Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1896-07-15

principles Of the Republican party,
endorses the st. Louis Convention,
opposes free and unlimited coinage of
silver, declares for the gold standard,
favOrs adherence to the principle of
protection, advocates the maintenance
of discriminating duties in favor of
American ships, recommends liberal
and extensive internal improvements,
especially concerning waterways, just
and liberal pensions for soldiers, lib
eral appropriations for colOred schools
and free ballot and fair count, cOn-
denim the county registrars, especially
IN Kent, also condemns the assessment
laws, endorses the nomination of Nc
KlnIey and Hobart, declares for good
roads, endorses Hon. j. S. Willis and
denOunces the Republican National
| Committee on Credentials.
SKETCH OF MR.. HoFFECKER.
John H. Hoffecker, the eldest son of
Joseph and Rachael Hoffecker, was born
September II, 1927, on the farm which he
now owns, one and half miles from
| Smyrna, and obtained his education in the
schools of this town. At his fathers death
he succeeded to the ownership of large
farm, which he cultivated from 1851 to 1868
when he moved to Smyrna and embarked in
the business of canning fruit with his
brother Joseph as partner. The partner
| ship was dissolved i'll 1877 and the business
has since been conducted by Mr.. HOffecker,
who has greatly enlarged the establishment
and increased the facilities for canning.
| In 1888 he added extensive evapOratOrS and
a fifty-hOrse power engine to his factory
He still continues to manage his farm of 22j
acres which is mostly planted in fruit trees.
During many years of his life he has done a
great deal of surveying in his neighbOrhood
Mr.. HOffecker was one of the OriginatOrs
of the Fruit Growers National Bank OF
Smyrna and has been Il member of the
board of directors since its organization il
1876 He is director of the Kent Mutual
Insurance Company President of the
Smyrna Building and Loan Association
since 1875, Il member of the Board of Tow
Commissioners since 1878 and president
several years, school director since 1888.
and chairman of the building committe,
that erected the handsome school building
in 1888. He has been member of til,
board of directors of the Philadelphia a
Smyrna Transportation Line since its Origin
and was greatly instrumental i'll securin,
the election of the water works for tn
town of Smyrna.
Mr. Hotfecker in politics was IL Wing I'M
til 1849 to the formation of the Republican
party and i'll 1856 was one of the 800 person
who voted for John G.. Fremont the frs
; candidate of the Republican party for Pres
| ldent. In 1876 he was q delegate to the Ma
tiOnal Republican Convention at Cincinnati
when Rutherford b. Hayes was nominate
for the Presidency and IN 1884 was a dele
gate to the convention at Chicago whic
= nominated James G.. Blaine for the sam
O office.
: The important position he has held h;
u has given him prominence and intluenc,
i not only in Smyrna and his native county
but in the entire State of Delaware.
Six wears aUO Mr. HOfTpckpr was plpcte
B. member of the General Assembly, an
q was made Speaker of the House.
o SKETCH OF MR.. WILLIS.
e Congressman Jonathan S. Willis WI
~, born at Oxford Md, in 1880, but viii
% young his father, who was farmer, move
+ to Delaware Mr. Willis when young M
Il taught school. When q years of age
1854, he was admitted as Il minister to Il
l. Philadelphia Methodist Episcopal Churc
d During his ministerial life he had charge
the church at Reading, Pa; Centreville No
4 Camden Del; Dover, Frederick and Odess
r. During the war he was first i'll charge of Il
~ Tabernacle and the Spring Garden Sire
> Churches, Philadelphia. Subsequently
+. was pastor of the Seventeenth Street churt
o. | New York, for three years. In 1880. on a
count of his wlfe's health, he gave up t
u ministry and went to live on his farm ne
of Milford. where he now resides. For yea
. Mr. Willis has taken an active part i'll Il
publican politics, and in 1892 he was nCn
Is mated for Congressman, but was defeat
m by John W. Causey, Democrat. In 1894
- was renOninated and elected. During
1T term in Congress he made a brilliant recO
Mt and figured in a number of debates.