52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #17 - John Hoffman

This is #17 in a Genealogy Blog Challenge issued by Amy Johnson Crow over on her blog "No Story Too Small." The challenge is to write 52 blog posts on 52 ancestors throughout 2014

*Note - I got behind in my ancestors and so may be publishing more than one a week as I attempt to catch up.

John Hoffman was born on the 23rd of April, 1864 in Newport Kentucky. The first son of Louis Hoffman and Susie Seibert, John was born when his mother was approximately 19 years old and his father was 36 years old. He had at least 7 verified siblings and possibly a few others whom I have not quite yet verified.

St. Stephen's Catholic Church
Newport, Kentucky

In 1880, when John was 15, he was marked in the census as being a "Laborer" along with his 13 year old brother Absolam. It is unknown where they worked, as their father was a farmer.  They could have been laborers on their own farm or hired out to other places.

On September 6, 1887, John married Elizabeth (Emma) Sticklin (Stoecklin) in Campbell County, Kentucky. According to their Marriage License, they were married by a Roman Catholic priest named Jos Menschuann (sp?). I have so far been unable to find which church they were married in.

In 1888, John and Emma's first daughter, Regina was born on June 7th. In 1890, a second daughter was added to their family. Marie (May) was born in Newport, Kentucky on the 27th of May. Both girls were baptized in St. Stephen's Catholic Church in Newport, Kentucky.

In 1891, 3 year old Regina died from diphtheria.


In 1900, John, Emma and May moved from Newport to Cold Springs, Kentucky where John was working as a farmer.

Their daughter May married George Bernard Knoppe on the 26th of January, 1909.

By 1910, Emma and John had returned to Newport where John found work in a Brewery.

Sometime prior to 1910, the Hoffman's had adopted a boy named Louis Butts. My grandmother started to compile a genealogy many years ago and her notes from family stories state:

"John Hoffman had friends named Butts. Butts had a son named Lou. The Butts died of flu during WWI and son Lou was put in St. Josephs Orphanage. John and Elizabeth Hoffman adopted Lou. Lou took the name of Hoffman."

While my grandmother's notes indicate that Lou joined the family after the flu epidemic and WWI, he was living with John and Emma in 1910 and is listed as "son."

John Hoffman with one of his
grandsons in 1926 at Coney Island.
This is the only picture we have of him.

In 1920, John and Emma were living at 229 7th street in Newport, Kentucky. Their daughter, May, and her husband George were living with them.  John was listed as a store-keeper in a saloon that he owned. His prior experience in a Brewery apparently helping him.

The family business was apparently successful enough that John, Emma, May, her husband George and John's first grandson were able to take a trip to Coney Island, New York in 1926.

In 1929, Emma passed away on the 10th of June, after 42 years of marriage.

John continued to live with his daughter May and her family though he apparently did not continue as a saloon-keeper. In the 1930 census, his employment is listed as "General Contractor."

John passed away on the 21st of December, 1936 at the age of 72.  At the time of his death, the family was living at 3428 DeCoursey, in Newport, Kentucky where the family was running a cafe / soda-shop at that address.  He is buried with his wife and other family members in St. Stephen's Cemetery, in Ft. Thomas, Kentucky. 


John Hoffman is my 2nd great-grandfather on my father's side.