The Hoffman Livery, Somerville NJ

The Hoffman Livery

African American business owners, Abram Hoffman (1870 –1920) and Mabel Hall Hoffman (1870–1950) advertised their livery business.

Abram Hoffman, “was well-known in Somerville for his popular livery  at 

16 Grove St., next to the armory and across from the courthouse. He

leased horses and carriages for weddings and funerals. …His team of

helpers assisted with drainage jobs of building materials when the  

Duke estates, in nearby Hillsborough, was being built.  His business

was prosperous, in spite of the competition from other stables such

as Dunsters on Division Street and Bellis on Doughty Avenue

March 27, 1980 Courier News

This 1918 Hoffman Livery calendar, documenting the legacy of African American business ownership, has been honored alongside my family photos for more than a decade. Imagine my surprise last month when I discovered the handwritten record of patrons on the underside of a calendar page!

Explore those old papers in the attic or in the back closet. They hold our history and confirm our connections to Somerville, NJ.

Follow me on Medium Davie Lyn Jones-Evans.