Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/255

Rh history down to the year 573, were issued in a striking form (London, 1853). The third volume was partly in type when the author returned to the United States. Three other volumes had been in great part written. Mr. Hoffman also left "Moot Court Decisions," and an "Abridgment of Lord Coke's Reports, with Notes."

HOFFMAN, David Bancroft, physician, b. in Bainbridge, Chenango co., N. Y., 25 July, 1827. He studied medicine in his father's office, and at- tended lectures at Rush and Jefferson medical col- leges. He crossed the plains in 1849, and spent two years in California. In 1851-'3 he was a sur- geon on mail steamers from New York to Aspin- wall and from Panama to San Francisco. He then settled in San Diego, Cal., was coroner and after- ward postmaster there, and represented the county in the legislature in 1861-'2. He received the de- frea of M. D. from Toland medical college in San 'rancisco in 1864. During the civil war he served as a field-surgeon in the U. S. army, and afterward as a contract-surgeon till 1880. In 1868 he was a presidential elector, in 1869-'73 collector of cus- toms at San Diego, and in 1870-'5 U. S. commis- sioner in bankruptcy. He engaged in railroad enterprises, and was chosen president of the San Diego and San Bernardino railroad company. He published a " Medical History of San Diego Coun- ty " (San Francisco, 1864).

HOFFMAN, John N., clergyman, b. in Adams county, Pa,, 16 Jan., 1804 ; d. in Reading, Pa., 26 July, 1857. He studied theology under the Rev. Frederick D. Shaeffer, entered the ministry in 1825, and was pastor of Lutheran churches at Taneytown, Md., till 1831, and Chambersburg, Pa., till 1842. For the next eleven years he preached at Carlisle, and during that period held the office of president of the West Pennsylvania synod for three years. In 1853 he assumed charge of a church in Lebanon, Pa., and a few months later was called to Reading, where he remained till his death. He published a translation of Arndt's "True Chris- tianity " (Chambersburg, 1834) ; a volume of " Evan- gelical Hymns, Original and Selected " (1838) ; " A Collection of Texts " ; and " The Broken Platform, a Defence of the Symbolical Books of the Luther- an Church" (Philadelphia, 1856).

HOFFMAN, John Thompson, governor of New York, b. in Sing Sing, N. Y., 10 Jan.. 1828 ; d. in Wiesbaden, Germany, 24 March. 1888. He was graduated at Union college in 1846, studied law. and was admitted to the bar in January, 1849. He acquired an extensive practice in New York city, and interested himself in politics. He was elected recorder in 1860, re-elected in 1863, and in July of the latter year delivered severe sentences against persons that had been engaged in the draft riots. He was elected by the Democrats mayor of New York city in 1865, and re-elected in 1867. He was first nominated a candidate for governor in 1866, and defeated by Reuben E. Fenton, but in 1868 was re-nominated and elected, and in 1870 was re- elected. The "Public Papers of Governor Hoff- man " were published (Albany, 1872).

HOFFMAN, Michael, politician, b. in Clifton Park, Saratoga co., N. Y, in 1788 ; d. in Brooklyn, X. V.. 27 Sept., 1848. He studied medicine, and afterward law, was admitted to the bar, and began practice at Herkimer. He was elected to congress as a Democrat in 1824, and re-elected for the three •ucceeding terms, serving from 5 Dec, 1825, to 2 March, 1833. In 1833-5 he was canal commis- sioner of the state of New York. He was ap- pointed register of the land-office at Saginaw, 111., in 1836, subsequently returned to Herkimer, and was a member of the New York legislature in 1841, 1842, and 1844, and of the State constitu- tional convention in 1846. As chairman of the committee of ways and means in the assembly, and of the committee on finance in the convention, he originated and carried through important financial reforms. He was at the time of his death naval officer of the port of New York.

HOFFMAN, Murray, jurist, b. in New York city, 29 Sept., 1791 ; d. in Flushing, L. I., 7 May, 1878. He was graduated at Columbia in 1809, studied law, and practised in New York city. In March. 1839, he became assistant vice-chancellor, which office he held for four years. He was ap- pointed judge of the superior court in New York in November, 1853, and held that office till the end of 1861. He published " Office and Duties of Mas- ters in Chancery " (1824) ; " Vice-Chancery Reports " (1839-40) ; " Treatise on the Practice of the Court of Chancery " (1840-'3) ; " Treatise on the Corporation of New York as Owners of Property, and Compilation of the Laws relating to the Citv of New York " (1853) ; and " Digest of the Statutes and Decisions relating to the Board of Supervisors of the County of New York " (1866). He was an active layman in the Episcopal church, and pub- lished a " Treatise on the Law of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States " (1850) : " Ecclesiastical Law in the State of New York " (1868) ; and " The Ritual Law of the Church, with Notes on the Offices, Articles, etc." (1872). — His brother, Ogden, lawyer, b. in New York city, 3 May, 1793 ; d. there, 1 May, 1856, was intended for the bar, but his father permitted him, after his graduation at Columbia in 1812, to join the navy. He was appointed a midshipman on 31 Dec, 1814, was taken prisoner with Capt. Decatur on the " President," and in 1815 served under that officer in the war with the Barbary states. In 1816 he resigned, began the study of law with his father, and completed it with a lawyer of Goshen, N. Y., whose partner he became. The young midshipman displayed courage and presence of mind on several trying occasions, and was a favorite with his commanding officer, Com. Decatur, who, when Hoffman left the navy, expressed regret that he shoidd have exchanged "an honorable profession for that of a lawyer." In May, 1823, he was appointed district attorney of Orange county, and in 1825 he was elected by the Democrats to the legislature. At the close of his term he removed to New York city, and became a partner of Hugh Maxwell, then district attorney. When President Jackson removed the deposits from the U. S. bank he joined the Whig party, and in 1828 he was elected a member of the state assembly, where he suggested various improvements in practice and procedure, as a member of the judiciary committee. He succeeded Maxwell as district attorney in 1829, and held the office for six years. During twenty-five years he was counsel in almost every noted criminal trial in New York, and in many important civil cases. In 1836 he was elected a member of congress, served on the committee on foreign affairs, and took a prominent part in the debates. He was re-elected in 1838, and at the conclusion of his second term was appointed by President Harrison U S. district attorney at New York. This office he resigned in 1845. In 1853-5 he was attornev-general of the state. — Their half-brother, Charles Fenno, b. in New York city in 1806 ; d. in Harrisburg, Pa., 7 June, 1884, was sent to an academy in Poughkeepsie at the age of nine, but ran away to escape harsh treatment, and was placed under the tuition of a Scotch clergyman in New