Frederick Hostetter, Sr.
Frederick Hostetter, Sr
BORN may 19,1857 • Switzerland (there are a few different possible dates of birth. This seems most likely.)
DIED OCTOBER 17, 1930 • Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey, USA
Parents – UNKNOWN
BURIAL – likely buried at New York Bay Cemetery, as the funeral home that cared for him was located at the same place the cemetery is now.
Spouse – Eva Elizabetha Helena Rosenberger
MARRIED - Aug 2, 1886 according to grand-daughter Marjorie Hostetter and according to 1930 census married in year 1886. 1910 says Frencis census and Frederick were in present marriage 22 years. Hmmm. That math seems more likely 1888, the year Fred, Jr. was born.
Biological Children – Fred Hostetter and Helen Augusta “Lina” Hostetter Thune.
Arrived in United States - F Hostettler, 26, Stone Cutter, Switzerland arrived on ship named Amerique. As per 1900 (as being in US 21 years), 1920 and 1930 US Federal Census. 1905 census also says arrived 25 years earlier - calculates to 1880.
Frederick Hostetter, Sr ~ by Christine Applegate
Frederich Hostetter, Sr. was born on May 19, 1857, in a region of Germany near the French and Swiss border. One of many children, he left home at the age of fifteen—young, determined, and full of grit. Family lore tells us he traveled the world five times before finally laying down roots in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1872.
One marriage that we know of.
He married Helena “Eva” Bergmann (née Rosenberger) on August 2, 1888, and became a father to three children: Frederick Jr., Helena Augusta “Lena”, and Barbara, Eva’s daughter from a previous marriage whom he raised as his own.
Frederich was a builder in the truest sense of the word.
Over the years, his occupation was listed as plasterer, bricklayer, mason—whatever the job required, especially when it came to laying solid foundations. It’s a fitting legacy for a man who built a life from the ground up.
The Death of Frederick Hostetter
He passed away on October 17, 1930, at the age of 73. His funeral was held at the family home on Ocean Avenue, now part of the land occupied by Bay View – New York Bay Cemetery, where he rests today—a traveler finally at home.
Is This A True Story? As close as we can come to one, with the information we have.
Frederick Hostetter Sr.’s life is supported by repeated records showing a Swiss-born mason in Jersey City from the 1880s through 1930. Family recollections preserved valuable clues, especially through Great Aunt Margie, but several details conflict with documented records — most notably his death date, death place, burial story, and possibly his exact birthplace and marriage date.
Variations of Frederick’s name appearing in my notes and records so far:
Frederick Hostetter — your modern standardized
Frederick Hochstaeder– Aunt Margies recollections
Frederic Hostetter — spelling used by Margie in recollections
Fred Hostetter — newspapers, directories, shorthand usage
Fred’k Hosteter — Jersey City directory spelling/abbreviation
Fred Hostheter — 1930 census misspelling
Fredrick Hostetter — 1895 census spelling variant
Fredk Hostetter — 1915 directory abbreviation
Frederick Hosteder — 1910 census spelling variant
F Hostettler — passenger arrival record, closest to original Swiss/Germanic form
F Hosteter — shortened census/directory variant
Hosteter — surname simplified without double “t”
Hosteder — phonetic census spelling
Hostheter — phonetic census spelling with inserted “h”
Hostettler — possibly the closest original Swiss surname form before American simplification