158Wiley Hoffman
Key Facts
Snapshot:farmer; shot to death by his wife
Parents:unknown
Born:circa 1817
Jefferson County, Georgia
Died:1 May 1853
Emanuel County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

158Wiley Hoffman was born circa 1817 in Jefferson County, Georgia.1 I know nothing else about his early life.

On 30 October 1834 he married 159Sarah Powell.2


1834: 158Wiley's and 159Sarah Powell's marriage record. Full page.2

By 1840 they had four children under age 5,3 and they would go on to have several more.1



1840: 158Wiley's family in Jefferson County, Georgia. Full page.3



1850: 158Wiley's family still in Jefferson County. Full pages: 1, 2.1

158Wiley must have relocated to nearby Emanuel County not long thereafter. A later record shows that he owned several lots in militia district 554 (map; this district now lies in Johnson County). Of his lots, only one—a 967-acre lot lying along Magruda Creek—was noted as "well improved," 4 so one might guess that 158Wiley lived there.


This newspaper notice suggests that 158Wiley may have lived on a 967-acre lot along Magruda Creek. Full page.4

The original plat map for the land that 158Wiley likely lived on. Full page.5

This newspaper notice suggests that 158Wiley may have lived on a 967-acre lot along Magruda Creek. Full page.4


The original plat map for the land that 158Wiley likely lived on. Full page.5

158Wiley was killed by his wife on 1 May 1853. He was only about 36 years old. The following account6 was re-published in several central Georgia newspapers:


The newspapers' account of 158Wiley's death. Bigger copy.6

Not surprisingly, 159Sarah is not named in records pertaining to 158Wiley's estate.7,8 Although an inventory of 158Wiley's estate is mentioned in one bond,9 I find no corresponding inventory/appraisement in Emanuel County's appraisements book for the years 1841-1857.

Sources Cited:

1: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). District 48, Jefferson County, Georgia. Pages 137B and 138A, dwelling 57, family 57, Wiley Huffman household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 75. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-64KQ-567?i=5&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZYR-GQ1> et seq.

2: Jefferson County, Georgia. Marriages whites book A (1803-1880), page 232. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPPX-99TS?cc=1927197&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AFWHK-Z25>.

3: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Jefferson County, Georgia. Militia district 81, page 92, Wiley Huffman household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 44. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBQ-Q2J>.

4: "Emanuel Sheriff's Sale," The Central Georgian (Sandersville, Georgia), 12 December 1853, page 4, column 1, about one-fourth of the way down the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034105/1853-12-26/ed-1/seq-4/>.

5: Emanuel County, Georgia. Land plats book C (1837-1849), page 161. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-Y7CK?i=336&cat=217006>.

6: "A Man Killed by His Wife," The Central Georgian (Sandersville, Georgia), 10 May 1853, page 2, column 2, starting at about three-fifths of the way down the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034105/1853-05-10/ed-1/seq-2/>.

7: The Central Georgian (Sandersville, Georgia), 21 June 1853, page 3, column 3, about halfway down the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn85034105/1853-06-21/ed-1/seq-3>.

8: The Federal Union (Milledgeville, Georgia), 18 August 1857, page 3, last column, bottom of the page. Georgia Historic Newspapers, <https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn86053071/1857-08-18/ed-1/seq-3/>.

9: Emanuel County, Georgia. Administrators & guardians bonds book for the years 1850-1866, pages 93-94. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G935-G895?i=186&cc=1999178&cat=282945>.