The Washington times., 1902-06-18
DEATH OF The VERY
REV. DEAN HOFFMAN
Head of Theological Semi
nary Expires suddenly.
A Remarkable Career in the Episcopal
Church-Ir2t:tatioHs Butt Up While
Urdcr His Coztrcl.

NEW YORK. June IA dispatch
from Plattsaurg, n. Y, annou7ces the
sudden deaf: Of TIE Very Rev. Eugene
Augustus Holman. D. D.. dean of the
Protestant Episcopal Church. He was in
his scvonty-foufth year.
Or. Hoffman died today on train.
while returning 10 II city from his va
cation il Canada. lie had been salmon
fishing at Res;igouche, and on Monday
was seized with hear, trouble. At his
own request preparatio were made to
bring him home.
The Very Rev. Eugene Augustus Hoff-
man, d. D., LII. D.. ID. e. L., dean of the
General Theological Seminary. eldest son
of Samuel Verplanck and Glorvina Ros-
sell Storm Hoffman, was born in New
York on March q. 1922. Through both
his parents he was representative Of old
Dutch and Colonial families.
Eugene A. Hoffman was educated at
the Columbia Grammar School. New
York; at Rutgers College, and Harvard
University, graduating from Rutgers with
the degree of B. A and from Harvard
with B. A., and subsequently receiving g
from Harvard the degree of NJ. A. Later
he was honored with the degree of D. D..
from Oxford University. Rutgers, Racine
Columbia, the General Theological Sem
mary. and Trinity College, Hartford;
with that of LII. D. from the University
of the South and Trinity University,
Toronto, Canada. and with that Of D. C.
l.. from Kings College University, Wind
sor. Nova Scotia.
Ordained Deacon and Priest.
After completing the three years
course at the General Theological Sem
mary Mr.. Hoffman was ordained deacon
in 1851 and priest in 1858. and began his
ministerial career by taking charge of
a mission in Elizabethpcrt, n. J. in
1853 he was made rector of the newly
formed parish of Christ Church. Eliza
beth. n. J., where he remained for ten
bishop to the rectorship of st. Mary's
Church. Burlington. y. j., where he paid
off a large debt on the church property
and placed il on a firm financial basis
In 1861 he accepted the rectorship of the
important parish OF Grace Church.
Brooklyn Heights, which, after a sue
cessful pastorate of five years. he was
obliged to resign in 1869 in consequence
OF the sea air injuriously affecting his
throat. From Brooklyn he became rec
tor of st. Marks Church, PHILADELPHIA.
where he remained for ten years.
Built Up Seminary
In 1879. after having twice declined
the nomination, he was elected dean OF
the General Theological Seminary. When
he became the head OF the seminary he
found it struggling. almost moribund
overwhelmed with debt and
living on its capital, with six professors
and students averaging in number sew
enty-five. Now it has come to have ten
professors, their chairs fully endowed,
as is also the office of dean; three In
structors, five fellowships and nearly $50
otuueut5 III regular dttenOanCe. Wn1le
the two gray stone buildings which suf-
feed up to 1879 for chapel, dormitories,
dining hall. library, recitation rooms,
office, laundry, etc, have given place to
a noble pile of buildings, covering al
most the entire block from Ninth TO
Tenth Avenues. between Twentieth and
Streets, and including a
beautiful chapel erected by the mother
Of the dean to the memory OF her hus-
band, Samuel Verplanck Hoffman.
Dean Hoffman married. in 1852, Miss
Mary Crooke Elmendorf. and has three
daughters and one son. living. all of
whom are married. The son is Samuel
V. Hoffman, of Middlebrook.
The golden wedding anniversary of
Dean and Mrs. Hoffman was celebrated
in April last.
DR.. Hoffman attended personally to ali
details of the management of the semi
nary. in addition to caring for his own
large private interests. While probably
only he knew the amount of his wealth,
SIS, ,000, coo, it was said today, would be
a conservative estimate Of his fortune.
His real estate holdings included sew
eral corners on lower Broadway. a large
section in Forty-second Street. and plots
in Fifth Avenue. His brothers estate
included the ground on which the Hoff
man HOusp stands