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, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from New York from 1825 to 1833

Personal life

Hoffman was born in that part of the Town of Halfmoon 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 in the state of 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 of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 3 ...

, but became part of

Saratoga County, New York Saratoga County is a county in the U.S. state of New York, and is the fastest-growing county in Upstate New York. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was enumerated at 235,509, representing a 7.2% increase from the 2010 populat ...

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

Education

He studied

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...

and

law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...

. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in

Herkimer, New York Herkimer is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States, southeast of Utica. It is named after Nicholas Herkimer. The population was 10,175 at the 2010 census. The town contains a village also called Herkimer. Herkimer County Community ...

Career

He was District Attorney of

Herkimer County, New York Herkimer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,139. Its county seat is Herkimer. The county was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. It is named a ...

, from 1823 to 1825.

Congress

Hoffman was elected as a Jacksonian to the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd United States Congresses, 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 the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

, 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, are constitutional officers of the U.S. state of Michigan who collectively form the governing body of the University of Michigan, comprising the campuses a ...

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 Assem ...

in 1841, 1842 and 1844. On April 17, 1841, Hoffman urged the Committee of the Judiciary to pass a bill granting

Alexander McLeod Alexander McLeod was a Scottish-Canadian who served as sheriff in Niagara, Ontario. After the Upper Canada Rebellion, he boasted that he had partaken in the 1837 Caroline Affair, the sinking of an American steamboat that had been supplying Wi ...

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 Site of Canada. It is located about upstream from Horseshoe Falls, and has an area of roughly . It is acr ...

, 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 New York (state) state court judges People from Herkimer, 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) 19th-century American politicians Regents of the University of Michigan Members of the United States House of Representatives from New York (state)