Herbert Fredrick Hoffman was born November 10. 1901 to Fredrick A. Hoffman (1878-1920) and Emma Medaus Hoffman (1879-1962) probably in Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. He was followed by two sisters; Florence M Hoffman about 19111 and Gertrude R. Hoffman about 1916.
His father was an accountant. Sometime between Florence and Gertrude’s births, the family moved to Marquette, Michigan. His father died in 1920 when Herb was just 18 years old. It appears that his mother opened a boarding house to support the family.
How Herb met his wife is unknown. On July 11, 1925 in Almont he married Marion Elizabeth Rider. At the time of the marriage, he was still living in Marquette.
It appears that Herb and Marion made their home in Almont. On the 1930 U. S. census for Almont, they were living in Almont and he was helping on his father-in-laws farm.
Marion was born on June 2, 1900 in Almont to William Saxony Rider (1857-1937) and Elizabeth Ann Stephenson Hoffman (1866-1948). She was a 1918 graduate of Almont High School and attended three years at the Michigan Agriculture College (Michigan State University) and then got her Bachelor degree in home economics from Columbia University in New York City.
Herbert and Marion would have four children – two boys and two girls: William F. Hoffman, Kristian Hoffman, Corlene Hoffman Ashley, and Rosemary Hoffman Skov. Their home was on Farley Road northwest of Almont.
In May 1931, Herb went to work for the Post Office as a substitute Rural Carrier. He still was working the farm. By 1950 he was promoted to substitute Clerk and in 1961 was promoted to regular clerk.
In 1953 while Herb was working, the Post Office was robbed by a man who wanted to go to jail rather than the State Mental Health Hospital in Pontiac. The man got away with $1.50 and was quickly caught by the State Police from the Romeo Post.
Herb worked for five Postmasters – George Paton (1931-1933), Roy Hallock (1933-43), Clifford Dabney (1943-1953), Don Hayes (1953-1955), and Earl Halsey (1955 until his retirement) – over a more than forty year career.
On November 30, from 2 to 5 p.m., Postmaster Halsey arranged an “Open House” to honor Herb’s years of service.
Marion Hoffman died on October 27, 1974 and was buried in Hough (pronounced Huff) Cemetery. Herbert Fredrick Hoffman died on April 8, 1982 and was laid to rest next to Marion.
