Individual Details
Thomas Hoffpauir
(From 1735 to 1736 - Aft 29 Sep 1827)
Thomas Hoffpauir is considered to be the first person of that surname to emigrate to the United States from Europe. Stories differ as to the homeland of Thomas, but most have him associated with the Alsace region of Germany/France, and assume that Thomas was of German descent. The name Hoffpauir (Hoffpauer as sometimes spelled in the early days) is believed to be from Hofbauer or Hoffbauer. The family Hofbauer is quite numerous in southern Germany today.
Our first record of Thomas occurs in Canada, where the birth of a child named Marie Charlotte Hossbauer is recorded. Her parents are listed as Thomas Hossbauer and Marie Charlotte Périllard. Also indicated in the record is the fact that Thomas and Marie were married 20 May 1772, as Anglicans. A volunteer in Canada looked up our Thomas using this information, and found that he was listed as Thomas Ofbower, a regimental soldier serving in the British army. (He may have been a German serving as a "paid" mercenary.)
The first records of Thomas in Louisiana occur in 1778, where Thomas served in the New Orleans Militia under Don Bernardo de Galvez, the military governor of Louisiana. He was a member of the Fourth Company, Artillery. Many of Thomas' descendants have used this documented information as a qualification for DAR or SAR membership.
We now know that Thomas and Marie lived for a time in New Orleans using the surname "Fermier". They appear in the census of New Orleans taken in June of 1778, and records of their children's Baptism appear in the Diocese records on 8 July 1781. In both the Church records and the census, our Thomas is listed as a Fermier.
The instances of Thomas showing up in legal documents greatly increases in the early 1780's in St. Landry Parish. In 1781 his name is recorded in a business transaction before Alexandria Chev de Clouet, Lt. Colonel, commandant Civil et Militiare des Poste Attakapas et Opelousas. Business transactions continue, including the sale of slaves, and the buying and selling of lands. By the time of the Spanish census of 1796, his family was recorded as residing in "du Quartier de Plaquemine, district of Opelousas territory, Louisiana". This is the present town of Lewisburg, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
There are a number of stories about Thomas that have been published in various earlier books about the Hoffpauir family, that these authors have been unable to authenticate. Some of these stories may have some basis in fact.... others may simply be someone's imagination. However, we would like to hear from anyone who has a story about Thomas, authenticated or not.
Our first record of Thomas occurs in Canada, where the birth of a child named Marie Charlotte Hossbauer is recorded. Her parents are listed as Thomas Hossbauer and Marie Charlotte Périllard. Also indicated in the record is the fact that Thomas and Marie were married 20 May 1772, as Anglicans. A volunteer in Canada looked up our Thomas using this information, and found that he was listed as Thomas Ofbower, a regimental soldier serving in the British army. (He may have been a German serving as a "paid" mercenary.)
The first records of Thomas in Louisiana occur in 1778, where Thomas served in the New Orleans Militia under Don Bernardo de Galvez, the military governor of Louisiana. He was a member of the Fourth Company, Artillery. Many of Thomas' descendants have used this documented information as a qualification for DAR or SAR membership.
We now know that Thomas and Marie lived for a time in New Orleans using the surname "Fermier". They appear in the census of New Orleans taken in June of 1778, and records of their children's Baptism appear in the Diocese records on 8 July 1781. In both the Church records and the census, our Thomas is listed as a Fermier.
The instances of Thomas showing up in legal documents greatly increases in the early 1780's in St. Landry Parish. In 1781 his name is recorded in a business transaction before Alexandria Chev de Clouet, Lt. Colonel, commandant Civil et Militiare des Poste Attakapas et Opelousas. Business transactions continue, including the sale of slaves, and the buying and selling of lands. By the time of the Spanish census of 1796, his family was recorded as residing in "du Quartier de Plaquemine, district of Opelousas territory, Louisiana". This is the present town of Lewisburg, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana.
There are a number of stories about Thomas that have been published in various earlier books about the Hoffpauir family, that these authors have been unable to authenticate. Some of these stories may have some basis in fact.... others may simply be someone's imagination. However, we would like to hear from anyone who has a story about Thomas, authenticated or not.
Events
| Birth | From 1735 to 1736 | Alsace, Alsace-Lorraine, Germany |  | ||
| Marriage | 20 May 1772 | Montréal, Canada - Marie Charlotte Périllard | | ||
| Death | Aft 29 Sep 1827 | LA | | ||
| Alt name | Thomas Fermier |  |
Families
| Spouse | Marie Charlotte Périllard (1745 - 1827) |
| Child | Marie Charlotte Hoffpauir (1772 - 1781) |
| Child | Amelia Hoffpauir (1781 - 1830) |
| Child | Francois Hoffpauir (1781 - 1831) |
| Child | Thomas (Henry) Hoffpauir (1788 - 1863) |
Notes
Alt name
Our ancestor, Thomas, used the surname Fermier for a time after moving from Montreal Canada to New Orleans. He was recorded in the census as Fermier, he bought property in what is now known as the French Quarter as Fermier, and he baptized his twins using Fermier. After a time he began using Hoffpauer. We have records of his signature, always using the spelling Hoffpauer, and never using his given name, always only signing as Hoffpauer.Endnotes
1. Family tradition.
2. PRDH (Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique).
3. Estimated Death date.