William S. Hofstra

William Sake Hofstra (May 31, 1861 – May 11, 1932) was an American businessman and philanthropist.

Early life William Sake Hofstra was born on May 31, 1861, in Holland, Michigan. He was the son of Sake Hofstra and Wilhelmina Zageweg, who were Dutch immigrants from Franeker in the province of Friesland. The name "Hofstra", which is a short form of "Hoflandstra", means "from the courtyard/farmyard/garden" in Frisian and goes back to an ancestor from an estate near the village of Grou.

Hofstra grew up in various cities in Michigan.

In 1903, Hofstra and his second wife, Kate Mason (1854–1933), purchased the 15-acre Van Vranken Estate in Hempstead, New York, and hired H. Craig Severance to design their retirement home there, moving into the house in 1904. To honor his Dutch roots, Hofstra called the estate "The Netherlands," which is now known as Hofstra Hall.

Hofstra University

Kate Hofstra bequeathed the family home and funding for a trust to honor her husband and left other bequests to St. George's Episcopal Church in Hempstead and to various friends and family.