Middletown transcript., 1896-08-01


ators of the Fruit Growers National
Bank of Smyrna and has been MEM
ber of the board of directors since its
organization in 1876. He is director
of the Kent Mutual Insurance Com
pany, President of the Smyrna Build
ing and Loan Association since 1875,
member of the Board of Town Com
missioners since 1873 and president
several years, a school director since
1882 and chairman of the building COM
mittee that erected the handsome
school building in 1888. He has been a
member of the board of directors of the
Philadelphia & Smyrna Transportation
Line since its origin and was greatly
instrumental in securing the erection
of the water works for the town of
Smyrna.
Mr.. Hoffecker in politics was a Whig
from I849 to the formation of the Re-
publican party and in 1856 was one of
the 300 persons who voted for John G..
Fremont, the first candidate of the Re-
publican party for President. In 1876
he was a delegate to the National Re-
publican Convention at Cincinnati,
when Rutherford B. Hayes was nomin-
ated for the Presidency and in 1884
was a delegate to the convention at
Chicago which nominated James G.
Blaine for the same Office.
The important position he has held
has given him prominence and infu-
ence, not only in Smyrna and his ma
tive county, but in the entire State of
Delaware.
In 1889 Mr.. Hoffecker was elected
member of the General Assembly. and
was made Speaker of the House. He
has been a candidate several times before
for office but being in a Democratic
county has been defeated with his party
Mr.. Hoffecker towards the close of
the session gave the casting vote in
favor of the Addicks gas charter, the
Bay State Gas Company, under which
he now operates, and which Wharton
Barker of Philadelphia said at the
time was worth 100000 in the COM
mercial markets. In consideration of
that vote it would be strange if Mr..
Addicks should not have had kindly
feeling for the legislators who granted
his charter but it is said that he used
every endeavor possible to get the con-
sent of Mr.. Harry A. Richardson to
become his gubernatorial candidate
before he turned to Mr.. Hoffecker.
SKETCH OF MR.. HOUSTON.
Robert G. Houston, the nominee of
the Republican Party for Congress is
the only surviving son of DR.. David Fl.
Houston and Comfort T. Houston, and
was born at Milton, Sussex county, on
October 18th, 1867, being now 20 years
of age. In July following his birth
his parents removed to Lewes. He at
tended the public school at that place
when of proper age. His mother and
only brother having in the meantime
died, his father and self removed to the
farm near Lewes, where they continued
to reside until after the sons admission
to the Bar in 1883. He was elected
captain of Co. G in Georgetown in
1890 and continued in command until
the company was mustered out. He
was appointed Asst Adj't General by
the late Gov. Marvil. Mr.. Houston
has never held Office with the exception
of being Attorney for the Trustees of
the Poor of Sussex county while the
Republicans were in control of county
affairs. He was nominated as a can
didate for the lower branch of the
Legislature in 1892, but the ticket was
defeated. In 1888 he married Mar
garet. daughter of H. 81. White, near
Drawbridge. Three children blessed
the union-John, Mary and Elizabeth.
SKETCH OF MR.. WILLIS.
Congressman Jonathan S. Willis was
born at Oxford, Nd, in 1880, but while
young his father, who was a farmer,
moved to Delaware. Mr.. Willis when
young man taught school. When "a
years of age, in 1854, he was admitted
as minister to the Methodist Epsco-
pal Church, Philadelphia Conference.
During his ministerial life he had
charge of the church at Reading, Pa.
Centreville, Nd; Camden, Del; Dover,
Frederick and Odessa. During the
war he was first in charge OF the
Tabernacle and the Spring Garden
Street Churches, Philadelphia. Subse-
quently he was pastor Of the Seven
teenth Street Church, New York, for
three years. In 1880, on account of his
wife's health, he gave up the ministry
and went to live on his farm near Mil
ford, where he now resides. For years
Mr.. Willis has taken an active part in
Republican politics, and in 1892 lie
was nominated for Congressman, but
was defeated by John W. Causey,
Dem ocrat. In 1894 he was nominated
and elected. The public are fully in
formed as to Mr.. Willis ability as a
public speaker and his course in the
present Congress.
AN EXPLANATION DESIRED
Man is said to be creature of rea-
son. Delaware Republicans should