From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and  
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902. 
 
Typed by E. J. Heinemann 
 
p. 663 
 
HENRY G. HOFFMANN, one of the prominent merchants of Wheeling, is also  
one of those typical German-Americans who have made a success of  
adopted conditions.  He was born in Germany, July 5, 1869, and is a son  
of Gustave Hoffmann, also a native of Germany. 
     Gustave Hoffmann was a merchant tailor by occupation, and in his
native land married Miss Eckhart, a native of Germany.  With the hope of  
enlarging his sphere in life he came to the United States in 1870, but  
did not long survive the changes from which he expected so much, for  
his death occurred at his home in Wheeling, in 1873. 
     As the only child in his father's family, Henry G. Hoffmann enjoyed
the average advantages in his youth, his education being acquired for the  
most part in the public schools.  When old enough to assume  
responsibility, he began to work for the grocery firm of H. F. Behrens,  
and the fact that he remained with the firm fourteen years is a  
guarantee of his faithfulness and reliability.  In 1894 he sought to  
benefit himself by independently applying his years of experience, and  
opened a store at No. 3527 Eoff street, in which locality he remained  
for two years with fairly good results from the time and labor  
expended.  He then opened his present store at No. 3700 Jacob street,  
and his large and constantly increasing trade is still centered around  
this desirable business locality.  A large stock of general merchandise  
is carried, and in his selections Mr. Hoffmann has consulted the needs  
and tastes of his many patrons.  Off from the large and well kept store  
is a place for the storage of surplus goods.  More ambitious than the  
average merchant, Mr. Hoffmann also has a general merchandise store at  
Viola, West Virginia, 18 miles from Wheeling, and this enterprise is on  
a successful and paying footing.  It is estimated that the combined  
stocks carried amount to $6,000. 
     On January 1, 1900, Mr. Hoffmann married Lizzie Bentz, who was born
in Wheeling, in 1867.  Mr. Hoffmann is a Republican in national politics,  
but believes in voting for the best man in elections of local  
importance.  In the fraternal circles of Wheeling he is well and  
favorably known, and is identified with the Ancient Order of United  
Workmen and the Shield of Honor.  With his wife, he is a member of the  
Third Presbyterian church.  The business integrity, desire to please,  
and all around enterprise manifested by Mr. Hoffmann in all of his  
relations with the commercial public insure a continuation of his  
present popularity and success.