Well, to begin with, here's what I think; The sum total of Balthasars' life was to farm and have children. It is only because of those children that we have any idea that Balthasar existed at all. He seems to have left no record but that in the census every 10 years, and even those federal recorders did not bother to ever spell his name in the same way twice. Also when bringing German names to the US, variations in the numbers of F's and N's are common. Other lines of the family… such as the Mavis's and Amsbaughs… left many other records, Balthasar left children; so lets start there.

Note: This timeline begins with the most recent.

Grave Marker: Hoffman, Baltosser, 1845-1914

1910 Census shows “Baltharsa Hoffman” (born 1846 age 64) married to “Catharine” and Farming in Defiance, Ohio. Both his mother and father’s birthplace was listed as “Germany”. He owned the house in which lived “Catharine” (38) (Uncle Bill says everyone called her Katie), Beulah (11), Charles (10), Franklin (8), Burnell (6), Mildred (4), and stepson Darrel Swager (17).

1900 Census shows “Bailsir Hoffman” (born 1846 age 54) and “Katie A.” (born 1872 age 28), with Jake (born Nov 1874 age 25), Danel (7), Beulah (1), Charles (3 mo.) Renting in Pulaski, Williams Co. The record indicates he immigrated in 1856.

1896 3 Dec : "Baltasser" Hoffman married “Katie Mavis” (Catherine Arabell Mavis), but there is no record of ages or family members.

1880 Census shows a “Baltus Hoffman” age 35, born “Abt 1845” with birthplace of “Wurtemburg” currently living in “Saint Joseph, Williams, Ohio” as a farmer and head of household with wife “Rebecca” age 33, his mother “Charlotte” age 77, and sons Jacob (7) and George (4). I believe this Jacob is the "Jake" who was nearly the same age as "Kate" (above), and whom Uncle Bill Hoffman currently refers to as "Uncle Jake".

German records show a Johann Leonhard Hofmann died on 8 July 1845 (age 44) in Bezgenriet, Wurttemberg, Germany. This seems to be Balthasar's father (below). Family tradition has it that Johann was a soldier, and that one of his medals exists somewhere in the family. Balthasar's mother Charlotte, if she was 77 in 1880, would have been born in 1803/1804, and would have been 41 when Johann died. If Charlotte and Balthasar did not sail to the US until 1856, that's 11 years unaccounted for, and that also being Balthasar's age rather than 6, which is family understanding.

The Evangelische Kirche of Bezgenriet (Göppingen) shows a “Balthasar Hoffmann” born 15 April 1844 in Bezgenriet Wurttemberg to Johann Leonard and Charlotte Hoffmann. (When both parents were in their 40's ?)

A “Johann Leonhard Hofmann” was born on 12 Aug 1800 to Johann Philipp Hofmann and Maria Catharina Juengling. He married Charlotta Rapp on 18 September 1827 in Duernau Goeppingen, Wuerttemberg. Charlotta's father was Johann Balthasar Rapp (B. Dec 1774, D. 6 Apr 1848 Durnau, Donaukreis, Wurttemberg).

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne contains the area of Wurttemberg. In 1199 King Otto IV gave Cologne Cathedral 3 crowns purported to have been made for the 3 kings who visited the baby Jesus, and they have been kept at the Cathedral. Throughout the centuries pilgrimages have made the relics famous, and locals would often use such traditions for naming new family members. Tradition is that the names of the Three Kings were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.