Michael Hoffman (October 11, 1787 – September 27, 1848) was an American lawyer and politician. He was

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

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

from 1825 to 1833

Personal life

Hoffman was born in that part of the Town of

Halfmoon The halfmoon (''Medialuna californiensis''), also known as the blue perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub from the subfamily Scorpidinae, part of the Family (biology), family Kyphosidae. It is native to the coasts of the east ...

which was separated in 1828 to form the Town of Clifton Park. At the time of his birth, the place was in

Albany County, New York Albany County ( ) is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state, state of New York (state), New York, United States. Its northern border is formed by the Mohawk River, at its confluence with the Hudson River, which is to the east. As ...

, but became part of

Saratoga County, New York Saratoga County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, and is the fastest-growing county in Upstate New York. As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was enumerated at 235,509, ...

, when this was established in 1791. His father was a German immigrant.

Education

He studied

medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...

. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in

Herkimer, New York Herkimer is a Administrative divisions of New York#Town, town in Herkimer County, New York, United States, southeast of Utica, New York, Utica. It is named after Nicholas Herkimer. The population was 9,566 at the 2020 census, down from 10,175 in ...

Career

He was District Attorney of

Herkimer County, New York Herkimer County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 60,139. Its county seat is Herkimer (village), New York, Herkimer. The co ...

, from 1823 to 1825.

Congress

Hoffman was elected as a Jacksonian to the 19th, 20th, 21st and

22nd United States Congress The 22nd United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1831 ...

es, holding office from March 4, 1825, to March 3, 1833. He was Chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs (21st and 22nd Congress). He was First Judge of the Herkimer County Court from 1830 to 1833.

Later career

On April 4, 1833, Hoffman was chosen when the State Legislature decided to increase the number of Canal Commissioners from four to five. He resigned on May 6, 1835. He was Register of the Land Office at

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township, ...

, in 1836 and was appointed to the

Board of Regents of the University of Michigan The Regents of the University of Michigan, sometimes referred to as the Board of Regents, is a constitutional office of the U.S. state of Michigan which forms the governing body of the University of Michigan, University of Michigan–Flint, and ...

in 1837, but resigned shortly after. Afterwards he returned to Herkimer, NY, and was a member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...

in 1841, 1842 and 1844. On April 17, 1841, Hoffman urged the Committee of the Judiciary to pass a bill granting Alexander McLeod safe conduct out of the state and the abandonment of criminal charges against him, stating that "if it be true that the local authorities of Canada under the belief that they were imminently endangered by the hostile gathering on

Navy Island Navy Island is a small, uninhabited island in the Niagara River in the province of Ontario, managed by Parks Canada as a National Historic Sites of Canada, National Historic Site of Canada. It is located about 4.5 kilometres (2+3⁄4 miles) ups ...

, did order this expedition", then McLeod did not bear the blame for the death of any killed as a result.''The Volunteer'', "Opinions by Forsyth, Hoffman, RIchmond, O'Sullivan, Culver, &c.", May 1, 1841 He was a delegate to the

New York State Constitutional Convention The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constituti ...

of 1846. He was Naval Officer of the Port of New York from May 3, 1845, until his death in office.

Death

Hoffman died on September 27, 1848.

References

Sources

''The New York Civil List''
compiled by Franklin Benjamin Hough (pages 42, 281, 361 and 375; Weed, Parsons and Co., 1858) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoffman, Michael 1787 births 1848 deaths 19th-century New York state court judges People from Herkimer, New York Politicians from Herkimer County, New York County district attorneys in New York (state) Erie Canal Commissioners Members of the New York State Assembly Jacksonian members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state) Regents of the University of Michigan 19th-century members of the New York State Legislature 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives