, but he was in the census itself.

 John Hoffman lived on a farm in Pierz, Minnesota. They lived in Pierz 1880-1895, in Bue, Rich Prairie, Morrison County in 1900. He never spoke or wrote English. John H. Grest, a grandson of John Hoffman , was of the opinion that our John Hoffman was an army officer in the Prussian army. According to Grest, John came to the US and lived in Virginia during the Civil War where he helped the South. After the War John Hoffman settled in Minnesota. John Grest also said John Hoffman married in Virginia. Laura Thompson, my Mother, told me she thought he was born in Alsace Lorrain. John Hoffman married Mary Elizabeth DENSCH 15 September 1867, at Brownsville, Minnesota. She was the daughter of John DENSCH and “Eva” Genovefa STEPPE. Mary died 19 November 1922 in Little Falls, Minnesota, at the age of 76, and was buried in Pierz, Minnesota.  Additional information about Mary: