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“Hoffman Settlement” The Founding and Establishing of “Hoffman Settlement”, Moscow, Ont., Addington County, 1823 Perhaps it would be interesting to our many readers
before giving any details regarding the establishing of the “Hoffman
Settlement” one hundred years ago, to
retrace a minute history of the family just a few years back of this, which
might enlighten you as to who these two brave young brothers were. In a recent issue of the “Hoffman Genealogy”,
composed by the late Mrs. M.C. Bogart (daughter of the late Isaiah Hoffman,
of Napanee), while in her usual health, and has come from the press since her
death in October last, as a very fitting memorial to her relatives and
friends, we find she has traced her ancestors back three hundred years while
still in Holland. The writer wishes however to confine his remarks to
the “Hoffmans in Canada”, which begins about 1773, and we are told in Mrs.
Bogart’s book that no trace is found of any brothers or sisters, but just one
young man named Elias Hoffman, coming over in company with the Carscallens of
Napanee, as United Empire Loyalists. From other sources, and I believe from
reliable quarters, I’ve been informed that he was the first white man married
in Upper Canada, to Miss Nancy Reed, hence the descendants of six
generations. Elias Hoffman, U.E.L., settled on a farm bordering
Napanee, in about 1790. This farm was inherited by his youngest son, Isaiah,
and at his death by his daughter, Mr. M.C. Bogart, and is known to a great
many now as the Bogart Farm. Upon the death of Mrs. Bogart, last October, 1922,
the farm passes (after Mr. Bogart’s death) to Ralph Hoffman, eldest son of
Morley Hoffman of the “Hoffman Settlement”, Moscow, and a great-great
grandson of Elias Hoffman, or the 5th generation as it has always been
the desire to keep the farm in the Huffman name. On this farm, Elias Hoffman reared six stalwart sons
and four daughters. When the boys became old enough to seek homes for
themselves, Elijah being the eldest, started on foot to explore the country
farther north with a compass in his pocket, a bag over his shoulder
containing provision in one end and an axe-head and auger in the other end
and his gun completed the outfit. He took a north-easterly course, following the Napanee
river, crossing it at or about Newburgh, and continued his journey twenty
miles before finding a locality to his satisfaction. He could find plenty of
good farms, but not enough in one location to make a settlement. He did not
want to live without close neighbors as is evidenced from the fact that “Hoffman
Street”, as it has commonly been called, is the most thickly settled and most
picturesque country locality in the county. Upon returning home, Elijah told such glowing
accounts of his discoveries that his brother Jacob took up the pursuit and
together they traversed the trail to make homesteads for themselves in 1823.
Can young or old in this day and age picture the struggles of these two young
men one hundred years ago, tramping twenty miles through wilderness and
swamps, wading rivers and their only protection at night being the trees and
their guns to ward off the beasts of prey and unfriendly neighbors, as every evidence
indicates that they were the first white men to inhabit these parts. The writer has often heard his grandfather relate
their experiences of killing wolves and bears. They received enough bounty
money from the government to build a piece of road near the Moscow cemetery. Elijah was the father of two sons and six daughters
and Jacob’s family consisted of six sons and one daughter. Out of the fifteen
children, Mrs. Emily VanLuven (mother of the late F.E. VanLuven, Napanee,
remains, who was a daughter of Elijah, and is at present residing with her
daughter, Mrs. M.D. Dunn, 29 Mack St., Kingston, Ont. Elijah Hoffman, in those days better known as “Squire
Hoffman”, was one of the first magistrates appointed in the County of
Addington, in 1840. He did not stand on ceremony when he felt his services
were required in the administration of Justice. Jacob Hoffman was very ambitious and prosperous in
his undertakings. Aside from farming, he made a business of floating timber
down the Napanee River and thence to Montreal. He was known to be a large
property owner. Cherishing the memory of our forefathers and proud
to be the descendants of such sterling and patriotic grandparents, also
realizing and appreciating our goodly inheritance, we feel we would be
undeserving of such should this occasion be allowed to pass unnoticed. Preparations are under way to fittingly observe and
commemorate the establishing of Hoffman Settlement, on the grounds of the old
original home of Elijah Hoffman, the founder, now owned and occupied by a
grandson, Amos E., on June 20th, 1923. AMOS E. HOFFMAN |
