Hofmockel History, Brinkman, Bruns, Mueller and other surnames

Welcome to the Hofmockel History Web Page! Read the history and browse the surnames. Maybe you will find a cousin! I will gladly exchange information.

Andreas Hofmockel, Sen. (1798-1888), (Andrew 1)

Andreas Hofmockel, Sen., (Andrew 1,) the 2nd child of Mathias Hofmockel and his wife, Anna Kritschgau was born April 18, 1798 in Seckendorf, Germany. Copy of church register, pastor's library Lutheran Church, Seukendorf.

On December 26, 1827, Andrew 1, married Anna Margaretha Poernerin, daughter of Elisabetha Rebelein, and granddaughter of the late Joh. Albanus Rebelein, farmer of Weltendoef. Andreas is listed as a farmer and surviving son of Mathias Hofmockel and stepson of Johann Ostertag. Copy from the Marriage Register, church library of Evangelical Lutheran Church Seukendorf.

The only description of a baptism of their children in our records is for Anna Margaretha:

Anna Margaretha Hofmockel, legitimate marriage child of Andrew 1, Hofmockel, farmer of Seckendorf and his wife Anna Margaretha born Purneuin from Wuldendorf on 17 December 1828 was baptized. Baptism sponser was Margaretha Muller wife of George Muller farmer of Steinbach. The other children are listed by names and dates:

Katharina Hofmockel, b. 1 Nov 1830 in Seukendorf
Anna Maria Hofmockel, b. 6 Oct 1832,in Seukendorf
Elisabetha Hofmockel, b. 23 Sept 1833 , in Seukendorf
Anna Margaretha Hofmockel, b.12 Nov 1835, in Seukendorf
Magdalena Hofmockel, b. 4 June 1838, in Seukendorf, d. 8 June 1838
Magdalena Hofmockel, b.13 May 1839, in Seukendorf

Four children who survived and were in America, listed in the Andrew Hofmockel household on the 1850 U.S. census were:
Elizabeth, age 17.
Margaret, age 15.
Sony?, age 10.
Mary (b. in Indiana), age 5.

Andrew 1, left Germany with his wife, Anna and probably at least three daughters and landed in Baltimore in 1842. He applied for naturalization Dec. 4 1843. He first settled in Manchester Township in Dearborn County, Indiana. Later he was located in Ripley County near Osgood. There was some contact after Andrew 2,'s arrival in this country in 1845, in the form of land transactions. One would also like to think that the families got together for weddings, baptisms and the like, though there is no record of such.

Several land transactions are recorded involving the Hofmockel's, the first being by Andrew1, in 1844 when he purchased 38 acres in Dearborn County. He continued to acquire land with purchases in 1845 and 1859. By 1859 - 1860 he relocated to Ripley County and sold his land in Dearborn County.

According to Harold Hofmockel's unpublished, 3-page, A Hofmockel Family History, Andrew1, was a member of St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Osgood, Indiana. A daughter, Anna Margaretha, was married to Nicholas Letzler and Andrew 1, was listed in the 1880 Ripley county census as a member of their household: father-in-law, 88 years old.. We have no record of Anna. Margaretha, Andrew1's wife, as to death or burial place.

Children:
Anna b. 1828, m, Nicholas Letzler
Anna, b. 1832
Elizabeth, b. 1833
Margaret, b. 1835
Sony, b. 1840?
Mary, b. 1845

Andrew died March 20, 1888, and is buried in Old Fink's Cemetery, Delaware Township, Ripley County Indiana. Although his grave site is not listed with others on the Ripley county genweb site, on the Old St. Peter's (Finkes Church) Cemetery page we do find his daughter and son-in-law:

Letzler, Nicholas, 14 Feb. 1827- 24 June 1885
Letzler, Anna M. 15 December 1828-13 Aug,1911, widow of Nicholas.

Andreas Hofmockel (1806-1865), (Andrew 2)

Andreas, the 5th child of Mathias Hofmockel and Anna Christina Kritshgau, was born 27 November 1806.
Evangelical Lutheran Church Records, 1806, Church Library, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Seukendorf, Germany.

On February 26, 1832, Andreas married Magdalena Mueller, born December 28, 1805, an oldest daughter of Michael Mueller and Ursula Hoffman.
Copy at a church library of the pastor at the Lutheran church at Seukendorf.

Children:
Michael Hofmockel, b. 01 Jan 1835 in Seukendorf
Barbara Hofmockel, b. 23 Mar 1836 "
Anna Margaretha Hofmockel, b.17 Aug. 1737, d. 22 Aug. 1837
Andreas Hofmockel, b.28 Dec. 1838 in Seukendorf

Andreas, his wife, Magdalena and children; Michael, age10, Barbara, age nine, and Andreas age six left Germany in June 1845 and arrived at the port of New York, August 1845. By October of that year, Andreas was ready to become a naturalized citizen of the United States. He swore to his birth date in the Kingdom of Byern as the 27th day of November, A.D.1805, that he emigrated from the Port of Bremen on the sixth day of June 1845 and arrived at the Port of New York on the 17th of August in the same year, with the intention of settling in United States. He swore his intention to become a citizen of the United States at the circuit court of Dearborn County, Indiana. He swore to forego allegiance to Luther, King of Prussia and no longer be a subject of the monarch. At this time he declared further to be known thenceforth as Andrew 2.
Copy of naturalization papers, 1845.

The two Hofmockel brothers, Andrew 1 (1798-1888) and Andrew 2 (1806-1865) chose to settle in Dearborn County Indiana. The first land transaction recorded concerning a Hofmockel was in 1844. This was undoubtedly Andrew 1, since Andrew 2 didn't arrive until 1845. It is shown in the Dearborn County Historical Index of Deeds as a land transfer between Andreas Hofmockel and John Marley. Two other transactions were recorded in 1845 and 1859. It is difficult to know which may have been involving Andrew 2. However, in the 1850 U.S. census the listing of value of real estate holdings by Andrew 2 totaled $800.

At the end of the Revolutionary War, the area of America that had not been settled by the white man was divided into several Territories, each with its own governor. Dearborn County and what was later to become the state of Indiana was part of the Northwest Territory. The Indians fought for the land, but after several skirmishes against a well-organized U.S. Army, treaties were signed and the Indians moved westward. The Indiana Territory was ready to welcome the many settlers that it needed to help make Indiana a state. Indiana became the 19th state in the Union in 1816.

The land was ready to settle but it was raw land and whatever land a man acquired had to be made livable. It required the construction of buildings to house animals, fences to keep wild animals out, and of course living quarters. Probably the Hofmockel family worked together to clear land, plant crops and make a life for themselves. No wonder that in the 1850 census 15 year old Michael was listed with occupation: farmer.

The Hofmockel's could have used a combination of transportation to go from New York to Indiana, the stage coach was available for movement of people over land by this time and Dearborn County benefitted from being close to the Ohio River which provided a method for shipment of goods on barges and transportation via flatboats

In 1846, while living in Dearborn County, Magdalena gave birth to Catherine, their 4th child. Magdalena did not live to raise all of her children. She died in 1852 and since the church was one of the first buildings in a newly settled community it is reasonable to believe that the Andrew Hofmockel family were members of the Old German Evangelical Church, located in Franklin Township Ripley County. Though no headstone was located during a search in September 2000, Ripley Interments on genweb.net lists Hofmockel, Magdalena, born December 28, 1805, died December 30, 1852.

The land acquired by Andrew 2 in Dearborn County was close to the neighboring county, Ripley. It is possible that his early land ownership in Ripley County, which was bought in 1865, near Spades in Adams Township, was later called the Hofmockel Farm part of which was willed by Andrew to his daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret, in 1923. (See history of Andrew Hofmockel, (1838-1923). Andrew 2 didn't live on this land very long as his death came in 1866. The land was left to his sons, Michael and Andrew and later, in the early 1870's Michael sold his share to Andrew. Michael and his family moved on to Missouri.

Andrew died when he was 60 years old. But he is credited with acquiring farmland in Dearborn and then in Ripley County which he was able to pass along to his children.

There are many Hofmockel descendants living in America. They are all descendants of the two original Andreas's, Andrew 1 (1798-1888) and Andrew 2 (1806-1865).

Andrew 2 (Andreas Junior) Hofmockel died April 7, 1865, age, 60 years.
His wife, Magdalena Mueller Hofmockel, died December 30, 1852, age, 47.

Children:
Michael, B. 1835, M. Anna Appalonia Ladeier.
Barbara Lenore, B. 1836. M. Dietrich Kramer.
Andrew, born, 1838. Married Sophia Krause.
Catherine born 1846 married Jacob Krummel.

Andrew is buried in St. Stephens Lutheran Cemetery, Adams Township, Ripley County, Indiana.

Andreas Hofmockel
November 27, 1806- April 7, 1865

Magdalena is buried in Old State Road Church Cemetery, Franklin township, Ripley County, Indiana.

Magdalena Hofmockel
December 28,1805- December 30, 1852

Andrew Hofmockel (1838-1923)

Andrew Hofmockel, the 4th child of Andreas Hofmockel and Magdalena Mueller. was born 28 December 1838. Baptism records from a church library of Evangelical Lutheran Church, Seukendorf, Germany. According to these same records (of births and marriages) the Hofmockel males were described as "honorable and known" and as successful farmers and land owners. But, in the early 1800's, America, wide open for settling, promising cheap fertile land for farming, adventure and personal freedom drew many young German families. Along with other emigrants, and probably with encouragement from his older brother, Andrew 1, Andrew's father brought his family to this country. They left the port of Bremen the 6th day of June 1845 and arrived at the port of New York 17th day of August 1845. Naturalization papers, for Andreas, 2, Dearborn County Indiana. Andrew was six years old at the time.

The family settled in Manchester Township, Dearborn County, Indiana. And appear in the Federal censuses for that area in both 1850 and 1860. By 1870, at age 28, still a single man, Andrew lived in Ripley County and worked as a farm laborer for his older brother, Michael.

Andrew's start as a land owner in Southern Indiana probably began with the inheritance of 120 acres of land from his father, Andrew 2, in 1865. He bought other land, including the remainder of his father's farm amounting to 80 acres from his brother, just before Michael relocated to Missouri. There are many land transactions recorded involving Hofmockel's during these years. Since each is recorded naming Andrew, it is difficult to determine which Andrew. The dates help some but do not clarify completely. We do know from Andrew's will (1923) that at the time of his death he still owned 80 acres of land two miles west of Spades in Adams Township, Ripley County.

Andrew and Sophia Krauss were married on October 14, 1872, by Reverend August Franke of St. Stephens Church in Spades, Indiana. Sophia was born in Germany, but anything else we know of Sophia at this writing is through her granddaughter (Christine Miller) who wrote, February 12, 1984, to Aurella Hofmockel regarding her remembrance of her grandparents. Sophia had a brother, Carl. Christine's Aunt Lizzie (Hofmockel) wrote to him and whether he lived in Germany or in the States has not been determined. Lizzie also wrote to Andrew's brother, Michael who had moved from Indiana to Missouri in the 1880's. All letters were written in German and German was the language used exclusively by Andrew and Sophia in their home. Christine also recalled that her grandfather Andrew talked a lot about Berlin and got a German newspaper until WWI.

Most assuredly, for Andrew and Sophia the years from 1872 to the beginnings of the threat of a World War in 1917 were taken up with farming, land transactions and raising a large family. Following the Civil war there was a feeling of solidarity in the United States, including the building of the transcontinental railway. Farming remained a prosperous way to make a living.

In 1920, mother and father, Sophia, age 70 and Andrew age 81 were part of a large household headed by their son, Andrew, single, age 45. Others in the household were:
Charlie, age 40
Margaret, age 44
Elizabeth, age 34

Also, Christine, age nine, Charlie's daughter. How many years the family shared this home is not known, but surely this is when Christine learned what she knew about her grandparents and was later able to relate in her letters.

In his will written 15th January 1923, Andrew left the remaining land that he owned (80 acres), and all his personal property to his daughters, Lizzie Hofmockel and Margareth Hofmockel, It is interesting that he states he had taken care of his other children early on. John, Charles, Andrew and Michael were still living. It was usual during that time that single women be looked after, but usually by a male who owned the land and personal property. Perhaps there was some ill feeling between the father and sons. Or Andrew was an early advocate for Women's Rights!

Andrew Hofmockel died 24 January 1923, aged 84 years and Sophia Krauss, his wife died in 1924, aged 76 years.

Children:
1. Andrew, b. 1874, never married.
2. Margaret, b. 1875, never married.
3. John, b. 1876, married #1 Emma Maria Meyer, #2 Lena Willett.
4. Charles, b. 1878, married Alice Maria Meyer.
5. Louisa, b.1880, married Jacob Krummel, Jr.
6. Kathryn, b. 1882, never married.
7. Elizabeth, b. 1885, married Joseph Wheeler, divorced.

Andrew and Sophia are buried side by side in St. Stephen's Lutheran Cemetery in Adams Township, Spades, Indiana.

Andrew Hofmockel
1838-1923		Sophia Hofmockel
1848-1924

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