The Huffman/Hoffman Kinexxion :: John & Dietrich

As mentioned in my previous post, the father of Susannah (Huffman) Berlin was found to be John Huffman. Based upon cemetery transcriptions in the “Henry R. Baldwin Genealogical Records” published in 1963, his date of birth was November 1779. On page 131 it states that the transcriptions were taken on June 21, 1907 for Washingtonville Cemetery in Green Township, Mahoning County, Ohio. Washingtonville actually lies partly in Mahoning County and partly in Columbiana County (Mahoning was created from Columbiana in 1846). The record shows that John Hoffman was “born 1779 died Feb. 8, 1860 age 80 years 3 mos.” and his wife Catharine was “born 1780 died Feb. 10, 1857 age 77 yrs.” with a notation that she was “age 77 yrs. 10 mos. 10 days given in another notebook”.

Other researchers with whom I've had contact, as well as numerous online family trees show that John's parents are Detrick and Susannah (Alder) Hoffman. Of course, there are no or few sources provided in those online trees. John was reportedly born in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was married to Catherine Coy on October 24, 1801 in Washington County, Maryland. Catherine's sister, Mary, was also married in Washington County, Maryland - on November 19, 1803 to Michael Huffman, reportedly the brother of John.

But there is a slight problem with the presumed parentage of John Huffman – one that other researchers I've been in contact with in the past did not mention - and this is where my heart sinks and my stomach gets tied up in knots - In looking at deed records, tax lists, and census records for Columbiana County, I found that there was more than one man named John Huffman/Hoffman living in the county during the same time period, 1808-1860.

Tax lists prior to 1816 are not available at the Family History Library. However, volume 1 of “Index Ohio Tax Lists 1806-1810” edited by Ronald Vern Jackson has the following entries in Columbiana County for the Hoffman surname of various spellings (Hoffman, Hufman, Huffman and possibly Huffan). The township was “Not Listed” except in 1808 when it was given as Springfield. The index does not provide any other information so there is no way of knowing, without looking at the originals, where the land was located or even if there were absentee landlords. Just because they were taxed on land doesn't mean they were actually living there.

1807: Detrick p5
1808: Derick p63*, John p62*
1809: Oedrick p13, John, p11, John, p12, Nicholas, p12
1810: Derrick, John p24, John p27, Michael, p27

On December 19, 1807 Michael Hofman purchased 101 acres in S10 T16 R3 (Green Township) from Daniel Ruigle and his wife May (v1 p316). All parties were of Columbiana County. This land was sold on April 27, 1819 by a Sheriff's sale to David Coy, John Clinker, Daniel Coy, Nancy Coy & Susanna Coy for a judgment of debt and damages. (v5 p418).

The first land record I found for Detrick Huffman was on March 6, 1809 when he purchased 81 ¾ acres in the NW 1/4 of S12 T15 R3 (Salem Township) from Christopher Bair and his wife Susana (v2 p28). He owned this land for the remainder of his life.

How many John Hoffmans were there? Two? Three? or more? It's hard to say for sure...

On the 8th of March 1808 John Hoffman of Washington County, Pennsylvania purchased Lot 189 in the town of New Lisbon from Gideon Hughes and his wife Rebecca (v1 p349). Three years later, on March 10, 1811 John Huffman and his wife Elizabeth, of Washington County, Pennsylvania sold Lot 189 in the town of New Lisbon to George Huffman (v3 p346).

On April 14, 1808 John Hoffman purchased 155 acres in S6 T8 R1 (Unity Township) from John Snook and his wife Catherine. All participants were “of Columbiana County” (v1 p382). On the same day, John Hoffman and Elizabeth his wife of the county of Columbiana, sold that land to John Whitmore (v2 p463). Columbiana County marriage records show that a John Hoffman married Elizabeth Shnok on May 26, 1808 (v1 p37). Several online databases show her name to be Snook. Anyway, the marriage was a month after the sale of land so it can't be the same John and Elizabeth. It could be the John and Elizabeth who were of Washington County, Pennsylvania in the March transactions. There were additional purchases by a John Hoffman in Unity Township – he was taxed on 85 acres in the NE 1/4 of S6 from 1816 through 1833.

June 4, 1808 John Hoffman purchased 160 acres in S36 T16 R3 (Green Township) from John Roller and wife Catherine, all were of Columbiana County (v1 p404). On the same day, John Huffman and Catharine his wife sold a portion of that land to David Coy “said section was confirmed to John Hufman by John Roller and his wife Catharine by deed dated June 4, 1808... the part now sold... containing 60 acres (v1 p399). David Coy was a half-brother of Catharine.

On August 24, 1811 John Hoffman of Columbiana County purchased 17 acres in S31 T9 R1 (Springfield Township) from William Chain and his wife Nancy (v3 p12). In 1819 Adam Hoffman purchased 124 acres in that section. In 1822 Jacob Hoffman purchased land in that section. In 1823, Adam Hoffman sold his 124 acres to John Hoffman. In 1826, John and Elizabeth Hoffman sold 60 acres to the five children of Henry Harmon and 64 acres to Christian Hilt. In 1828, John Hoffman (no wife listed) sold 6 acres to Jacob Hoffman. And there were other transactions by Jacob and John Hoffman in this section... it makes your head spin!

In 1846, Green Township and Springfield Township became part of Mahoning County. From the map above you can see that Springfield township is directly north of Unity, while Green Township is directly north of Salem. The land of John & Catherine was in Green Township north of Washingtonville while Detrick's land was in section 12 of Salem Township on the south side of Washingtonville. This places them in relatively close proximity to each other but does that mean that Detrick and "my" John are father and son?

To be continued... see The Huffman/Hoffman Kinexxion :: Detrick

Published under a Creative Commons License.
Becky Wiseman, "The Huffman/Hoffman Kinexxion :: John & Dietrich," Kinexxions, posted March 6, 2012 (http://kinexxions.blogspot.com/2012/03/huffmanhoffman-kinexxion-john-dietrich.html : accessed [access date])