Elmer Joseph Hoffman (July 7, 1899 – June 25, 1976) was an American businessman, law enforcement officer, politician, and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

veteran who served three terms as a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

from 1959 to 1965.

Biography

Born on a farm in Du Page County, near

Wheaton, Illinois Wheaton is a city in and the county seat of DuPage County, Illinois, United States. It is located in Milton and Winfield Townships, approximately west of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, Wheaton's population was 53,970, making it the 27th-mos ...

, Hoffman attended the public schools of Wheaton. He enlisted in the Artillery Corps during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and served in France. After the war, he helped operate his father's farm as well as his own trucking firm 1919–1930.

Law enforcement

He was employed in Du Page County sheriff's office 1930–1938. He was

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland, the , which is common ...

of Du Page County in 1939–1942. He served as chief deputy sheriff 1943–1946, and then became sheriff again, 1947–1950. In 1951 he was a

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offence (law), offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incar ...

officer of Du Page County's circuit and county courts.

Political career

Hoffman was elected

State treasurer In the state and territorial governments of the United States, 54 of the 56 states and territories have the executive position of treasurer. New York abolished the office of New York State Treasurer in 1926, in which the duties were transfer ...

in 1952, reelected in 1956 and served until elected to Congress.

Congress

Hoffman was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-sixth and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1965). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1964 to the Eighty-ninth Congress.

Retirement and death

Hoffman resided in

, where he died June 25, 1976. He was interred in St. Michael's Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffman, Elmer Joseph 1899 births 1976 deaths Illinois sheriffs State treasurers of Illinois People from Wheaton, Illinois American trucking industry businesspeople United States Army personnel of World War I United States Army soldiers Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Illinois 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives