Pgs 938 – 39

WILLIAM HOFFMANN, a substantial farmer of Pella, Shawano county, was born in Pella October 12, 1863, and is a son of Gottlieb and Sophia (Genskow) Hoffmann.

In 1860 Gottlieb Hoffmann was united in marriage with Sophia, widow of Gottlieb Koepsel, and they reared three children, as follows: Mary, wife of August Wechmann, of Pella township, who has had seven children; William, the subject of this sketch; and August, a farmer in Dupont township, Waupaca county, who has one son.  Mrs. Gottlieb Hoffmann was born in Germany October 6, 1824, daughter of Casper F. and Sophia (Buss) Genskow; who reared a family of children as follows: Wilhelmine, Charlotte, Sophia (Mrs. Hoffmann; and Mary (twins), John, Charles, and two who died in infancy.  Casper F. Genskow was  a day laborer. When twenty years of age Sophia Genskow was married to Gottlieb Koepsel, with whom she came to America in 1855, landing in Quebec. They came from there direct to Dodge county, Wis. where he engaged in work as a day laborer.  His back was broken while raising a barn in Dodge county, and he died leaving two children, namely: John, who died at the age of twenty-ne years; and Wilhelmine, now, the wife of Charles Brown, a farmer of Pella Township.  

In 1861 Gottlieb Hoffmann and his wife came with an ox-team from Dodge to Pella, Shawano county, at that time all woods, and bought forty acres of land in Section 30, which still forms a part of the farm. Here he built a log house about 16 x 18 feet, covered with grooved logs, and the floor was of split logs. They had only an ox-team, and an axe and grub hoe for the work of clearing, which began at once, but progressed slowly, with their meager equipment. There were only trails to mark their paths, and they were obliged to cut their own roads, as none were there. Thus they made a brave beginning. Game was abundant in the woods, and William Hoffmann, whose name introduces this sketch, can well remember how the wolves prowled about. Afterward they bought eighty acres more, and now the farm consists of 120 acres of land, of which 100 are cleared, all done by their own hard work. Mr. Hoffman died in 1888, at the age of sixty.

William Hoffman remained at home with his parents, was educated in the common schools, and commenced the more arduous work of life rather young. He was of much help to his parents, and, when his father died, became the head of the family. On November 18, 1887, he was united in marriage with Bertha Wichman, and they have had five children—Arthur, Emma, Theodore, Lillie and Albert. Mrs. Hoffman is the daughter of Fred and Louise (Wolf) Wichman. Politically Mr. Hoffman is a Democrat, and he has been town clerk since 1889. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. He has as good a farm as there is in the township, and is one of the most intelligent and industrious farmers there.