Winker.net - Sophia Lux and Michael Hoffmann

Michael Hoffmann
  • Born: June 1850, Germany
  • Died: 1932, Los Angeles, CA
  • Parents:
Sophia Lux
  • Born: 22 Feb 1866, Scott County, Minn.
  • Died: 10 Jan 1945, Los Angeles, CA
  • Parents: Florian and Theresia (Elke) Lux
Married: 16 Dec 1889, St. John's Catholic Church, Jordan, Minn.

Children:

                      | Rosa Theresa          B. 12 Nov 1890   D.
                      | Edward Bernard        B. 18 Mar 1892   D.  1 Mar 1964, Long Beach CA
                      | Ida Agnes             B.  5 Apr 1896   D.  7 Jan 1983, Los Angeles CA
Michael Hoffmann \    | Florian               B. 28 Feb 1899   D. 15 Sep 1982, Ivanhoe MN
      &           }---| Aloysius Hubert       B. 26 Mar 1901   D.  5 May 1901, Burton Twp MN
Sophia Lux       /    | Theresa Catherine     B. 31 Oct 1902   D.  6 Jan 1988, Los Angeles CA
                      | Hubert Mathias        B. 27 Feb 1906   D. 19 Dec 1976, Los Angeles CA
                      | Philomena Sophia      B. 16 Feb 1909   D.  3 Nov 1995, Los Angeles CA

Sophia Lux was the sixth of seven children born to Florian and Theresia Lux, who settled near Jordan, Minnesota, in 1855. Sophia was born 22 February 1866, baptized 11 March 1866, according to the records of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Jordan. She married Michael Hoffmann on 16 December 1889 in Jordan.

The marriage announcement for Michael and Sophia in the Jordan Independent (Dec. 1889) reads very simply:

"Michael Hoffman and Sophia Lux were united in the holy bonds of matrimony at St. John's Catholic Church, this city, Tuesday. They make their home in Yellow Medicine County."

Michael and Christian Hoffmann were brothers who immigrated to the United States from Germany. According to the 1900 Federal census, Michael arrived in the U.S. in 1883. Christian arrived in 1893 with his wife, Barbara (Schneider) and two children, Mathias (b. 12 Apr 1889) and Susanna (b. Dec 1890). Both purchased land and farmed in the northeast corner of Burton Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota.

According to Page 526 of "A History of Yellow Medicine county, Minnesota 1872-1972" by Carl & Amy Narvestad:

"Michael and Sophie (Lux) Hoffman bought the southeast quarter of section 2 [of Burton Township] in 1884 for six dollars an acre when they came from Scott county. As a bride, Sophie found her home a shack, her table a barrel; her chairs, boxes; fuel was twisted hay or cow chips. On one occasion Michael went to Clarkfield to get lumber, and on the way home his oxen became thirsty. Seeing a slough, they lumbered into it to drink, dragging wagon, lumber and all into the water. It was necessary to carry the lumber onto high ground, and then get the oxen and empty wagon out of the water, to reload the lumber and drive home. When they had to borrow money they paid 20 per cent interest--in advance.

"Michael's brother Chris and wife Barbara came to Burton in 1892 and stayed with Michael and Sophie until they got settled. As there were seven in Michael's family and four in Chris', the small house was crowded to say the least. The men tried sleeping in the barn only to find their leather boots frozen so stiff in the morning they could not don them, but had to walk barefooted through the snow into the house."

Michael and Sophia had eight children, one of which, Aloysius, died about six weeks after birth. At least one, Florian (a.k.a. Floyd), remained in the St. Leo area as a farmer.

Several members of the Hoffmann family moved to the Los Angeles area of California. Michael (age 70) and Sophia (age 64) are found on the 1930 Federal Census living in Long Beach, CA, with their 21-year-old daughter Philomena (a.k.a. Phyllis). Michael died in Los Angeles in 1932. Sophia died in Los Angeles on 10 Jan 1945. Both Michael and Sophia are buried at Calvary Cemetery on Whittier Blvd. in Los Angeles.


Return to WINKER SITES page | Return to WINKER.NET Home Page