George Hoffman Family

(And a little info about Mercyville)

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Elmer, Missouri - Early History

(from the hand written history of Christina Abagail Boyd Sweezer, reprinted from Elmer Centennial, 1987)

My Great-grandfather, George Hoffman, was born in Moss Bolton, Germany (other accounts show Hassle Castle) in January, 1836. His father, Micheal George Hoffman was born in December of 1779, in Germany and died in May of 1875 in Pennsylvania, USA. His mother, Margaret Mary, was born in January, 1806 and died in March of 1873. They had eleven children. Their oldest son, Andreq, died at 2 ½ years of age. Gretchen died at age twelve. Catherine was 53 years old when she died in Butler, PA. Micheal married in Germany and never came to the USA. The next child died when a baby. My great-grandfather was their sixth child. Margaret died at 2 ½ years and Mary died at three weeks. Then they had great-aunt Lena and Anna Margaret Mary. My great-grandfather came to the United States with his parents, his sister Catherine, his brother John and his wife in the spring of 1865.

The Troy that came to pilot their ship in the harbor brought the news that President Lincoln had been shot on that day, April 14. They came across the ocean on a sail ship named “The Industree” and were on the ocean for 48 days. There were several heavy storms and they would be calmed for two weeks, having no wind to go on. One storm was so severe that they heard guns booming signals that a ship was in distress and may have been sinking, but the ship must have made harbor for they read of no ship being lost that day.

My great-grandmother Christinia Youst Hoffman was born in June of 1846, the night that her mother Sofia Hetzel Youst arrived at Pittsburg, PA, from Germany by boat. Alsace belonged to France at that time. It had been a German state, but the French took it and Larranie away from Germany; after Sofia and Peter Youst left, it became one of the German states again. Peter Youst left Germany to come to the United States to find a job and a place to settle, leaving Sophia Hetzel Youst and a young son in Germany with kin.

Later he would send for them. He found a place in Pittsburg, PA and sent for Grandma Youst. The kin in Germany didn’t think she should take the boy with her as she was expecting Grandma and no one know how long the boat would take, so she left her young son in Germany and came to the United States alone. She took a ship to New York and then took a train to Pittsburg. When she arrived, her husband met her at the train station, but because she didn’t bring the son with her, he left her on the platform where she collapsed and a man took her into his home and Grandma Hoffman was born that night. The man’s wife also had a baby and Grandma was a wet nurse for their baby and she worked for them. She didn’t have enough milk to feed both babies, so she would fix some mush and cow’s milk for Grandma. The lady was so mean to her that when she would go to town for the day, she would mark the bread so Grandma Youst wouldn’t eat any while she was gone.

George Hoffman and Christina Youst were married in August of 1868, in Pennsylvania. To this marriage were born three sons and two daughters.

Lewis Hoffman was born in September of 1869 in Morrison, IL, and died in March of 1967 in Elmer, Missouri. More information about Lewis can be found below.
Catherine Elizabeth Hoffman Henderson (Aunt Liz) was born in June of 1872 and died in March of 1955. She married Howard Hans Henderson on March 4, 1892.
Mary Margaret Hoffman Boyd was born in April of 1876 and died in January of 1965. She married Robert Stanton Boyd in January of 1896 in Macon County, Missouri.
George Fredrick William Hoffman was born in February of 1882 and died in January of 1965.
Sarah Agnes Hoffman was born in September of 1886 in Walnut, Missouri and died in 1954.

Lewis Hoffman, although born in Morrison, IL, later moved to Missouri and married Della Still in November of 1889. They had eleven children, seven girls and four sons. Della was the daughter of John and Polly Hibbard Still. Della was born in October of 1879. Their children are:

Virgil “Dirge”, born in November 1899. He was an Auctioneer, Farmer, Insurance Agent and served as Northern Judge of Macon County, Missouri for two terms. He married Clara Helton and they had three children. After Clara’s death, he married Flo. Anders. Virgil died in February of 1970, and is buried in the Bell Cemetery.
Samuel “Bid” was born in February of 1901. He married Mary Helton and they had five children. He was a farmer in Adair County, Missouri, until he retired and moved to Elmer. After Mary’s death, he married Alice Hunsaker.
Lewis “Bus” was born in December of 1905 and died in August of 1966 in Leavensworth, Washington. He served in World War Two in North Africa and Europe (P.F.C. Co. B 435, Signal BN.) After the war, he worked as a laborer in Missouri and Washington. He married Flossie Folansby in July of 1953. Both are buried in Washington.
Herman “Hine” was born in October of 1912. He was a farmer and in later years worked as a laborer. He married Maxine Koger.
Fern, born in July of 1907, married Paul Freeman and is a minister in California (in 1987).
Nelba, born in April of 1904, married Ed Wood.
Mary “Doonie”, born in April of 1909, married Bill Carlyle. Mary worked for United Airlines until she retired.
Beulah “Bood”, born in December of 1914, passed away in March of 1953. She married Ted Koger. Beulah is buried in the Bunch Cemetery west of Elmer.
Carrie, born in April of 1916, married Sam Thompson.
Opal, born in September of 1902, married Oplis Koger.
Florence Hoffman died in infancy

At this writing (1987), Lewis and Della had 27 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren, eight great-great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-step-grandchildren. Della passed away in February of 1941. Lewis passed away in March of 1967. Both are buried in the Bell Cemetery west of Elmer.