Henry HOFIUS
Birth:
31 Mar 1799
Washington, Pennsylvania
Death:
10 Nov 1866
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, At Home.
Burial:
15 Nov 1866
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, Morefield Cem.
Marriage:
29 May 1823
Mercer, Pennsylvania
Father:
Mother:
Notes:
CENSUS:1860, Hickory Twp.,Mercer, Pa,p.112 gives Henry as 60yrs. old.
Will of George Hofius, Will Book2, pg 351, Mercer,Pa, lists Henry as one
of the children.
Note that in the 1860 census there is a 7 yr f. living with his family by
the name of Tracey or Lucey Dunlap.(Grandchild?)
BIOGRAPHY:Father of 7 children, 4 sons & 3 daughters-all by 1st marr.
Henry was born in Washington County and brought by his parents to Hickory Twp., when he was about 1 yr., old. Raised on the homestead farm, received a common school education, principally under the tutorage of the well-known teacher, Master Hays. In 1823 he married Mary Reno a daughter of Charles Reno one of the early settlers of Sharon. They settled on the West half of the homestead willed, by his father George, to he and his brother John. This property of approximately 210 acres was located in Hickory Township, Pennsylvania. Henry remained on this part of the homestead until his death. Later his son George C., took over the farm.
He was quite a prominent military man in the days of the old State Militia having been commissioned Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel - his commissions bearing the signatures of Governors Shulze, Wolf & Shunk. In the Military Commission Book (Militia Book) Volume 6 for 1827-1833 Henry was in the Third Brigade of the Sixteenth Division - Greenville Volunteer Regiment - Sharon Volunteer Batalion as a Major. In these books for 1842-1845 Volume 8 he was in the Second Brigade as a Captain - Shenango Sharpshooters. In the same books for 1845-1848 Volume 9 he was in the Second Brigade Volunteers, Fourth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers as a Lieutenant Colonel. Henry was 5 times elected justice of the peace, holding the office at time of his death.
He also took an active part in political issues of the day and in latter years great interest in the Sabbath and common schools. During his lifetime the Morefield Cemetary was layed out as early as 1808. Not layed out with and regularity. On 4/18/1853 it was chartered Morefield Cemetery Assn., by the legislature. Henry Hofius Esquire was one of the corporators. When Mary Reno died in 1851 he married Charlotte Austin of Mahoning County, Boardman Twp., Ohio in 1853.
Henry had land holdings of 120 acres in Section 18, Town 91 and Range 29 in Humboldt County, Iowa (Dakota City) at least in the years 1861 through 1863. He paid taxes of about $6.00 per year on the land.
He had 7 children by his first wife four sons and three daughters and none by his second wife. In the 1830 census his name was spelled Hofis and he is shown living in Shenango Township with 5 members in the family. In the 1840 census his name is spelled Hofus and he then is shown as living in Hickory Township with 7 in the family. In the 1850 census his name is spelled Hofius and was living in Hickory Township with 5 in the family. In the 1860 census his name is spelled Hofins and was living in Hickory Township with a family of four. His real estate was valued at $4,500 and his personal property at $1,235.
Henry was buried in Section 7, Row 1, Grave Site 17 in Morefield Cemetery.
Henry's will was drawn up on 6/1/1861 and registered on 11/28/1866 and witnessed by John Hofius and John S. Hofius.
Mary RENO
Birth:
16 Jul 1801
Sharon, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Death:
3 Sep 1851
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Burial:
1851
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, Morefield Cem.
Father:
Blocked
Mother:
Blocked
Notes:
BIOGRAPHY:1888 History of Mercer Co., p 866-daughter of Charlers Reno,one of
the early settlers of Sharon, Pa.
Mary was the daughter of Charles Reno one of the early settlers of Sharon. Charles and his wife Frances Laughlin came to Mercer County in 1798 and settled on a farm bordering on the Shenango River now a part of what is downtown Sharon, Pennsylvania. This land was donated as the Benjamin Reno addition on 6/12/1854. Benjamin Mary's brother married Annie Hull, daughter of John and Patience (Elliott) Hull.
Mary and Henry Hofius had seven children - 4 sons and three daughters.
Mary was buried in Section 7, Row 1, Grave Site 16 in Morefield Cemetery.
Mary's mother was Frances Laughlin daughter of Samuel and Mary Laughlin. She was of French descent and born in 1775 and died on 5/16/1820. Mary Laughlin's husband Charles was born 6/10/1769 and died on 11/15/1840. Mary and Charles had 12 children.
Charles Reno Mary's father was the son of Benjamin and Jane Reno.
Children
Marriage
1
Birth:
12 Aug 1838
Hickory Twp?, Mercer, Pennsylvania
Death:
31 May 1913
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Notes:
BIOGRAPHY:1888 History of Mercer Co.,Pa states he resides at Hermitage.
OCCUPATION: Farmer & Justice of the Peace
George C. was a farmer in Hermitage and acting justice of the peace.
Education: He received a thorough common school education in Mercer County.
Work Experiences: He was a Weigh-Master at the coal mine operated by J. W Ormsby & Company and later their Bookkeeper until 1863. He also engaged in farming for many years (up until 1898) before renting his land out for agricultural purposes. In 1868 he became an elected Justice of the Peace, filling his late father's position. His manifest ability and natural legal gifts, fortified by much hard study, had marked him as especially fitted to discharge duties of a judicial nature for over 45 years (up until he died). At his death it was reported he was the oldest Justice of the Peace in point of service in the state of Pennsylvania. He had made a practice of settling his cases out of court. He was known for bringing the greaving parties to an amicable settlement of their differences. Many of his decisions were of the old King Solomon order and won for him continued respect.
He was Secretary of Morefield Cemetary Assn., in 1874 when it was resurveyed and platted. He was also a charter member of the Adnoriam Lodge #739 IOOF when organized on 11/10/1870. He orginally was a member of the Lutheran Church of Hickory and then the United Presbyterian Church of Sharon, Pa. He was an elder for many years in the United Presbyterian Church. George C. was an old time Democrat.
George C. was appointed guardian of James W. Hofius, minor child of Seth Hofius of Trumbull County, Ohio after Seth's death.
His death followed several months of illness with kidney and bladder trouble. George C. is buried in Section 7, Row 1, Grave Site 13 in Morefield Cemetery.
George was living in Hickory Township, Mercer County, Pennsylvania in the 1900 and 1910 census.
2
Socrates HOFIUS
Birth:
16 Mar 1842
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, At Home
Death:
2 Jun 1865
Washington, D.C. - Army Hospital
Marr:
Notes:
BIOGRAPHY:1888 History of Mercer Co.,Pa, pp 866-867 states he died inthe Civil
War.
MILITARY SERVICE: Civil War, member Co. H, 87th Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers
He enlisted in Company H, Eighty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers on 2/28/1865 at New Brighton, Pennsylvania for a period of 1 year. Socrates went into the Volunteers on 3/13/1865 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvaniia and died while in the service near Washington, D.C. at the 3 Division 6 Army Corp Hospital on 6/2/1865. He died of congestive fever. His rating was a Private.
Socrates attended No 5 School in Hickory Township. Teacher P. Clifton Carroll for the December to March 1860 term gave him perfect grades in Orthography, Reading, Spelling, Writing, Grammar, Arithmetic, Mental Arithmetic, Composition and Conduct. In 1860 he held a Teachers Provisional Certificate from Erie County, Pennsylvania for Orthography, Reading, Writing, Mental Arithmetic, Writing Arithmetic, Geography, Grammer and Teaching Theology. Teaching at the time received about $18 per month.
He attended Northwestern State Normal School - Edenboro, Erie County, Pennsylvania studying education in 1862 and 1863. Tuition was approximately $25 per year and boarding $1.75 per week which included fuel and light. Enrolement was at approximately 150 students.
Socrates also worked at the coal bank digging 1 to 2 cars per day at $21 to $25 per car load. When not employed at the coal bank he worked on the farms of Jonathan and George Hofius at 75 cent per day.
He regularly enjoyed singing with groups in the Sharpsville and Sharon Areas.
3
Birth:
Hickory Twp?, Mercer, Pennsylvania
Death:
1903
Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Notes:
BIOGRAPHY:1888 History of Mercer Co.,Pa. pp 866-867 , resides at GroveCity,
Pa.
MILITARY SERVICE: Member of Co. D, 111 Pa Vols. (Civil War?)
OCCUPATION: Mining and shipping coal
Morgan (M.B.) the youngest child of Henry Hofius & Mary Reno and resided in Grove City, Pa. He was engaged in mining and shipping coal. M.B. was part of Reel # 2 of Sharon Fire Dept., in 1856.
He was also a member of Reel #1 in the Sharon Fire Department when it was formed on 6/16/1873.
He was a Private and part of the One Hundred & Eleventh Regiment, Company D, Pennsylvania Volunteers as documented in the Mercer County History.
Later he was part of Two Hundred & Eleventh Infantry Regiment, Company D, Pennsylvania Volunteers with Captain William A. Coulter in command which was from Mercer County and this time he was recruited at Meadville, Pennsylvania for 1 year and organized at Camp Reynolds in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 9/6/1864. He fought in the battle at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia on 9/29/1864 and again on 11/17/1864. He then saw battle on 11/20/1864 and then was assigned to the Army of the James. Later on (11-27-1864) he was transfered to the Army of the Potomac south of Appomattox & attached to the 3rd Division of the 9th Corps under command of General Hartranft. Under command of Captain Coulter it shared in the capture of Fort Steadman on 3/25/1865 with small losses. He participated in the Battle at Petersburg, Virginia on 4/1/1865 and on 4/2/1865 where he was wounded at Petersburg, Virginia on 4/2/1865. In this assult upon the enemy lines his unit lost 135 men. The unit was mustered out on 6/2/1865 after Lee's surrender. He later received a pension for his military service in Mercer County, Sharon, Pennsylvania under number 197073 atleast in 1883.
M.B. later was Senior Vice-Commander in 1885 of the Marion Craig Post #325, G.A.R., Dept of Penna., that was organized on 4/16/1883. Morgan was elected Commander of Post #325 in 1886.
In the Sharon Herald paper for September 1, 1882 Morgan found 4 feet 3 inches to 6 foot of coal in 9 holes which he had drilled on s six-hundred acre tract of land which he had leased in Pine and Wolfcreek Twps., on the east side of the county.
Morgan B. is buried in Section 7, Row 1, Grave Site 12 in Morefield Cemetery,
4
Birth:
1824
Pymatuning Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Death:
1877
5
Birth:
1828
Pymatuning Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Death:
26 Jul 1911
Mahoning Co., Ohio
Notes:
Jane is shown as a member of Henry Hofius's family in the 1850 census. After her marriage she resided in Fowler, Ohio until just prior to her death. He death took place at the home of her daughter Mrs. Clara Williams near Youngstown.
6
Birth:
23 May 1830
Pymatuning Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, At Home
Death:
11 Sep 1851
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsyvlania
7
Amanda HOFIUS
Birth:
17 Jun 1835
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, At Home
Death:
27 Dec 1841
Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania
Marr:
Notes:
Amanda is buried in Section 7, Row 1, Grave Site 14 in Morefield Cemetery.
FamilyCentral Network
Henry Hofius - Mary Reno
Henry Hofius
was born at Washington, Pennsylvania 31 Mar 1799.
His parents were George Hofius, Sr. and Jane Clark.
He married Mary Reno 29 May 1823 at Mercer, Pennsylvania . Mary Reno was born at Sharon, Mercer Co., Pennsylvania 16 Jul 1801 .
They were the parents of 7
children:
George Columbus "Esquire" Hofius
born 12 Aug 1838.
Socrates Hofius
born 16 Mar 1842.
Morgan B. Hofius
Frances Hofius
born 1824.
Jane Hofius
born 1828.
Charles J. Hofius
born 23 May 1830.
Amanda Hofius
born 17 Jun 1835.
Henry Hofius died 10 Nov 1866 at Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania, At Home. .
Mary Reno died 3 Sep 1851 at Hickory Twp., Mercer Co., Pennsylvania .