John Hoffman was the eldest of Peter and Sara Hoffman's children. Rev. Casper Stoever baptized John at "Host" church in Tulpekocken. It is noted in the records of "Host" Tulpehocken that Johannes, son of Peter Hoffman, took communion on Whitsunday 1765. He was a lieutenent in Captain Albright Deibler's Company of Associators during the Revolution, and it was John, as second in charge, who led these men back home during the winter of 1777 after Captain Deibler lost his life during the Reduction of Fort Washington in New York City. John also was held prisoner at French's Church in New York City, a discovery that was uncovered in the PA Archives in Philadelphia. John then commanded the "Upper Paxtang" company in it's expedition up the West Branch in 1778, and participated in the battle at Muncy Hill. Before the war he resided in Lykens Valley and sold 10 and 1/2 acres to the Reformed Church congregation for 3 pounds, 8 shillings, for the purpose of erecting a church building. The deed is in the Reformed Church Archives at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Lancaster county, PA. Upon this land the Reformed Congregation built "Hoffman's Church", which today is known as St. Peter's. (When St. Peter's burned to the ground in 1958 the salvaged cornerstone revealed that the church was founded in 1771. However, the earliest records date from 1791, which were kept by Rev. Anthony Hautz, the first recorded minister). Not only did John donate land, but he is also credited with being the "architect" for the church, and being it's first elder. During the construction of the church building John donated, on numerous occasions, monies to purchase construction materials such as roof shingles, glass, paint, and oil. He also contributed to the pay of the carpenter, who was Levi Buffington. These facts appear in the records kept by Rev. Hautz which are also housed in the archives at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, PA. The research on the" Hoffman Church deed" came from an article written by Annabelle Hoffman entitled: Early Churches of Lykens Valley, Part II, From the publication "KEYSTONE SEEKERS" GENEALOGICAL QUARTERLY/Spring 1991/page 23. That same year when the Hoffman Church was built, John was elected Justice of the Peace. He remained in this office the rest of his life and held the post until his death in 1831. John and wife Anna Maria are both buried at Hoffman's Church in unmarked graves. A Revolutionary Marker at the church lists Johannes as being buried in the cemetery with other Revolutionary heroes from the Lykens Valley. Much of the information above can be found in the Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin County, Pa., 1896, by Runk and Company, pg. 116.

information provided by Deborah (Hoffman) Weiner