FRANCIS W. HOFFER
Francis William Hoffer was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, June 4th, 1861, hardly two months after the Civil War began. Frank’s great-great Grandfather had come to the United States by ship from Basel Switzerland, landing in Philadelphia in 1747. Frank’s father, Rudolf, was a pioneer settler of Jefferson City, an was a man of many trades: Presbyterian Minister, Indian fighter, Surveyor, and Judge of Justice Court. Rudolph married in 1840 and had six children.
Being the adventurous type, Frank had made his way to Texas by the late 1870’s. In 1882, he enlisted in the Service of the Texas Rangers under the command of Captain John Hoffer, and later in Company C under Captain G W Arrington.
The Battalion made it’s home in the rough frontier town of Amarillo, and later the rougher towns of Tascosa and Mobeetie. Tascosa was the roughest frontier town in all the Old West. Tascosa had no city government of any kind for the first five years of it’s existence; no City Council, no Government, no Sheriff, not even a town Marshall.
“THE HARDEST PLACE ON THE FRONTIER”
CAP aRRINGTON DESCRIBING THE TOWN OF tASCOSA
Tascosa was a haven in the Panhandle for Cattle rustlers, outlaws and badmen of all stripes. Fugitives, thieves, con men, gamblers, and prostitutes. Billy the Kid spent time there, and even Pat Garrett was hired to quell a range war. Know as the Cowboy Capitol of the Panhandle.
Being a Ranger in those days was a hard life. In Frank’s memory, one event stood out. He recalled one January, the Rangers had left Tascosa by way of Clarendon headed to a destination somewhere on McClellan Creek. When they left Tascosa the weather was so warm, they were traveling without any coats. Soon after leaving, though, as Panhandle dwellers know all to well, the weather suddenly changed. They were hit by an old fashioned “Blue Norther’ blizzard of such intensity, they nearly froze to death before they could reach the shelter of the breaks. After several men made failed attempts to start a fire but were too frozen to do it. Frank was the only one not so frozen and was successful. His actions likely saved their lives. After the fire was started, Frank reminisced they had trouble keeping the horses away from the fire. They would back up to the fire so close as to singe their tails!
Early Rangers had to be stout and tough to survive. It was never easy, and you were almost always far from your headquarters and on your own.
Each Ranger had to supply their own horses and firearms.
It was their duty to go at a moments notice anywhere in Texas, New Mexico or Indian territory to enforce the law.
As Ranger private’s, Hoffer’s salary was $30.00 per month, plus food and ammunition. That was usually less than a working cowboy was paid at the time,
Frank resigned from Texas Ranger service in the winter of 1892. On March 12, 1893, he married Flora Belle Jahns, the daughter of a Polish immigrant and Civil War veteran who had settled in the Panhandle in 1885. They had twelve children.
For a few years Frank farmed rented land and then in 1898 he filed on a section of land in Gray County. In a few years, the Hoffers moved from the farm into Miami for the education of their children. There have been four generations of Hoffer children educated in Miami Schools.
Frank and Flora were hardy pioneer stock. He was content with the life of a husband and farmer and she was happy by his side. She had no interest in social things, just only what pertained to her Church and her children.
Flora Jahns Hoffer died on July 25th, 1965 at the age of eighty-seven, and was burried in Hilcrest Cemetery, Dallas, Texas.
Frank Hoffer, Texas Ranger, pioneer Panhandle farmer and Father of twelve children, died August 18th, 1933, at the age of seventy-two, and was buried in the Miami, Texas cemetery.
NOT JUST A MAN. A MASON
Francis W Hoffer, was a man of indescribable fortitude, enduring tenacity and old fashioned grit. Coming to the Frontier of Texas when it was are rough and trying as anywhere in America, he carved out his place in it. While making a home here he helped civilize the Frontier. Outlaws and cattle rustlers were pushed out by school teachers, bankers and Church Pastors. He saw his draft horses retire and make way for tractors. Progress paved roads and streets over the old trails, and built cities on top of the old Camps.
He watched as railroads began to haul grain and cattle to market, bring lumber and steel to build Churches, schools, and homes. His saddle gathered dust, and his Ranger mount was long gone to greener pastures as automobiles became commonplace. He watched Texas evolve into what it would become today. He didn’t just tell the stories of our history, he made them.
THE FOOTSTEPS OF A PIONEER ULTIMATELY BECOME THE HIGHWAY OF A NATION.
AMEEN RIHANI