Hoffman

vorably with that of the church in which he had
been bred—and before the year ended he had
determined to enter the ministry. He received
the degree of A.B. from Harvard in 1848, joined
Agassiz's party which went around Lake Su-
perior in birch-bark canoes in the following sum-
mer, then devoted himself to his theological
training. Graduating from the General Theo-
logical Seminary in New York in 1851, he was
ordained deacon in the same year and priest in
1853. For the next twenty-six years he held pas-
torates at Christ Church, Elizabeth, N. J., 1853-
63; St Mary's, Burlington, N. J., 1863-64;
Grace Church, Brooklyn Heights, 1864-69; and
at St. Mark's, Philadelphia, 1869-79. Through
his efforts, also, St. Stephen's Church in Mill-
burn, N. J., was built and the old church at
Woodbridge was rebuilt.

In 1879, after having twice refused the posi-
tion, Hoffman became dean of the General Theo-
logical Seminary and remained at the head of the
institution until his death. When he entered upon
his duties he found the seminary poorly equipped
and burdened by a large debt. Soon in place of
six professors and seventy-five students there
were ten fully-endowed professorships, a dean-
ship, three instructorships, five fellowships, and
one hundred and fifty students. Then came the
library, chapel, deanery, and dormitories. Hoff-
man took no salary during his entire encum-
bency. Born to immense wealth, he gave gener-
ously of his own money and induced others to
give. He was primarily an administrator, and
his management of the seminary showed a char-
acteristic attention to detail, extending to such
matters as menus for the refectory and the sav-
ing of candle-ends. He also kept himself in-
formed of each student's standing. Aside from
his seminary work he was several times a dele-
gate to the General Convention, was a trustee of
St. John's Cathedral, president of the New York
Historical Society, and a fellow of the American
Museum of Natural History.

Hoffman was reticent in expression and some-
what austere in manner, but his warmth of heart
was apparent to those who were closely asso-
ciated with him. Theologically he was a High-
churchman. He was deeply affected by the Ox-
ford movement and was a leader in the renewed
emphasis upon sacramentalism and ritualism in
the American church. Always conservative in
thought, he found the historical church the center
of cohesion, necessary to safeguard religious
belief and practice. He was not a leader in in-
tellectual life or in social movements, though he
was by no means indifferent to the intellectual
standing of the seminary or to the philanthropic

Hoffman
work of the church. A genuine booklover, he
gratified his taste for books by collecting them
for others rather than for himself. His gifts to
the seminary included a Gutenberg Bible and
(with Cornelius Vanderbilt) a collection of
Latin Bibles, eleven hundred in number. He
himself published A Collection of Articles on
Free Churches (1857) ^d The Weekly Eucha-
rist (1859), and compiled the Genealogy of the
Hoffman Family (1899). Hoffman was mar-
ried, on Apr. 19, 1852, to Mary Crooke Elmen-
dorf of New Brunswick, N. J. They had nine
children.
[In addition to the Geneal. of the Hoffman Familyf
see: T. M. Riley, A Memorial Biog. of the Very Rev.
Eugene Augustus Hoffman (2 vols., 1904); Morgan
Dix, "In Memoriam Eugenii August! Hoffman," Church
Eclectic, Aug. 1902; F. T. Russell, "Reminiscences of
the Very Rev. Dean Hoffman," N. Y. Geneal and Biog.
Record, Oct. 1902; W. R. Huntingdon, Address Com-
memorative of Eugene Augustus Hoffman (N. Y. Hist.
Soc., 1903); Harvard Grads* Mag., Sept. 1902;
Churchman, June 28, 1902; N. Y. Times, June 18,
1902.] A.M.F.
HOFFMAN, JOHN THOMPSON (Jan. 10,
i828-Mar. 24, 1888), lawyer, politician, mayor
and governor of New York, was born in Sing-
Sing (later Ossining), N. Y., the son of Adrian
Kissam Hoffman, a physician, and Jane Ann
Thompson, daughter of Dr. John Thompson of
Saratoga County. He was descended from Mar-
tin Hoffman who emigrated to New York in
1657. He entered Union College, Schenectady,
N. Y., and graduated with high honors in 1846,
with a reputation for debating and oratory. Re-
turning to Sing Sing, he studied law with Gen.
Aaron Ward and Judge Albert Lockwood and
interested himself in politics. In 1848 he was
elected to the state central committee by the
"Hard-Shell Democracy" and took the stump for
Lewis Cass for president. He was admitted to
the bar in January 1849 and in the following
autumn moved to New York City and formed a
law partnership with Samuel M. Woodruff and
Judge William M. Leonard. Five years later he
accepted membership on the Young Men's Tam-
many Hall General Committee. In 1859 he
joined the Tammany Society, was elected to its
general committee, and was its candidate for
United States district attorney. His youth pre-
vented his appointment by President Buchanan.
The following year, 1860, he was Tammany can-
didate for recorder and was elected. His dili-
gence, ability, and judgment, especially in trying
and sentencing men involved in the Draft Riots
of 1863, gained him prominence, and as candidate
for reelection, he was indorsed by both Repub-
licans and Democrats and was returned to office
by an almost unanimous vote. His reputation