August and Renata Hoffman Family
Standing: Tina, Julius, John, Adolph, Rudolph, Edward, and Louis
Seated: Lena, Renata, August, and Augusta
Not pictured: August Jr. and Otto
A Brief History
August Hoffman was born October 10, 1836 in Germany. Eight years later, on August 17, 1844 Renata Marquardt was born in Schub, Germany to Michael and Caroline Marquardt.
In 1866 August Hoffman was married to Renata Marquardt. After six years of marriage they left Germany to establish a new home, in America, for their growing family of two daughters and two sons.
We can well imagine the mixed feelings they experienced in that voyage across the Ocean. We understand their daughters had to remain in Germany until their parents could send for them. It had to be hard to leave their two oldest children, but even more tragic to lose their baby son. He died during the voyage and was buried at sea.
They reached America in 1872. In 1878 August filed for and became a citizen of the United States. The homestead of August and Renata was three miles west of Thayer, Nebraska containing 80 acres. Here, seven more children were born to the Hoffman's.
They were members of the St. Paul Lutheran Church. August is mentioned as one of the first pioneers to settle and also listed as a charter member of St. Paul's, west of Thayer. He started the Sunday school as one of the three teachers in 1880.
August Hoffman died May 17, 1903 in Shelby, Nebraska following an operation for appendicitis. He was 66 years old.
Renata moved to Thayer to live with her son, Adolph, in 1909. She died January 1, 1927 at the age of 82. Our Grandparents (or for some of us Great grandparents, Great- Great Grandparents, or Great-Great-Great Grandparents) were blessed with three daughters and eight sons. May we honor their memory and "May God Bless Us All."