Mendocino County Biographies

John P. Hoffman

Transcribed by: Pat Howard

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


	Born in Pennsylvania, December 5, 1825, where he received his 
education, and lived on a farm until twenty-one years of age, when he, leaving 
his parents behind, went to Wisconsin, where he taught school and worked in a 
saw-mill until April, 1849. He then crossed the plains to California with 
ox-teams; arrived at Placerville in October, making the trip in six months. He 
spent the first winter in mining, and in the spring opened a boarding-house and 
butcher shop on the Cosumnes river, where he remained for sox months. Then he 
engaged in the butchering business in El Dorado county for a short time; then 
returned, via Panama, to Illinois, where he engaged in mercantile business four 
years; then followed the same business in Iowa until the sprint of 1860. He then 
again crossed the plains to California, bringing his family, consisting of wife 
and two children, one an adopted child; followed farming in Amador county until 
1868; then came to Mendocino county and settled on his present place, located 
about three miles from Ukiah, where he has since resided. Mr. Hoffman married, 
in 1856, Miss Jane B. Kirkwood, a native of Indiana. Their children are: Emily 
J., born May 31, 1858; Ellen A. born August 27, 1861; Martha L., born July 21, 
1865; Alice E., born February 27, 1869; Ida, born September 10, 1871, died 
October 15, 1871; Nellie F., born June 13, 1873; and Bertha L., born September 
24, 1877.
 
SOURCE: History of Mendocino County, California - San Francisco, Cal. Alley, 
Bowen & Co., Publishers. 1880 Pp. 644


JOHN P. HOFFMAN.� The memorable summer of 1849 brought a mot- 
ley throng of Argonauts across the plains, men young and old, high and low, 
vi every occupation and profession, and in all of this vast army of emigrants 
perhaps none was more alert of perception, more capable in action or more sin- 
cere of purpose than John P. Hoffman, a stalwart young man of twenty-three 
years, whose savings from a small salaried position as school teacher were 
devoted to transportation expenses on that long and eventful journey. Born 
near Milton, Pa.. December 5, 1825, there had been no occurrence of especial 
interest in his boyhood and youth, which had been passed in a quiet routine of 
home duties and school attendance. More fortunate than some of those early 
miners, he secured some returns in his mining operations and after he had 
engaged in placer mining at Sonora, Weaverville and Placerville until he had 
accumulated over $2000 in gold, he fastened $1500 of his precious treasure 
in a belt around his body and started for the east. The sailing vessel, Trescot, 
in the voyage from San Francisco to the Isthmus, was becalmed for thirteen 
days, so that the harbor was not reached until some time later than was usual 
for that voyage. However, he eventually reached his destination and invested 
his gold in merchandise in Chicago and Milwaukee, shipping the stock of 
goods to Lena, Ill. From there a few years later he moved his stock to 
Springville, Linn county, Iowa, where he opened a store. The business flour- 
ished to a satisfactory degree, but his mind reverted so frequently to the sights 
and scenes of California that he finally determined to return to the coast. 
Meanwhile he had married in Springville Iowa, Miss Jane B. Kirkwood, a 
native of Elkhart county, Ind., and a school teacher. 

The family consisting of husband and wife and infant child left Iowa 
April 19, 1860, and arrived at lone, Amador county, Cal., August 19 following, 
after a tedious and eventful trip across the plains. The first location was near 
lone on a well improved farm which proved a successful undertaking. Next, 
removal was made to Mendocino county, where Mr. Hoffman selected Ukiah 
as a location especially desirable by reason of its healthful climate. Near the 
town he selected and purchased a tract of seven hundred and forty acres, 
known as the old John Hopper ranch. This property had one of the very first 
orchards planted in the valley and he added to the same by the planting of 
fruit trees of choice varieties. Much of the land was covered with brush. It 
was possible at that time to engage Indians to clear off the brush. The land 
cleared, he took up the task of cultivation and in this he was uniformly suc- 
cessful. For years grain formed his principal crop. The entire ranch was 
fenced under his personal supervision and at heavy expense. Later he bought 
mountain land suitable for the pasturage of his herds of cattle. The man- 
agement of the large ranch did not represent the limit of his activities. With 
characteristic energy he threw himself into many movements for the upbuild- 
ing of the community. Seeing the need of a substantial financial concern, he 
was one of the promoters of the Bank of Ukiah and was the first president of 
the institution. From that time until his death in February of 1903 he con- 
tinued as a director of the bank and his high standing gave weight and 
solidity to the institution. In order to oversee his large business interests he 
moved from the ranch into Ukiah, where he bought a residence and conducted 
a general mercantile business. He believed thoroughly in the public schools 
and served acceptably as trustee of his district. The Republican party received 
his ballot in local and national elections. For years he was one of the largest 
contributors to the Methodist Episcopal Church of Ukiah and that denomina- 
tion had in him one of its most loyal supporters and leading local workers. He is 
survived by his widow, who resides on the old homestead, surrounded by 
members of her family and friends. She is a woman of large information and 
a strong character, and it was largely due to her perception, assistance and 
wise counsel that Mr. Hoffman met with such splendid success. It was also 
due to her oversight and supervision of the children's studies that they ob- 
tained their good educations, and the moral training which they received 
made them citizens of worth, and men and women of the highest ideals. 

There were eight children in the family of the late John P. Hoffman. 
Of these four survive, viz. : Mrs. Emily J. Pettis, Mrs. Ella McKinley, Mrs. 
Nellie Sanford and John Hoffman. The first-named in 1876 became the wife 
of Charles E. Pettis, who was born at Somerset, Bristol county, Mass., Febru- 
ary 12, 1854, and received a seminary education in the old Bay state, supple- 
mented by attendance at the University of the Pacific at San Jose, Cal., in 
1873. A year after his arrival in the west he came to Ukiah and since then 
(1874) he has been more or less identified with this section of the state. After 
a term of service as bookkeeper with his brother, W. H. Pettis, and a period 
of business association with J. P. Hoffman, he accepted the advice of friends 
and relinquished business for a ministerial career. After four years of theo- 
logical study in the Methodist Episcopal conference, he was ordained to the 
ministry of the Gospel and admitted to the conference. For twenty-seven 
years he preached the Gospel in Marin, Amador, Santa Clara, Monterey and 
Mendocino counties. Eventually in 1912 he retired from the ministry and 
erected a house on the ranch of ninety acres at Talmage near Ukiah, where 
he and his wife have since given their attention to the improvement of the 
property and the building up of a remunerative ranch. Their sons have left 
the home roof to take up life's activities, the eldest, John A., having entered 
the law as an attorney at Fort Bragg, while Charles H. has engaged in ranch- 
ing and cattle-raising in Arizona and Edward V. is clerking in San Francisco. 
The youngest, Ashley B., a musical genius whose talents have been developed 
through study in Europe, now conducts a studio in San Francisco, where 
he ranks among the leading pianists and composers and where his remarkable 
musical memory and unerring accuracy in the art have elicited the most 
flattering comments from the press. Alice is at home. 

History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry Illustrated, Complete In 
One Volume Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914

Transcribed by Peggy Hooper