The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-06-16
A SUDDEN :. =. :,
!. DEATH,

Congressman JOHn I1enIy Iloi',
fecker died suddenly this morning.
at his home in Smyrna, Del. His
death is a great shock to his many,
friends in this city and State. He
had been enjoying fairly good
health aud had returned from the
session Of Congress which adjourn
ed last week at Washington. J
lie was elected to office in No
vember 1898, being the choice Of
both factions of the Republican
party. He succeeded l.. Irving
Handy. He ran on the Union
Republican ticket for governor and
was defeated by Governor Ebe w.
Tunnel, the present Democratic
Governor. /
John II, Ho6ecker son of Joseph
and Rachel IVAN Gasken) Hohecker
was born on the old farm near
Smyrna, Del, September I2thf
1897. He received his education
in the public and private schools Of
Smyrna, Delaware. At his fathers
death he inherited the homestead
which he cultivated for seventeen
years. In 1868 he removed to
Smyrna, Delaware and became
partner in the fruit canning estab-
lishment owned by his brother
John V. Hofecker. This part
nership was dissolved in 1887, Mr..
Joseph II. Hoffecker purchasing
the business. He has greatly i'm
proved the establishment, and ad-
ded every facility for preparing fine
fruits also having aided extensive
evaporators and an engine Of fifty
horsepower. The cans were manu-
featured on the premises and that
industry gave employment to a
number OF men. The cannery has
a capacity Of five hundred thousand
cans and affords work for one hun
dred and twenty-five woriimen and
the evaporators, through which
three h 4ndred basketstuls, pass
daily, required an equai number Of
employees. MIR. Hoffecker also
manages his farm OF 225 acres on
which he planted several fine Or
chards, he raised tomatoes, corn.
pumpkins and small fruits, thus
partially supplying his ca'nery.
He was one of the original stocs-
holders of the s'ruit Growers
National Bank, Of Smyrna, and
served on the Board Of Directors
since its organization; he was elect
cd president i'll 1891. Mr.. Hot
fccker was also a director Of the
Delaware K. r. Co., and OF the
Kent County Mutual Insurance
Company; president ofthe Smyrna
Building and Loan Association,
President Of the Philadelphia AND
Symrna Transportation Line, Pfesl
lent OF the Board of Commission
ers, Of Smyrna and of the board Of
directors of the public schools. He
was chairman of the building com.
mi,tce that erected the handsome
school building in 1883 and assis-
ted i'll securing the ereclian of wa
ter works, Electric Ii ht works, and
the construction OF sewerage lacili-
ties in Smyrna. MIR. Ilolfeckcr was
a Wing, Lut joined til. Repub-
lican party in 1886.
He identified himself with that
organization which he has become
prominent throughout the State.
lie wss delegate to the National
Republican Convention. at Cincin-
natl, Ohio in 1876 and also to tho
Convention at Chicago Illinois
in 1854: he was elected to bthe
tiftv-slXth Congress as Republic
can in 1893, receiving II, 500 votes
against 1908 votes for l.. Irving
Handy.
John II. Holfecier was married
May 10, 1858, to Annie f.. daugh-
ter oil John Appleton, OF Odessa.
Del. They had four children: |.
Walter O.. John A., James Edwin.
Annie, wife of II. p. Hall OF
Smyrna. Mrs. Annie Z. Holfccker
died June 20, 1881. In March 1883.
Mr.. Hoifccker was married to Char
lotte j., daughter Of Matthias Jer-
mau, Of Kent county, and widow Of
Joseph II. lIofecker. From 1875
to 1878, Mrs. Hoffecker was a
teacher in China, living with her
sister, the wife of the Rev. $. l..
Baldwin, d. D.. missionary oil the
M. E. Church. Mr. IioIfecxer and
his wife are members Of Asbury M.
f. Church at Smyrna. He has
been one Of the stewards of the
church since 1860. His death is a
uhli,- IpSc