Washington County, Illinois
JOHANN FRIEDRICH WILHELM HOFFMANN
In 1838 a number of families from the Minden area left Germany and came to the United States. The leaders of this group, according to the obituary of Fred Ellerbusch, now in the pos-session of Miss Sarah Grefe, were Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hoffman, who already had two sons who had settled in America - one in New York (actually Newark Ohio, note DSW) (have no further information on this) and one in Lancaster, Ohio. (Newark Ohio is in Lancaster County) The later was probably John E. as we have a copy of his naturalization papers dated 1838 - record of his marriage in Lancaster in 1836 in addition to other things. We also know that Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann II was married in Lancaster in 1839 so he also could have been there. In the group was Fred Ellerbusch, the Herman Collmeyers and others. It is said the group stopped first in Lancaster, but upon hearing of cheap land in Washington Co., Illinois., decided in 1840 to move on. They traveled by covered wagon and got as far as Carlyle, Illinois., when they had to stop so Mrs. Herman Collmeyer (also spelled Kollmeyer, dsw), daughter of Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann I , could give birth to their first child, a daughter - Louise. After a delay of 3 weeks they moved on to Washington Co. and settled south of what is now New Minden.
Fred Ellerbusch had been a carpenter in Germany and when he settled in America, used this tal-ent to build all the log cabins in the area. In one of these homes, believed to have been occupied originally by the Fred Hoffman's, (which one ?) now owned by The Carl Krughoff's, one can still see the log cabin, although the wall is now about 1 foot thick, having had several layers of other materials put around it over the years.
The Hoffman's and their descendants apparently acquired much farm land between New Minden and Nashville, as well as some north and west. This is not surprising as our Historical Museum shows much of it was purchased from the Federal Government for $1.25 an acre in 1840.
Herman Collmeyer had a farm for each of his 3 sons - 1 - the Melvin Collmeyer farm is now owned by the 4th generation Collmeyer. The other 2, which are adjoining are owned by Theodore Grefe, whose wife was a descendant, and the one to the north of it, now owned by Harold Reuter was until a few years ago, owned by Collmeyers. Across the highway from the Melvin Collmeyer farm is what was originally the Frederick Hoffman farm (which one ?) - now the Walter Niemann farm- also a Collmeyer descendant. Farms to the north and west are still de-scendants of William Hoffman. (Which one ?) To the northeast is the farm once owned by owned by Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann I and his wife Anne (my great great grandpar-ents) (this would mean that this is Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann I )
The meeting to organize a church and find a name for their new settlement was held on what is now the Melvin Collmeyer farm, Nov. 8, 1846. The name chosen for the settlement was New Minden and St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of New Minden came into being. Jo-hann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann I. donated a tract of land - said to be 55 acres to the congre-gation for a church and other buildings and a "burying ground". The deed is dated Aug. 23, 1847. 1 have been told this land was purchased for Fred's son, Carl, who had died at the age of 19 in 1846. This was Christian Carl Ludwig Hoffman who is buried on what is now the Carl Krug-hoff farm. Mrs. C. Krughoff remembers that there were at least two other graves there - probably the boys parents - Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann I and Anne (nee Engel) Hoffman. Al-though we have searched - have not been able to locate these graves.
Following is the record of the deed of the property to St. John's. Since it is impossible to get a photostatic copy of this deed, I have tried to copy it and the sworn statement that the Hoff-mans gave the ground willingly, exactly as it appears in Deed Record Washington Co., Book E, PP. 436, as to wording, spelling, capital letters etc. Apparently Anne Marie could not read or write English as it has her mark.
Deed Record Washington County Book E page 436
"This Indenture made and entered into this twenty third day of August in the year of
Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty seven by and between Fredrick William
Hoffman Mary Engel Hoffman his wife of the County of Washington and State of Illinois of
the first part and Frederick Hoffman Hiram Collmeier and William Hoffman Trustees of the
Evangelical Lutheran St. John's Church in Minden Settlement, Washington County in the
State of Illinois of the Sec-ond part witnesseth that the said party of the first part for and in
Consideration of their attach-ment to Said Church and their ardent desire for it's prosperity
have given donated transferred and conveyed and by these present doth give donate convey
and forever Confirm unto the Said party
of the Second part ten acres off from the west side of the following tract or parcel of Land to
wit the South west quarter of the North west quarter of Section Eighteen in Township one South
of Range two west lying in Washington County and State of Illinois to be held by the Said Trustees
and their Successors forever to the use and for the benefit of Said Church and a part to be used a
s a burying ground and the remainder of Said tract of Land after taking off the said ten acres the
Said first party doth hereby give donate Convey Confirm unto the Said party the second part to
be held by the Said Trustee and their Successors to the use and for the benefit of Said Church for
School purposes the Said first party forever reserving unto themselves their heirs and assigns
for-ever all the Stone or rock in or upon the whole Said tract of Land.
In witness whereof we the Said party of the first part hereunto set our hands and
Seals the day of year above written.
Frederick W. Hoffman (Seal)
Anna X (her mark) Maria Engel Hoffman (Seal)
Attestee
Joseph Wells
State of Illinois
Washington County
Be it remembered that on this twenty third day of August A. D. 1847 personally come before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace within and for Said County Frederick William Hoffman and Mary Engel Hoffman his wife who are personally known to me to be the persons described in the above deed as having Executed the same who acknowledged the above deed to be their free and Voluntary act for uses and purposes therein mentioned and Mary Engel Hoffman wife of aforesaid being examined Separate and apart from her Said husband and the Contents and meaning of Said deed being fully explained to her acknowledged that She Signed the Same and relinquished her right of dower to the land described in Said deed freely and Vol-untarily and without fear or Compulsion of her said husband. In witness whereof I have here-unto set my hand and seal the day and year above in written.
Joseph Wells (Seal)"
CHILDREN OF JOHANN FRIEDRICH WILHELM HOFFMANN I
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffman :b. Apr. 28,1807 ,died in infancy
Johann Ernst Hoffman - b. Aug. 12, 1808 - d. March 11, 1862
m. March 8,1836, Magdaline Bruners - d. May 9,1839 :
2nd marriage - June 24, 1839 to Catherine Hoffman - b. June 16,1818 - d. Oct. 5,1874
Marie Christine Hoffman - b. March 6, 1811
Sophie Marie Elisabeth Hoffman - b. Oct. 19,1813 - d. Feb. 8,1874 -
m. Herman Collmeyer
Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffmann II - b. Aug. 6, 1816 - d. about Nov. 1853.
m. Aug. 1, 1839
Caroline Bocker or Boeker or Böker- b. May 1, 1819 - d. March 4, 1896
Marie Christine Louise Hoffman - b. March 17, 1819
Christian Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffman - b. Oct. 11, 1821 - d. Aug. 16,1899 -
m. 1843 Caroline Schrieber - b. June 15, 1824 - d. Nov. 18, 1895
(Tombstone has Wilhelm C. Hoffmann, dsw and Karoline)
Anne Marie Louise Hoffman - b. June 14, 1825 - d. Feb. 2, 1826.
Buried Feb. 6, in Rothenuffeln, Germany.
Christian Carl Ludwig Hoffman - b. Jan. 30, 1827 - d. Jan. 4, 1846.
Buried on what is now the Carl Krughoff farm, southeast of New Minden.
The bold faced names are the ones whose families I have been able to trace.
The names and dates of birth of the children of Johann Friedrich Wilhelm Hoffman I and his wife, - nee Engel - were provided by Pastor Muller of Bergkirchen, Germany and taken from that church's records.
Return to Contents