Prussian immigrant establishes himself in Vicksburg

Diversity has been a common theme of Vicksburg’s history from the very beginning of its conception. Opportunity was abundant for the rapidly growing city, which attracted people from all across the world. One individual in particular that took this opportunity was Louis Ferdinand Alexander Hoffman.

Born in Berlin, Prussia, Hoffman was orphaned at the age of fourteen. With no one to support him financially, he began working in a machine and locomotive shop in Berlin where he began learning the trade. He was given a chance to come to the United States, which he took and arrived in Vicksburg in 1853. Hoffman spoke little to no English but his talent was beyond his age, which landed him an apprenticeship at the local foundry Zimmerman & Reading along the waterfront. At this point and time, Vicksburg only had two small gun shops, but the demand for sporting guns had become high in demand which led Hoffman to branch off and begin his own business in the city.

Hoffman was quite successful in his venture to produce guns for the local planters. Parts were ordered and shipped to his shop where he would fit them flawlessly together into beautiful wood stocks and finalize his products with his signature stamp “Louis Hoffman, Vicksburg, Miss.” It was due to this success that in 1856 he would file for citizenship of the United States where he would be accepted two years later. Minutes of the Circuit Court of Warren County on December 22, 1858 state that he appeared in “open court and prayed to be admitted to become a citizen” and that he would “renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign Prince potentate state sovereignty.”

Just as his prosperity began, darkness enveloped him. Mississippi had begun discussing succession in which Hoffman having just gained citizenship to the United States was opposed. In a letter from Hoffman to Major General U. S. Grant in October of 1863 his opposition is reinforced when he petitions to have his property returned to him on Washington Street claiming he was against “secession and rebellion, and has never given any voluntary aid or comfort to those engaged in rebellion against the United States.” Despite his loyalty, he was met with devastating losses after the Civil War and had to begin again from scratch.

Devastation was not a foreign concept to Hoffman having dealt with loss and hardship his entire life, and it certainly did not slow him down. Hoffman reopened his business after the War and expanded it to include agricultural hardware and other smith-work. On Clay Street on the Northern corner near Washington Street Hoffman opened his new business, the Louis Hoffman Hardware Store in a location that would become known as the “Hoffman Block.” His expansion allowed him to quickly recoup his losses and grow into a prominent member of the Vicksburg community once again. His company would become one that is much more familiar in name to those here in Vicksburg today when it was renamed to the O’Neill – McNamara Hardware Company after being purchased from Hoffman before his death in 1914.

Today the Hardware Company is no more, but a recent donation to the Old Court House Museum spurred the recollection of this once-famous titan of Vicksburg. A .12 gauge shotgun made by Louis Hoffman was brought back to Vicksburg by Joseph Hill of Ponte Vedra, Flordia and is now on display in the Vicksburg Room at the Museum.

Vicksburg & Warren County Historical Society

If you enjoyed this story about Louis Hoffman and want to learn more about this area, please consider visiting the Old Court House Museum here in Vicksburg, MS. We’ve been a museum for 74 years now, and all items on display were donated by families from this area. We also have vast archives in our McCardle Research Library that is accessible by appointment. Members of the Historical Society have free admission to the museum, so please also consider becoming a member. All proceeds raised through membership go directly to the preservation of the museum and its contents. For more information visit our website at www.oldcourthouse.org or give us a call at 601-636-0741. You never know what you’ll find at the Old Court House!