Harold G. Hoffman
Encyclopedia
Harold Giles Hoffman was an American
politician, a Republican who served as the 41st Governor
of New Jersey
, from 1935 to 1938. He also served two terms representing in the United States House of Representatives
, from 1927 to 1931.
to Frank Hoffman and Ada Crawford Thom. His mother was the daughter of the painter James Crawford Thom
and the granddaughter of Scottish sculptor James Thom. Hoffman also had two ancestors who were soldiers in the American Revolutionary War
. His father's side of the family were among some of the early settlers in New Amsterdam, now known as New York, and they originated in Sweden; Hoffman's father's family were the descendents of Dutch nobility.
He attended public schools and graduated from South Amboy High School in 1913. He worked with a local newspaper until enlisting on July 25, 1917 as a private in the Third Regiment of the New Jersey Infantry, where he was subsequently promoted to the rank of captain. After World War I
, Hoffman returned to South Amboy and became an executive with the South Amboy Trust Company. He would later became the bank's president, a position he would hold until 1942.
Due to World War II
, Hoffman was granted military leave as director of the Unemployment Commission on June 15, 1942. He reentered the army as a major in the Transportation Corps
and served until June 24, 1946 when he was discharged with the rank of colonel. Upon discharge, Hoffman resumed his position as director of the Unemployment Commission.
As governor, Hoffman secretly visited convicted Lindbergh kidnapper
Bruno Hauptmann
in his death row cell on the evening of October 16, 1935 with Anna Bading, a stenographer and fluent speaker of German. Hoffman urged the other members of the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals, then the state's highest court, to visit Hauptmann. Despite Governor Hoffman's doubt regarding Hauptmann's guilt, Hoffman was unable to convince the other members of the court to re-examine the case, and Hauptmann was executed on April 3, 1936.
Hoffman was a delegate to the 1936 Republican National Convention
.
As governor, Harold Hoffman got into at least two separate fist-fights with reporters. Hoffman's advocacy of a state sales tax
cost him the support of his own party, and he was not renominated for a second term as governor.
In 1948 he appeared on the short-lived ABC network
program That Reminds Me.
On February 2, 1950, Hoffman was one of four panelists on the debut presentation of the game show
What's My Line?
.
On March 18, 1954, Governor Robert B. Meyner
uncovered a significant embezzlement scheme perpetrated by Hoffman, and suspended him from his position of Employment Security Division Director. Three months later, in June 1954, Hoffman died in a New York City
hotel room of a heart attack. Just before dying, the disgraced former governor wrote a confession and admitted that he had embezzled over $300,000 from the state. Hoffman is buried in Christ Church Cemetery
in South Amboy.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, a Republican who served as the 41st Governor
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, from 1935 to 1938. He also served two terms representing in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, from 1927 to 1931.
Early life
Hoffman was born in South Amboy, New JerseySouth Amboy, New Jersey
South Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, on the Raritan Bay. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 7,913.South Amboy, and Perth Amboy across the Raritan River, are collectively referred to as The Amboys...
to Frank Hoffman and Ada Crawford Thom. His mother was the daughter of the painter James Crawford Thom
J. C. Thom
James Crawford Thom was an American painter. Born in New York City, he studied at an artist colony in Perth Amboy, New Jersey along with Louis Comfort Tiffany of stained glass fame. He also studied with Edouard Frere, among others...
and the granddaughter of Scottish sculptor James Thom. Hoffman also had two ancestors who were soldiers in the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. His father's side of the family were among some of the early settlers in New Amsterdam, now known as New York, and they originated in Sweden; Hoffman's father's family were the descendents of Dutch nobility.
He attended public schools and graduated from South Amboy High School in 1913. He worked with a local newspaper until enlisting on July 25, 1917 as a private in the Third Regiment of the New Jersey Infantry, where he was subsequently promoted to the rank of captain. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Hoffman returned to South Amboy and became an executive with the South Amboy Trust Company. He would later became the bank's president, a position he would hold until 1942.
Political career
- 1917 to 1919, military service
- 1920 to 1925, city treasurer of South Amboy
- 1923 to 1924, New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
- 1925 to 1926, Mayor of South Amboy, New JerseyMayor of South Amboy, New JerseyMayor of South Amboy, New Jersey:*Harold Giles Hoffman 1925 to 1926*Thomas Joseph Scully 1921, he died in office*Thomas Joseph Scully 1909 to 1910...
- 1927 to 1931, member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- 1931 to 1935, state motor vehicle commissioner
- 1935 to 1938, Governor of New Jersey
- 1938 to 1942, director of the state Unemployment Compensation Commission
- 1942 to 1946, military service
- 1946 to 1954, director of the state Unemployment Compensation Commission
Due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hoffman was granted military leave as director of the Unemployment Commission on June 15, 1942. He reentered the army as a major in the Transportation Corps
United States Army Transportation Corps
The Transportation Corps was established 31 July 1942 by Executive Order 9082. The Transportation Corps is a combat service support branch of the U.S. Army, and was headquartered at Fort Eustis, Virginia, but has now moved to Fort Lee, Virginia. The Transportation Corps is responsible for the...
and served until June 24, 1946 when he was discharged with the rank of colonel. Upon discharge, Hoffman resumed his position as director of the Unemployment Commission.
As governor, Hoffman secretly visited convicted Lindbergh kidnapper
Lindbergh kidnapping
The kidnapping of Charles Augustus Lindbergh, Jr., was the abduction of the son of aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The toddler, 18 months old at the time, was abducted from his family home in East Amwell, New Jersey, near the town of Hopewell, New Jersey, on the evening of...
Bruno Hauptmann
Bruno Hauptmann
Bruno Richard Hauptmann was a German ex-convict sentenced to death for the abduction and murder of the 20-month-old son of Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The Lindbergh kidnapping became known as "The Crime of the Century".-Background:Hauptmann was born in Kamenz in the German Empire,...
in his death row cell on the evening of October 16, 1935 with Anna Bading, a stenographer and fluent speaker of German. Hoffman urged the other members of the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals, then the state's highest court, to visit Hauptmann. Despite Governor Hoffman's doubt regarding Hauptmann's guilt, Hoffman was unable to convince the other members of the court to re-examine the case, and Hauptmann was executed on April 3, 1936.
Hoffman was a delegate to the 1936 Republican National Convention
1936 Republican National Convention
The 1936 Republican National Convention was held in Cleveland, Ohio at the Public Auditorium, from June 9 to June 12, 1936. It nominated Governor Alfred Landon of Kansas for President and Frank Knox of Illinois for Vice-President....
.
As governor, Harold Hoffman got into at least two separate fist-fights with reporters. Hoffman's advocacy of a state sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
cost him the support of his own party, and he was not renominated for a second term as governor.
In 1948 he appeared on the short-lived ABC network
ABC Network
ABC Network may refer to any of the following:*American Broadcasting Company, a private television network in the United States.*Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, regional radio and television broadcaster in Japan....
program That Reminds Me.
On February 2, 1950, Hoffman was one of four panelists on the debut presentation of the game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
.
On March 18, 1954, Governor Robert B. Meyner
Robert B. Meyner
Robert Baumle Meyner of Phillipsburg, New Jersey was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 44th Governor of New Jersey, from 1954 to 1962...
uncovered a significant embezzlement scheme perpetrated by Hoffman, and suspended him from his position of Employment Security Division Director. Three months later, in June 1954, Hoffman died in a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
hotel room of a heart attack. Just before dying, the disgraced former governor wrote a confession and admitted that he had embezzled over $300,000 from the state. Hoffman is buried in Christ Church Cemetery
Christ Church Cemetery, South Amboy, New Jersey
Christ Church Cemetery is located in South Amboy, New Jersey. The cemetery is owned and operated by the Christ Episcopal Church in South Amboy. The cemetery opemed in 1856 and is still accepting new burials.-Notable burials:*Harold G...
in South Amboy.
External links
- Biography of Harold G. Hoffman (PDF), New Jersey State LibraryNew Jersey State LibraryThe New Jersey State Library, based in Trenton, New Jersey, was established in 1796 to serve the information needs of New Jersey's Governor, Legislature and courts. The State Library is also responsible to assist in the provision of library and information services to all New Jersey...
- New Jersey Governor Harold Giles Hoffman, National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...
- Article on Hoffman's corruption
- Harold Giles Hoffman at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...
- Dead Governors of New Jersey bio for Harold G. Hoffman