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
