| Name | August Michael Hoffman  |
| Birth | 3 Jul 1876, Milhausen, (Mulhouse), Haut Rhin, Alsace |
| Death | 12 Dec 1954, Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio, USA |
| Burial | 14 Dec 1954, Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio, USA |
| Occupation | night watchman, tool maker |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Father | Lieutenant Michael Hoffman (1844-~1882) |
| Mother | Louise Eugenie Blind (1845-~1920) |
| 1 | Amelia Vogel |
| Birth | 8 Oct 1876, Milhausen, Alsace, Germany |
| Death | 10 May 1976, Dayton, Montgomery Co., Ohio, USA |
| Burial | 11 May 1976, Memorial Park, Montgomery Co., Dayton, Ohio, USA |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Father | George Vogel (1842-1925) |
| Mother | Anna Marie Delandre (1849-) |
| Children | Maria Rosalia "Rose" (1898-1996) |
| August(twin) (~1900-~1900) | |
| Augustine(twin) (~1900-~1900) | |
| George Michael (1909-1986) |
Worked for fire department and Police department. (Used a police dog.)
Studied to be a tool-maker
Loved animals
Travelled to Holland at age 19 (around 1891)
In March of 1907, embarked from Le Harve, France to Ellis Island, New York.
Lived in old North Dayton in the German area at 727 North Valley Street with his sister and brother-in-law Paul Guillaume when he and his family first arrived in America.
August Hoffman was born July 3, 1876 in Mulhouse, Alsace. His father Michael Hoffman died when August was six years old. August said he had to look after his little sister while his mother worked as a dressmaker (which he didn't do most of the time, and for which he got quite a few lickens.) They lived over the dressmakers shop. And while his mother was at work, he was catching and raising wild animals. He made all his own traps. He caught birds and rabbits He had them in the attic and his mother didn't know.
As a young man, August was in Kaiser Wilhelm's personal guard, something of which he was always very proud.
August had a deep voice and enjoyed singing. He was also quite an actor. In his youth he belonged to a gymnastics club. He was the strong man support for the human pyramids. He could do tricks on the bars. He was in the Glee Club and acted in plays. He belonged to a Lodge that took trips to different villages to perform. That's where he met his wife Amalie Vogel.
For a while he was a night watchman and he had a big German Shepherd police dog. His uniform was a heavy coat and a heavy cape because he had to walk along the river. When he heard something suspicious he'd let the guard dog loose to investigate.
In March 1907 he came to the United States with his wife Amalie, daughter Rosalie, and mother Louise. They first lived in old North Dayton in the German area at 727 North Valley Street with his sister and her husband Paul Guillaume. August worked tool maker and did well. His daughter Rose said they always had money for the bills, food, and clothing.
He liked to be the leader and be in the center of things. He belonged to the German Benefit Union and the Leiderkranz Singing Society in America and he was always out directing traffic at their events. He was very active on the dance floor. He had a Victrola and he liked to dance at home too. He could dance all the dances. Even when he was 60 years old he danced all the fast polkas and never got tired. It was also fairly routine of him to demonstrate how he marched in the parades as a guard to Kaiser Wilhelm, (especially after he had had some beer!)
After they moved out of Dayton proper to Northridge 1858 Fieldstone Street, August indulged in his enjoyment of gardening. He and his wife had beautiful Peonies, Canterbury Bells and Shasta Daisies everywhere. He had full rows of peonies that were red and white. He saved every seed and every shoot to start another plant. On Decoration Day he would sell bouquets flowers. August had grape arbors over all the walks from which hung very large bunches of Concord grapes. He knew how to dress the vines to produce extra large grapes.
He had a barn in the back with a horse and a buggy. He always had chickens. He raised pigeon. He made nest boxes with glass on one side so that he could look in the nests and inspect the chicks. He and his wife liked pets. They had half a dozen cats and two dogs.
August Hoffman died December 12, 1954 in Dayton Ohio.
Written and researched by Linda Rawles rawles@usa.net