William HOFIUS

                   Will of George Hofius, Will Book 2, p 351, Hickory Twp,Mercer,Pa,
Mentions William as one of his sons.
Letter written in Jan, 1926 by Sarah Rice Monross,g dau of Mary
Priscella Hofius Porter, telling about family.
1888 History of Mercer Co.,Pa, pp 866-867 states he moved to Iowa
1847-48, twice married, with large family also.

William the 3rd son of George was born in Hickory Twp., & spent the early years of his life on the homestead farm & was engaged in farming.  He and his brother James later were willed the south half of the homestead. He married Martha Dugan daughter of Thomas Dugan of Trumbull County, Ohio.  Martha died after 1845 leaving 7 children two boys and five girls, Seth, Azariah, Jonathon, Hilda, Marilda, Mary and Martha.  In 1845 he moved to Jackson County, Iowa locating near Old Springbrook, Iowa until the death of his first wife which occurred shortly after their arrival in Iowa.  In July 1851 he married his second wife Mrs. Mary Vaughn and they had one child George.  At this time the earliest record showing William had settled in Jackson County in the year 1850.  William had a grandaughter named Lydia Thompson who had lived in Iowa.  From Carol Wells' letter of 7/3/94 her grandmother was Mabel Hofius who was a decendent of Azariah Hofius and Azariah was a son of William Hofius who's father was George Hofius Sr.

While in the Hickory area William was a member of the Hays Class of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Sharpsville.  This Class was organized in 1836 and William and his wife Martha were part of the original members.

In the 1830 census his name was spelled Hovis and he was living in Pymatuning Township with a family of 3.  In the 1850 census he was listed as a farmer and appeared on his mothers record with his name spelled Hoffius in Mercer County, Hickory Township.  In the 1860 census for Jackson County, Maguaketa Township, Iowa he was listed as a farm laborer with a $200.00 estate and personal property of $50.00.  His Obit states he was the father of 10 children and 53 grand-children as well as 19 great-grand-children.

Prior to his death he was a helpless invalid for 19 months and for the last few weeks was a terrible sufferer, but he bore his suffering with courage.