William Hockman - Civil War Soldier from Defiance County, Ohio

 

Willian Hockman

Born in Pennsylvania about 1840, William Hockman was the son of German immigrants.  The family were early settlers in Tiffin Township where they farmed.                                                           

In the Federal Census of 1860, George and Catharine Hockman lived on Tiffin Township land worth $1200.  With them were son, William, 19, and daughter, Mary, 14.

In August, 1862, the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was calling for soldier to report to Cleveland for enlistment.  William Hockman joined Company K, "the German Regiment" composed of many men of German descent from Defiance County.  This was for a three year term.

For a month, the men stayed in camp, drilled, and prepared to go into the field.  They first went to Covington, Kentucky across from Cincinnati because rumors were out that Cincy was going to be attacked.  It was not, and the men boarded a train to Washington, D.C. where they built 

fortifications around the city.

In November, they marched into Virginia, but were hung up by winter weather and bad roads, so they went into winter camp.  On April 29, 1863, the regiment moved to Chancellorsville and took part in the bloody battle there.  Stonewall Jackson flanked their regiment and defeated them, with a loss of 220 men, killed, wounded or taken prisoner.  It was a devastating blow to the unit, but worse was yet to come.

After about a month of regrouping, the regiment moved to Gettysburg which they reached on the Fourth of July, 1863.  On their first day, the regiment was pushed back to Cemetery Hill with a loss of another 250 men.  On the second day, they made a charge at about 5:00 p.m. and captured the Rebel flag of the 8th Louisiana.  By that time, the fighting was near over and the 107th had a loss at Gettysburg of about 400 men out of 550, and 111 of their guns were captured.        

William Hockman spent the rest of the war going from island to island along the South Carolina coast, doing picket duty with his regiment.  They also ventured into Florida and Maryland for short periods.  Beginning as a private, William was advanced to Seventh Corporal and eventually to Second Corporal during his term of duty. He was sent back to Cleveland and discharged on July 10 1865.

The 1890 Veterans Census indicated that he had served for 2 years, 11 months and 3 days.  He did have a disability - one deaf ear.

Once home, he found a wife in Elizabeth Bishop and married her in Defiance County on April 19, 1866.  Together they settled in Tiffin Township and began a family.  The Federal Census of 1870 noted William Hockman, age 29, real estate worth $1000 and personal effects worth $300, occupation - farmer.  Elizabeth was then 25 and they had children: Sarah, 3; Caroline, 2; and Jacob, 3 months.  Later, Mary E., Jesse and Elva would join the family.

Elizabeth's sister married a Partee and a Rath, and every year a big reunion would be held, often at the home of William Hockman.  Known as the Rath-Hockman reunion, it was always reported in the paper and often speakers would enlighten the group on some of the early history of the family and the difficulty of settling here.  William's son, Jacob, was noted as "the pride of the families" as he had advanced himself to Judge Hockman.

William Hockman died on May 10, 1912 in Tiffin Township.  His obituary was cut and placed in the Marckel Scrapbook often referred to in this blog:

"William Hockman was born in Pittsburg, Pa. in 1840.  When two years of age, he came to Ohio with his parents, who settled on a farm in Tiffin township, Defiance county.  On this farm, he lived all of his life except three years which were spent fighting for the preservation of his country upon the bloody battle fields of the Civil War.  He was honorably discharged July 10, 1865, at Charleston, S. C. and returned home to his parents.

April 19, 1866, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Bishop.  To this union, nine children came to bless their home.  Sarah E., George O, John W., and Curtis E. preceded their father to the life beyond.  Caroline J., Jacob H., Mary E., Jesse O., Elvie E., wife and thirteen grandchildren remain to mourn the loss of a kind father and husband who will be greatly missed in the home.

He was a good husband, a good father, a good neighbor, a good citizen and a good Christian.  He was a member of the Methodist church for nearly fifty years, and while health permitted, he always took an active part in church and Sunday school work.  He spent much of his leisure time in his home reading the Bible, which was as a lamp to his feet and a light to his pathway of life.  He departed this life as his home, May 10, 1912, aged 71 years and 8 months."

Buried in the old St. John's Methodist Church Cemetery, 3 miles SE of Evansport

Elizabeth lived on about another 33 years!  Her obituary appeared in the Defiance Crescent-News on February 2, 1945, pg. 4:

"DEATH TAKES WOMAN AT 97.

MRS. ELIZABETH HOCKMAN RITES SUNDAY; BURIAL IN TIFFIN TP

Mrs. Elizabeth Hockman, 97, widow of William Hockman, who resided in Defiance and Williams counties since coming from Germany when three years old, died Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Caroline Gansmiller, Stryker, after a long illness with senility.

She had resided with the daughter for the last 15 years.

The body will remain at the Grisier funeral home, Stryker, where services will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. with Rev. W. L. Linebrink, United Brethren pastor of Stryker, officiating.  Burial will be in St. John's Church cemetery, Tiffin Township.

Besides the daughter, she leaves a son, Jesse Hockman, Tiffin township."