Bertha, a friend, Edith ad George, about 1920, Buffalo
Photo courtesy of cousin Mary Ellen F.
George SIM's sister
Early years- Bertha
was the 4th child of John Wm and Mary Ann SIM.
She was born on 9 May 1901 in Rochester, Erie Co., NY. She graduated from high school.
Buffalo Courier Express, 1938
Found on Old Fulton Postcards
Work history- In the 1923 marriage register, Bertha is listed as a
clerk in Hackensack, NJ. She later
raised and sold show dogs (Boston Terriers).
Family- In 1923
and in Pennsylvania, at age 21, Bertha married 30 year old Bernard “Barney” Michael
HOFMAR (1893-1968) of Rochester. They later adopted son Donald HOFMAR (1929-2006).
The marriage register had some inaccurate information, but it did indicate that Barney’s surname was
originally HOFMAYR. His father Johan HOFMAYR was born in Germany. His mother, Mary HAUSER, was born in Rochester, NY.
Barney was previously married to a woman named Mary
according to his 1917 WWI draft card and the 1920 census. He requested exemption status on the draft
card to support his wife which may mean she was in ill health. No additional records were found for Mary.
In the 1917 draft card, Barney was a fireman in
Buffalo. In the 1920 census, he was a
Buffalo policeman. In the 1923 marriage
registry to Bertha, he was a salesman in Erie, PA. After their marriage, he was a Buffalo policeman
and in 1943, he was promoted to detective.
He died in 1968.
I was not able to find many of the census records for the
HOFMARs. I do know that they lived at 22
Taunton Avenue between 1935 and 1940.
Interesting Facts
·
Bertha was an active member of the Golden Does,
a wives club for husbands in The Elks Club.
· Bertha and Barney declared bankruptcy in 1932.
Death- Bertha died
20 April 1958 in Buffalo. Her remains are
interred at Ridgelawn Cemetery in Cheektowaga, NY.
Visit her on-line memorial
More news items for Barney (all found on Old Fulton Postcards):
1937 Buffalo Courier Express
1957 Buffalo Courier Express
1921 Buffalo Evening News
