Notes for Adam Hoffman and Susanna Ruhl

A biosketch of son Michael Hoffman describes this family moving from York County, Pennsylvania to Morrow County, Ohio in 1838: "Adam Hoffman, was a native of York County, and was of German descent; his mother, Susan (Ruhl) Hoffman, was also from York County. Mr. Hoffman's father was a good mechanic, and wagon-making was his principal business. He emigrated to this state [Ohio] in 1838, and settled on forty acres of Government land (where Michael, now lives); after a residence of only three years on the farm, he moved to the village of Woodbury and worked at his trade the rest of his life; he died in 1858 (sic, 1848)." [1]

1781 Adam Hoffman was born on 11 April 1781 to Barbara and Adam Hoffman and was christened at the Lischy’s (St. Peter’s) Reformed Church, North Codorus Township, York County, Pennsylvania. [2][3]

1790 Adam Hoffman's father, Adam Hoffman, lived in Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania. The household had two males age over 16, three males under age 16 (Adam would be about 9), and six females. The family of George Hosler, future father-in-law of future daughter Lydia, was listed nearby. [4]

1790 Susanna Ruhl's father, Henry Ruhl [Rule] lived in Shrewsbury Twp, York County, Pennsylvania. [5]

1800 Adam Hoffman's father, Adam Hoffman, lived in Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania with male children age 16-25 (Adam would be about 19). [6]

1800 Susanna Ruhl's father, Henry Ruhl, lived in Shrewsbury Twp, York County, Pennsylvania. The family included two females under age 10, perhaps Eva and Susanna.

1810 Adam Hoffman's father, Adam Hoffman, lived in Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania with one male child age 25-44 (perhaps Michael). Next door was John Hofman, age 25-44, with three male children under age 10; perhaps this was John Adam and Susanna, or perhaps his brother, John. We do not know when Adam Hoffman and Susanna Ruhl were married. Neighbors included Ludwick and John Rudisil; Henry Stambaugh; and Jacob, Michael, and Jonas River. Similar neighbor families were listed in Codorus Twp in 1820, so this is likely the same family. [7]

1812 Several men named Adam Hoffman served in the War of 1812. A possible match is Adam Hoffman and Jacob Hoffman, listed among the Pennsylvania Volunteers in the War of 1812 on the Pay-roll, of Capt. J. Bakeoven's company, Second brigade, division Pennsylvania militia, under command of Col. John Thompson. [8] Also in Hills' Regiment. [9]

1819 Adam Hoffman was named as a son and future heir in the will of his father, Adam Hoffman, of Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania.

1820 Father John (Adam) Hoffman and wife, both age 45+ lived in Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania with 2 males (John and Adam?) age 26-45 one male age 10-16, 2 males age less than 10, and one female age 16-26. Neighbors included Rudisil, Stambaugh, Hartman, and James R(ivir?). Also in Codorus township were widow Rule age 26+ with 3 young males and 2 young females and several Bortner families and Reiver-Reaver families. [10]

1821 On 24 October, Adam Hoffman and wife Susannah, of the town of Jefferson, Codorus Twp, York County, released three adjacent lots to Jacob B Wentz for $22. The lots were numbered one, two, and three, near Berlin Street, according to the general plan of Jefferson. Adam Hoffman had rented the lots from Frederick Kraft in 1815 and Frederick Kraft then sold the lots to Jacob Wentz. [11]

1822 The estate of Adam's father, Adam Hoffman, was in probate.

1827 On 3 January, Adam Hoffman, perhaps this one, warranted 75.83 acres of land at the Steubenville, Ohio land office, document number 1419. He signed the document (not seen). Description: 1 E 1/2 NW Ohio River Survey No 18 N 5 W 4. [12]

1830 Susanna Hoffman was named as a daughter of Henry Ruhl, of Sandusky Twp, Richland County, Ohio, in his will dated January 5, 1830.

1830 Adam Hoffman (age 40-50) and female (Susanna?, age 30-40) lived in Codorus Twp, York County, Pennsylvania with male children: two age 0-5; one age 6-10; one age 15-20 and with female children: one age 0-5; one age 10-15 (Lydia?); and one age 15-20. Nearby were families of Jacob Bortner (age 30-40), John Bortner (age 30-40), Michael Bortner (age 50-60), Christian Rohrbach (age 40-50), Elizabeth Ruhle (age 20-30), George Hassler (age 30-40), and Jacob Bortner (age 50-60 with female parent? age 70-80). Henry Rhule (age 40-50) was on the next page. John Hoffman (age 40-50) was listed 14 pages later living next to Rudiswil. [13]

1834 Adam Hoffman [Hofman] of York County Pennsylvania was granted land in section 7, Twp 19-N, Range 20-W [North Bloomfield Twp, Morrow County], Ohio by president Andrew Jackson [14]. This was the land on which son Michael later lived. [15]. In 1857, son Michael lived on section 7 of North Bloomfield Twp, Morrow County, Ohio.

1835 Adam Hoffman's family moved from York County, Pennsylvania to Morrow County, Ohio. Both Adam Hoffman and his wife Susanna died in Morrow County, Ohio.

1839 The obituary of son Jesse Hoffman indicated that the family moved first to Crawford County, Ohio where Susanna Ruhl Hoffman died, and that Jesse then moved to Morrow County, Ohio with relatives.

1840 Adam Hoffman (age 50-60) lived in Bloomfield Twp, Richland County, Ohio with males: one age 0-5, one age 5-10 (Jesse), one age 10-15(George, John, or Adam?), one age 15-20 (Samuel), two age 20-30 (Jacob and Michael) and one female age 10-15 (Polly or Eliza?). It appears that Susanna had already died. Daughter Lydia and son-in-law Henry Hosler lived in the same Township. [16]

1843 The will of Adam [Hoffman] Huffman was dated 16 April in Congress Twp, Richland County, Ohio. The date of probate was not given, but the entry before it was dated 14 August, 1843, suggesting that the will may not have been presented to the court until then. Adam Left 50 cents to each of his sons Michael and Adam. To sons and daughters, excepting the above, money was to be divided equally from the sale of the estate. George Rule was named as guardian of son John until age 21 and (son-in-law) Henry R. Hosler was named as guardian of son Jesse until age 21. The guardians were instructed to give the children a good English education and to put them in a trade when old enough. Executors were son Jacob Hoffman and George Rule. Witnesses: George Rule, George B. Hosler (note; this is the father of Henry Hosler). John Rule, George B Hosler, and Michael Kleinfelter were named by the court as appraisers of the estate and their appraisal was dated 23 August, 1844. Items were purchased at the estate sale by sons Jacob and Samuel and son-in-law Henry Hosler. Henry Bowman bought many items. Perhaps Henry Bowman was another son-in-law. Neither Michael nor Adam bought items at the sale in 1844. 
ListDocs Copies of original documents of Adam Hoffman estate settlement, 1843-1855.

1843 On 29 May, Adam Hoffman was buried at St John's Cemetery, Perry Twp, Morrow County, Ohio. [17]
Photo Gravestone of Adam Hoffman, St John's Cemetery, Morrow County, Ohio. This cemetery is also called Woodbury Cemetery. [18]

1850 George B Hosler (age 55) and Catharine (age 57) parents of son-in-law George Hosler, lived in Perry Twp, Morrow County, Ohio. Nearby were Susan Hoffman age 6 and Catharine Hoffman age 5 in the house of Jacob Staffer. The young Hoffman's could be Adam's grand-children through deceased son Jacob. [19]

1855 Adam's estate was settled by George Ruhl. The co-executor Jacob Hoffman (likely Adam's son) had died. Some debts had been paid in full before the total value of the estate was known. The estate was valued at $413.73. Twenty-nine debts totaling $516.62 were paid at 93 cents on the dollar, including ones to George B Hosler (father-in-law of Adam's daughter Lydia); Michael, Jacob, and Samuel Huffman (likely Adam's sons); Lavering and Rule (a retail store); and to George and John Ruhl. A Michael and Henry Kleinfelter were named. (copy of original available).

1863 A note showed that the estate of Adam Hoffman had been declared insolvent in 1844. George Ruhl and Jacob Hoffman were named as executors and George B Hosler and Henry R Hosler were named as bondsmen.

1897 Several children were documented by the probate record of son Adam Hoffman, who died 15 Oct, 1897 in Noble County, Indiana. The record listed brothers John Sr, Jesse, Samuel, Michael Hoffman and sisters Polly Bowman, deceased Lydia Hosler. [20]
Photocopy 1897 estate paper for Adam Hosler.

Research Notes:

Susanna Ruhl Hoffman's birthdate has been reported as 7 Dec 1802, her marriage date as 1810, and the birthdate of her firstborn child Michael reported in one biography as 1813. These dates are inconsistent with each other. 

Footnotes
[Google Books] opens the citation in a new tab in your browser.
[Archives] opens a tab in your browser, from which you can download the PDF of the entire book to your computer.
[Link] opens the Link in a new tab of your browser.
[1] William Henry Perrin, J H Battle, O L Baskin & Co. History of Morrow County and Ohio (1880):626, [Google Books]
[2] York County, Pennsylvania Church Records, 1760-1800: Codorus Township, ancestry.com
[3] York County, Pennsylvania, 1773-1901: Lischy's Reformed Church, ancestry.com
[4] US census, 1790, PA, York, Codorus, pagination 384
[5] 1790 US census, PA, York, Shrewsbury, paginations  38 and 362,column 2, bottom of page
[6] US census, 1800, PA, York, Codorus, pagination 1359
[7] US census
[8] Thomas Lynch Montgomery. Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series, Volume 9. (Troops) (1907):206-207, [Archives]
[9] NARA roll box 101, microfilm M602
[10] US census
[11] York County Pennsylvania Deed 3H-206
[12] Ohio Land records, Ancestry.com commercial database
[13] US census, 1830 (Reel.Page): 0160.659, line 11, [Link]
[14] BLM certificate 2519 issued at the Wooster Land Office
[15] William Henry Perrin, J H Battle, O L Baskin & Co. History of Morrow County and Ohio (1880):626, [Google Books]
[16] US census
[17] The birthdate and age at death of 62 years, 1 month, 10 days, and the will date, agree on the year of death being 1843
[18] findagrave.com Memorial 89218428, [Link]
[19] US census
[20] Another report, not seen, also named Eliza Humpsbaugher, http://www.rootsweb.com/~innoble/Probates/EH.htm