HOFF: Of border of Curtis and Spencer Districts.
As Andrew Price, president of the West Virginia Historical Society says, whether this name be spelled Hoff or "H-o-u-g-h," it represents the same descendants of Virginians. Hough, as an Anglo-Saxon word, means a joint. Hoff, a Celtic word for hillock. These Hoffs here are big blonde fellows and may be either Saxon-German or Celtic.
John Hoff and his wife, Elizabeth (Mannier) Hoff, were the first of the name here. He was born September 14, 1799, in Loudon County, Virginia, son of Anthony and Lettia Hoff, in the year 1816. John Hoff married, year 1816, Elizabeth Mannier, born in Monongalia County, Virginia, June 22, 1800. They made their first home in Harrison County. Came to the place on the Spencer and Ripley turnpike, State Route No. 5, in the year 1855. There purchased a tract of about one thousand acres, made their home on it and improved it gradually, leaving it to their children. The first school house built for that neighborhood under the free school system after the Civil War, was situate near the turnpike and named Hofftown school house, and ever afterward the place has been designated Hofftown, though no town was ever there, and the "temple of learning" was situated on the adjoining Cunningham lands.
The sons and daughters of John and Elizabeth (Mannier) Hoff are as follows: Anthony, Moses, Elizabeth Ann, Julia A., born in Harrison County, April 2, 1833, married Joseph F. Engle in Barbour County, 1854. See Engle; Robert. Cornelius, Trevor, Elam Doudon.
Further about the above family:
Anthony Hoff, first named son of John and Elizabeth, born September 22, 1822, married Miss Indiana Dilworth, in Harrison County. They at once pioneered their home out of the parental lands at the head of Tanners Run of Spring Creek on the Glenville, Ripley and Ohio turnpike, from whence they went out taking part in the affairs of the county, and lived and died there. Their children were Virginia, Napoleon B., Laura, Clay C. and O. Jennings.
Further of these:
Virginia married Hiram W. Goff, September 21, 1868. Napoleon B. Hoff, son of Anthony and Indiana, was one of the first crop of Roane Countys young school teachers; was prominent for fifteen years; was elected and served one term in the West Virginia Legislature, sessions 1893. He united in marriage with Miss Mary L. Butcher, March 19, 1878, then neither party being twenty-one years of age. She was eldest daughter of John Butcher, resident on the Ravenswood and Spencer turnpike, three miles north of Spencer. To Napoleon B. and Mary L. (Butcher), his wife, were born and reared several children, of these we name here from memory: Estella, Emmett, Flora (now Mrs. Hugh Burgess, of Texas), Hiram and A. Web Hoff, at present--1927--editor and publisher of the country newspaper, "The Lincoln Republican."
Josephine, daughter of Anthony and Indiana Hoff, married Austin Thomasson, December 1, 1881. See name Thomasson.
Laura, daughter of Anthony and Indiana Hoff, married L. Dow Starkey, of Spencer District, March 1, 1879.
Emma, daughter of Anthony and Indiana Hoff, married L. P. Showen. See Showen.
Clay C. and O. Jennings, two youngest sons of Anthony and Indiana, are farmers, citizens of Roane.
Moses Hoff, second son of John and Elizabeth (Mannier) Hoff, married in Jackson County the Widow Bonnett (nee Corder). They made their home in Jackson County, on the Ravenswood and Spencer turnpike, two or three miles east of Sandyvile. They reared some children there, a son, John Hoff, married a Miss ______ Mitchell, of Spencer, resided here many years, a daughter, Jane, was the second wife of James W. Seaman, near Reedy.
Cornelius J. Hoff, sixth son of John and Elizabeth (Mannier( Hoff, was born November 21, 1827, married Miss Nancy Smith in Barbour County, near Phillippi; brought her here and they made their lifetime home of the average amplitude on the Spencer and Ripley turnpike, on Tuckers Run, Curtis District, on a part of the ancestral lands, from whence they attended church, labored and reared their family of one son and three daughters: George R., Leig, Ann and Martha. Of these George R., on January 17, 1886, married Miss Mary C. Burgess, of Roane County, his age 28, her age 28. They made their home on the turnpike on the ancestral lands. They have one child only, Mrs. Rufus Kyer.
Elim Douden Hoff, eighth son of John and Elizabeth (Mannier) Hoff, married Miss Louise Donaway, of Roane County, on May 12, 1861. They reared one son and five daughters: Ambrose, Ella, Theo, Florence, Columbia and Minnie Bell. The last being the wife of Harvey Allen Thomasson.
A William A. Hoff married a Miss Serena Ward, in Roane County, W. Va., on May 9, 1883. This name not appearing on the memo from which the foregoing was made up. We presume he is a member of this Hoff family not occurring to the writer of the memoranda.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 553-554
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
