FRANK J. HOFFMAN is a rising young hardware merchant who is located in Fenton. He was born in Monroe, Mich., January 4, 1860, and is a son of Leopold Hoffman of Baden, Germany, a baker by trade who came to America early in the '30s. Our subject's father worked first at Buffalo, N. Y., for a few months and thence proceeded to Monroe, Mich., where he was engaged in his legitimate business. He finally added groceries to his stock in trade and later became a commission merchant, and by diligence and close application to his business he became quite wealthy.

About 1874 Leopold Hoffman turned his business over to his two eldest sons and visited his native land for the second time. Before this he had confined his attention to his extensive real estate interests in Monroe, Detroit and Toledo. His wife was Stephania Lamlin, a native of Ohio. She died in 1872 at the age of forty-four years. Ten children were the fruit of that union, there being seven boys and three girls, all of whom are living.

Our subject received a common-school education and in 1878 he entered the college of Notre Dame at South Bend, Ind., spending one year there. He then completed a course in the Goldsmith Commercial College of Detroit and in 1879 came to Fenton and engaged in the boot and shoe business. Two years later he was burned out and he then purchased a stock of hardware and since that time has successfully conducted that business. His predecessor was Mr. B. F. Stone, who was the pioneer hardware man of Fenton, but is now deceased.

Mr. Hoffman carries a full line of hardware and has in connection with his store a first-class tin shop. He occupies a commodious, two-story brick building, which is well located and of which he is the owner. April 18, 1880, he was married to Miss Jenny Thompson, a daughter of the late Maxwell Thompson who came to Fenton in 1835 from New York. He was one of the largest land owners in Genesee County, having at the time of his decease, in 1888, about twelve hundred acres. He was originally a farmer but retired from the active pursuit of his calling in about 1869 and removed to Fenton.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of five children whose names are Mildred, Leo Max, Tracy, Hiley and Willah, twins. Mr. Hoffman is a Democrat. He was for several years a member of the Town Council and for one year was Village Treasurer. Mrs. Hoffman is a Presbyterian in her religious sentiments. They have a very pleasant home which is the center of the social life of the vicinity. Mrs. Hoffman owns three hundred and seventy-five acres of choice land in Mundy Township.

From: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Chapman Bros. 1892