David Hostetter (1819 - 1888)

Born 23 Jan 1819 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Rosetta Cobb (Rickey) Hostetter — married 13 Jul 1854 in Cincinnati, Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died 6 Nov 1888 at age 69 in New York City, New York County, New York, United States

Biography

David Hostetter was an American businessman and banker in the 19th Century. He developed the Hostetter's Celebrated Bitters and became a millionaire.^[1]

He was born 28 January 1819 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the son of Jacob Hostetter and Mary Landis.^[2]

David was married July 13, 1854, to Miss Rosetta, daughter of Randall Rickey, of Cincinnati,^[3] and four sons and one daughter were born to this union: Amy Susette Hostetter, Harry Hostetter, D. Herbert Hostetter, Wilfred Parker Hostetter, and Theodore R. Hostetter,

A complete genealogy and biography for David is provided in the book "A genealogical history of the Dupuy family, by Charles Meredith," which can be found here.

"His eldest son, Harry Hostetter, entered Yale College in 1874, but went to Europe in the following year to study the modern languages. In 1876 he entered Heidelberg University, from which he graduated the following year. His father thought that a year of travel might be beneficial to him, and in company with his mother, sister and a younger brother, he visited many points of interest in England, France and Germany, and finally went to Rome. At Florence the sister was seized with Roman fever. When she became convalescent Harry was stricken with the same disease. He died en route to Paris, whither he was being carried on a special car. Mr. Hostetter endeavored unsuccessfully to reach his son before his death. This blow was a terribly sad one to him, one of whose dominant traits of character was a deep love for his family. The loss of his third son a few years later was another great bereavement."^[4]

David died 6 Nov 1888 while visiting New York City. His remains were buried in Pittsburgh at the Allegheny Cemetery.^[5]

Obituary:^[6]

David Hostetter Dead The Famous Doctor Dies While Visiting in New York City.

The Lancaster Intelligencer says: Dr. David Hostetter, the millionaire manufacturer, of Pittsburgh, died on Monday in New York City.

David Hostetter was born in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster County, January 23, 1819. His great grandfather, Jacob Hostetter, settled in Lancaster County in 1835, when it was still a backwoods country with very few settlers. The father of David Hostetter, Jacob Hostetter, M.D., was born April 18, 1791, graduated at the Jefferson Medical College, became widely known as an able practitioner, and died March 26, 1859. David Hostetter was educated in the country schools of the district. In his fifteenth year he was employed as a salesman in a dry goods store in Lancaster.

In 1842 he began the dry goods business on his own account in this city; but did not meet with success. April 15, 1850, he went to California and settled in San Francisco, but in the following September his entire stock was destroyed by fire and he returned home greatly disheartened. In 1855 he associated himself in partnership with George W. Smith, a son-in-law of Charles Gillespie, and engaged at Pittsburg in the manufacture of the famous stomach bitters which bears his name.

There was at this time in this city an old gentleman, Dr. Green, who was engaged in the manufacture of a stomach bitters of local repute, as Green's stomach bitters. it is said that Hostetter got the recipe and made it the basis of his own bitters, which much resembled it. Though we have ..... the late Dr. W. H. Fahnestock has said that he gave Hostetter the recipe. Wherever the recipe was obtained the result showed that Hostetter ahd the peculiar business ability needed to make folks buy the nostrum and to wring a fortune out of it.

His firm met with perfect success and starting with only six hands at work they had in a few years over 200 working in an extensive establishment in Pittsburg full of costly machinery. In 1867 he became a director of the Pittsburg gas company and in 1869 president. He also became a large stockholder and active mover in the East End and Allegheny companies and in 1874 purchased the charter of the Columbia conduit company and pushed its work to completion. He was a director fo the Penn gas coal company, of Philadelphia, director in the Farmer's deposit national bank and the Fort Pitt Bank. He was married July 13, 1854, to Rosetta Rickey, of Cincinnati, Ohio.

He was one of the projectors and largest subscribers to the stock of the South Penn railroad, organized in opposition to the Pennsylvania railroad company. His fortune is estimated at several million dollars.

Sources

1. ↑ David Hostetter Biography on Wikipedia.
2. ↑ A genealogical history of the Dupuy family, by Charles Meredith, page 125.
3. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDLX-WB5 : 26 August 2019), David Hostetter and Rosette E. Rickey, 13 Jul 1854; citing Marriage, Hamilton, Ohio, United States, v B6 p 256, Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society, Columbus; FHL microfilm.
4. ↑ Cushing, Thomas. History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania (A. Warner & Co., Chicago, 1889, Part 2: p. 260-261)
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 05 September 2020), memorial page for Dr David Hostetter (23 Jan 1819–6 Nov 1888), Find a Grave Memorial no. 53492046, citing Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by The Cemetery Lady (contributor 47893478) .
6. ↑ Patriot Wednesday, Nov 07, 1888 Harrisburg, PA Page: 1

• Find A Grave: Memorial #53492046