Biography of Frank C. Hoffelder, pages 839/840.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Frank C. Hoffelder

One of the native sons of DeKalb county who has remained and made a 
success of life right here in his own community rather than being lured 
away to some distant locality by the “wanderlust spirit,” there  to 
seek  an uncertain fortune amid environment, is Frank C. Hoffelder, a 
farmer of Smithfield township.  He has worked hard for what he has and 
his deserving of the competence and the valuable property that are 
today his. Frank C. Hoffelder was born on April 3, 1874, on the old 
home farm of his parents east of St. Michael’s church in Smithfield 
township, DeKalb county, Indiana.  His parents were John and Frances 
(Miller) Hoffelder, long prominent and successful residents of this 
locality and who reared their families to lives of respectability and 
honor in their respective communities.  Frank C. Hoffelder spent most 
of his life until his marriage on the home place until, when about 
twenty-two years old, he worked for about sixteen months in the 
Baltimore & Ohio railroad shops in Garrett, and was also employed on a 
farm near Traverse City, Michigan, about three years.  In the fall of 
1902 Mr. Hoffelder bought eighty acres of land in section 3, and the 
lady who afterwards became his wife bought eighty acres adjoining. In 
June of the following year they were married and immediately located on 
the subject’s farm and began the task of clearing the land and putting 
it under cultivation.  Louisa Dapp, who became Mr. Hoffelder’s wife, 
was a daughter of Alois Dapp and a sister of Henry Dapp, in whose 
sketch elsewhere in this work is more detailed mention of the family 
history.  At the time they located on their new land the only 
improvements were a long stable and a little old log cabin which had 
been built nearly a half century before, the ceiling of which was so 
low that a man could hardly stand upright in it.  The entire tract was 
practically a wilderness, not having been drained and being mostly 
swamp land, but Mr. Hoffelder by the most strenuous labor succeeded in 
clearing it, ditching and tiling it and creating one of the best farms 
in this section of the county.  He now has nearly one hundred acres 
under cultivation and  has erected a comfortable and attractive 
residence, substantial and commodious barns and other outbuildings, and 
is following his agricultural operations along the most modern and up-
to-date methods. To Mr. and Mrs. Hoffelder have been born five 
children: Helene, Esther, Johnnie, Frances and Agnes.  Politically, Mr. 
Hoffelder is a Democrat and takes an active interest in political 
affairs, though not in any sense a seeker after public office.  
Religiously, he and his family belong to the Catholic church, to which 
they contribute liberally of their means.  Personally, Mr. Hoffelder is 
known to be a man of scrupulously honest principles, generous, kind and 
always ready to do his full share of the common duties of citizenship; 
in short, a genial, broad-mined man, whom to know is to admire and 
esteem.  He has been very successful in his operation and has won the 
confidence of all who know him, owing to his honorable methods and 
upright life.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com