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BARBOUR COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Valerie & Tommy Crook
vfcrook@trellis.net
November 8, 1999
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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 297-298
Barbour
MONZELL M. HOFF, M. D. From the time he came home
with his medical diploma and began practice in his native
County of Barbour Doctor Hoff has been permitted no
extended vacation or interruption to his serious duties as
a professional man and citizen. He came into his profes-
sion well qualified and equipped from a technical stand-
point, and he has also had the invaluable asset of being a
"good mixer," with a praiseworthy ambition to work with
and assist his fellow citizens in carrying forward the pro-
gram of general improvement.
Doctor Hoff was born in Philippi District, at what is now
West Philippi, August 20, 1859. His ancestors came from
Germany to Pennsylvania in Colonial times. His grand-
father was the first representative of the family in West
Virginia, and spent his life as a farmer in Barbour County.
He was a republican, performed a good deal of public serv-
ice in his district, including membership on the Board of
Education, and was a devout Baptist. Lamar M. Hoff,
father of Doctor Hoff, was a native of Barbour County,
born in 1838, had to depend upon his own exertions for his
early education, and as a young man he followed the trade
of photographer, but eventually became a farmer. He was
a loyal Union man and a republican, and was reared a
Baptist. Lamar M. Hoff married Melissa E. Crislip, who
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and
lives with her son, Doctor Hoff. She was born in Barbour
County June 14, 1840, daughter of Samuel and Eleanor
(Board) Crislip. The Crislips were of an old Pennsylvania
Colonial family. Samuel Crislip was a brother of Abraham
Crislip, grandfather of Albert G. Crislip, under whose name
will he found a more complete sketch of this interesting
family. Lamar M. Hoff had the following children: Clif-
ton M., who died January 20, 1920, in Taylor County, leav-
ing a family; Monzell M.; Louisa, Mrs. Amos Stoalarbarger,
of Blue Jacket, Oklahoma. The mother of these children
subsequently married Theodore Nutter, and had a daughter
by that marriage.
Soon after the birth of Doctor Hoff his parents moved
to Union District, and he was five years of age when his
father died there. The widow then took her little family
into Elk District, to the home of her father, where Monzell
remained until he was past sixteen. He worked for his
grandfather Crislip on the farm and also did farm labor
for other men in that locality. This work gave him the
funds to attend. school. After leaving the home of his
grandfather he went to Illinois, and spent two or three
years as a wage worker, chiefly at farm labor at Carthage
and in Hancock County. While he was there trouble arose
between the fishermen along the Mississippi River and par-
ties owning and controlling the land adjacent to the fish-
ing grounds. An attempt was made to oust the fishermen,
and this led to reprisals by not only the fishermen but by
their allies, the roving tramps. Several farm houses and
much property were destroyed, and to restore peace and
order the state sent militia into the area. Young Hoff had
been induced to join the Company of National Guards
at Carthage for the benefit to be derived from military
drill, and was orderly sergeant of the Carthage Company
when it was called to active duty in the area of trouble.
After a brief stay the tramps scattered and the fishery
trouble gradually subsided. After returning to West Vir-
ginia from Illinois Doctor Hoff continued his education in
select schools, and prepared himself for the duties of
teacher. He taught school in the country, and for seven
years taught the grammar department of the schools at
Philippi.
All of this constituted a valuable experience to him as a
preparation for the serious duties of life. From his earn-
ings as a teacher Doctor Hoff was able to pursue his med-
ical studies. While teaching he frequented the company
and office of Doctor Rusmisel of Union District, and he also
studied anatomy under Doctor Bosworth of Philippi. For
his regular course he entered the University of Maryland
at Baltimore, and remained there until he finished his course
and graduated in 1889. He took special work in physical
diagnosis and general practice, and also specialized to a
certain extent in eye, ear, nose and throat work at Bay-
view Hospital. When he returned home to begin practice
he kept up his reading, but the demand for his service has
been so insistent that he had never been able to get away
for post-graduate study. Early in his career he did all the
minor surgery that came to his attention, and continued that
work until the establishment of local hospitals. He was
health officer when the World war came on, and that put
him in line for immediate service in connection with the
Draft Board. He was associated as examining physician
on the Draft Board with Dr. W. Scott Smith of Philippi.
At the first call for men from Barbour County the require-
ments were so rigid that the county was unable to fill its
quota, but in subsequent examinations the Government
standards were somewhat relaxed, so that the Draft Board
was able to keep the Barbour County quota full.
It was from a sense of public duty that Doctor Hoff
accepted appointment as health officer of Barbour County.
Ever since he began practice he has been a member of the
Pension Board of the locality. As a consequence he has per-
haps passed upon more applications for pensions than any
other physician of the region. While acting as examiner
for the Draft Board during the war he passed upon the
physical qualifications of some thirteen hundred young men.
So far as his professional duties have permitted Doctor
Hoff has been alert in responding to the obligations of good
citizenship. In politics he is a republican, easting his first
presidential vote for General Garfield in 1880. He served
as chairman of the Barbour County Republican Central
Committee several years, and until recently attended state
conventions, being in the convention which nominated Judge
Atkinson for governor and also Governor Dawson.
At Belington, West Virginia, September 4, 1890, Doctor
Hoff married Ida May Teter, daughter of Colonel Jesse and
Elizabeth (Phillips) Teter. The Teters were an early fam-
ily in the rural district of Barbour County. Col. Jesse
Teter was an officer in the Union Army, was stationed at
Grafton and served on the Medical Board with Doctor Ken-
nedy. After the war he returned to the farm. He served
twenty years as justice of the peace, was active in the repub-
lican party, and was one of the most devout men in the
performance of his Christian and church duties. His in-
fluence was wide and lasting, and altogether he was a noble
character. Colonel Teter had three sons and two daughters:
Thomas Benton, W. Worth, Floyd, Mrs. Hoff and Myrtle
E., the latter of whom still lives on the home farm.
Doctor Hoff had the misfortune to lose by death on Feb-
ruary 10, 1921, his good wife and the companion of more
than thirty years. She was born in Valley District of Bar-
bour County, May 31, 1860, was well educated in select
schools and in college at Pittsburgh, and for several years
followed the profession of teaching. During her married
life she took a deep interest in local organizations for in-
creasing the standards of school education and in behalf
of every moral and reform movement. She was a very
active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and did
much to aid Doctor Hoff in preparing the recruits from
Barbour County for active war service.
Doctor Hoff joined the Masonic Fraternity in 1884, and
several times has been master of Bigelow Lodge No. 52, is
past high priest of Philippi Chapter, R. A. M., a member
of DeMolay Commandery No. 11, K. T., at Grafton, and
Osiris Temple of the Mystic Shrine at. Wheeling. He be-
came an Odd Fellow in 1888, is a member of both branches,
and is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and the
Maccabees.
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