Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/313

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

HOFFMAN


HOFFMAN


1895-97, and was retired March 13, 1897, for physi- cal disability. He originated the system of tactics officially adopted in the navy in 1890. He was married, Jan. 6, 1869, to Juliet A., daughter of George H. Potts, a New York banker, and their son, Arthur Bainbridge Hoff, entered the U.S. Naval academy, Sept. 28, 1885 ; was appointed ensign, July 1, 1891, and promoted lieutenant, July 17, 1898. Captain Hoff is the author of : Examples, Conclusions, and Maxims of Modern Naval Tactics (1884); The Avoidance of Colli- sions at Sea (1886) ; Elementary Xaval Tactics (1894).

HOFFflAN, Beekman Verplanck, naval officer, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Nov. 28, 1789 ; eldest son of Judge Anthony A. and Gertrude (Verplanck) Hoffman, grandson of Anthony and Catharine (Van Gaasbeck) Hoffman, and of Philip and Effie (Beekman) Verplanck, and a descendant of JIartin Hoffman. He was war- ranted a midshijjman in the U.S. navy, July 4, 1805; was commissioned lieutenant. May 21, 1812 ; commander. May 5, 1817, and captain, March 7, 1829. His first service was on the Ai-gus, Captain Trippe, and in the war of 1812 he served on the Constitution as lieutenant. He was in the fight with the Guerriere, Aug. 19, 1812 ; with the Java, Dec. 29, 1812 ; with the Cyane and the Levant, Feb. 20, 1820, and had the honor of bringing the Cyane into New York harbor a prize. He was married. Nov. 29, 1817, to Phoebe Wilmot, daughter of William and IMargaret Townsend. He died in Jamaica. N.Y.. Dec. 10, 1834.

HOFFriAN, Charles Fenno, author, was born in New York city. Feb. 7, 1806 ; son of Josiah Ogden and Maria (Fenno) Hoffman, and grand- son of Nicholas and Sarah (Ogden) Hoffman. He was a half-brother of 3Iurray and Ogden Hoffman. He was educated under the direction of a Scotch clergyman in New Jerse}', and in 1817, while a student, suf- fered the amputation of a leg which had been crushed in a ferry-boat accident. He was a student at Columbia college, but left before graduation to study law under the Hon. Harmanus Bleecker, in Albany, N.Y. He was admitted to ihe bar in 1827, and practised in New York city, 1827-30. He then joined Charles King in the work of editing the New York Amej'ican, and in 1832 established the Knickerbocker Maga-


zine, which he sold out after a few months to Timothy Flint. He purchased the American Monthly Magazine in 1834, and was its editor for sevei'al years. He also edited the New York Mirror for one year. He edited the Literary World, 1847-48, and wrote for it "Sketches of Society " through 1848. In 1850, while filling a government position in Washington, he was at- tacked by a mental disorder that compelled his retirement to the Harrisburg Insane asylum, where he remained until his death. He received the honoi-ary degree of A.M. from Columbia col- lege in 1837. His books include : A Winter in the West (2 vols. , 1835) ; TT7/d Scenes in Forest and the Prairie (2 vols., 1837), and Greyslaer, a Romance of the Mohaivk (his only novel, 1840). He also wrote many poems and songs, and pub- lished collections : The Vigil of Faith, and Other Poems (1842) ; The Echo, or Borroiced Notes For Home Circulation (1844) ; Lays of the Hudson, and Other Poems (1846), and Love's Calendar, and Other Poems (1848). A new edition of his poems was prepared by his nepliew, Edward Fenno Hoffman, with a critical sketch of the author by William CuUen Bryant (1874). He died in Harrisburg. Pa., June 7, 1884.

HOFFflAN, Charles Frederick, clergyman, was born in New York city. Nov. 18, 1830 ; son of Samuel Verplanck and Glovina Rossell (Storm) Hoffman, grandson of Harmanus Hoffman and a descendant of Martin _

Hoffman. He was graduated at Trinity college. Conn., A.B., 1851 ; A.M. 1854, and was a student under Bishop George W. Doane, of New Jers- ey, and at the Gen- eral Theological semi- nary in the class of 1854. He was ordain- ed deacon by Bishop Doane, July 14. 1854, and priest in 1855, and served as mis- sionary and as assist- ant in St. Mary's, Burlington, N.J., 1854-59, and as rector of St. Philip's-in-Highlands at Garrisons, N.Y., until 1873. He was rector of All Angels' church, New York city, 1873-97. In 1888 he built at his own expense a new church edifice for his parish at a cost of over $150,000, and it was consecrated in 1890. In 1894 he erected a large parish house. In 1890-97 he en- larged the church building at a cost of 8200,000. He was a trustee of the General Theological sem- inary, founder and president of the Association for Promoting the Interests of Chiirch Schools,


^^#