BIO: ABRAHAM HOSTETTER, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 198-199
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/zeamer/


    ABRAHAM HOSTETTER, one of the venerable residents of Shippensburg, was born
  April 27, 1818, in Franklin county, Pa., within eight miles of Chambersburg.
  His father, Abraham Hostetter, was born in 1788 in Lancaster county.
  
    The Hostetter family originated in Switzerland, and the first member to
  escape the religious persecutions of the time in his native land, was one
  Jacob Hostetter, who reached America in 1712, settling at Conestoga,
  Lancaster county, and died at Lancaster in 1761. He purchased a large tract
  of land, a part of which is now the site of the present city of Lancaster.
  Possessing not only business ability, but also a fine education, he naturally
  became somewhat of a leader among his countrymen, and the family has continued
  to be a prominent one to the present day.
  
    Jacob Hostetter, the grandfather of our subject, was one of the pioneer
  settlers in that part of Pennsylvania. He married Maria Kreider, who was born
  at Lebanon, a daughter of Jacob Kreider, and their five sons were: Abraham,
  John, Jacob, Benjamin and David.
  
    Abraham Hostetter, son of Jacob and father of Abraham, was born in 1788, in
  Lancaster county. He died when his son Abraham was seven years of age, and his
  wife died in 1860. Two sons and two daughters had been born to them: Abraham;
  Jacob, who was a teacher, merchant and man of large property holdings; Anna,
  who married Christian Sollenberger; and Mary, who married Joseph Dohner, and
  settled near Dayton, Ohio.
  
    Abraham Hostetter was reared in Franklin county. He received only
  common-school advantages, and for a time attended school when the sessions
  were held in an
    
  CUMBERLAND COUNTY.	199
    
  old log church, clay being used for the "chinking and daubing." All that
  was required of a teacher in those days was that he should be able to
  instruct in the three "R's" and triumphantly engineer his pupils through the
  "Double Rule of Three." He continued to attend school and work on the farm
  until the age of sixteen years, when he was apprenticed to learn the
  tailoring trade, with a Mr. Betchtel, of Strasburg. After completing his term
  of apprenticeship, according to the practice of the time, he started out to
  work as a journeyman, and finally reached Pittsburg, where he made his home
  for two years. While in Pittsburg he made the acquaintance of Elizabeth
  Patchel, whom he married in 1847, when they removed to Shippensburg, and he
  turned his attention for a time to farming, but later formed a business
  partnership with Samuel Patchel, under the firm name of Hostetter & Patchel.
  This continued until Mr. Patchel went into the army, but Mr. Hostetter
  continued the business and built up a large clothing trade. In 1864 he
  disposed of his business, fears being entertained at that time that
  Shippensburg would suffer the same fate as did Chambersburg, which had been
  burned by the Confederate troops. Business was at a standstill. It was during
  this time of business depression and public inaction that, men like Mr.
  Hostetter came to the front. He had been elected burgess of Shippensburg,
  and, with a just sense of his responsibility, he used every precaution and
  planned every possible measure which he could carry out to save the city.
  Sufficient to say that Shippensburg was not burned, although an army of
  90,000 men marched through its streets, and one of those who suffered a loss
  of hundreds of dollars worth from their looting, was Mr. Hostetter.
  
    After the close of the war Mr. Hostetter was elected justice of the peace
  for a term of five years. While administering that office he embarked in the
  dry-goods business which he continued for three years. For some years he was
  connected with a private bank, which was known as the Farmers and Mechanics
  Bank. He still owns much property, and since the early days of Shippensburg,
  has been more or less connected with the city's financial institutions. His
  fine farm of eighty acres is under rental, as is a large amount of property
  in the city.
  
    Mr. Hostetter has been twice married, his first wife passing away in early
  married life. On May 22, 1865, he married Elizabeth Reside, of Shippensburg,
  born in Franklin county. No children were born to either marriage. Mr.
  Hostetter has always worked with the Democratic party, being a zealous
  supporter of its doctrines and privileges, and claims that his party is the
  founder of one of the best governments that ever existed. During the past
  twenty-five years he has diverged somewhat, conscientiously considering the
  claims of the Prohibition party. Both our subject and his estimable wife are
  members of the Church of God, of which he has been a communicant for more
  than sixty years. Although the snows of many winters rest upon his honored
  head, Time has touched him gently. With faculties all intact, and blessed
  with health and strength, he is a fine example of hale and vigorous age.