David R. Hosterman

As printed in 1881

DAVID R. HOSTERMAN, general insurance agent, Springfield. David R. Hosterman was born April 2, 1837, in Shippenville, Clarion Co., Penn.; came to Springfield in April of 1857, from Shippenville, where he had been teaching. He attended Wittenberg College during several summers, teaching during the winters. On July 1, 1857, he married Miss Harriet A. Chatterton, a native of Dayton, whose family moved to Clark County in her early life. Mr. Hosterman left one brother and sister in his native State; the parents and two other brothers have passed away. He has three sons (one of whom has newlyarrived) and one daughter; of the former, the elder is pursuing a collegiate course at Wittenberg College; the second, with his father in his insurance office in the Bookwalter Block; the third has just made his debut on the stage of existence. Our subject is a thoroughly self-made man; has fought his way up to an enviable position in his business, and of affluence, by his own unaided exertions and strength of purpose. He commenced the insurance business in 1865, as Secretary of the Springfield Fire Insurance Company of Springfield, thus continuing until November, 1870, at which time the company closed its business honorably by re-insuring its risks in the Dayton Insurance Company, giving its stockholders in the aggregate some $60,000 for an investment of $20,000 during a period of six years. Since this event, Mr. Hosterman has conducted a general insurance business on his own account, representing, among others, the following companies: Phcenix of Brooklyn; Watertown of New York; St. Paul of St. Paul, Minn.; Mechanics’ & Traders’ of New York; Westchester of New York; London Assurance Corporation of London; Rhode Island Insurance Association of Providence; Miami Valley Company of Dayton; and the Dayton Insurance Company, of the same city; Star of New York; Aurora of Cincinnati, Ohio; and of Mutuals, the Richland, and Mansfield, of Mansfield, Ohio; Buckeye of Shelby, and the Forest City and Van Wert Companies. Mr. Hosterman is a consistent and respected member of the English Lutheran Church, and for fourteen years one of its officers, and was Secretary of the Church Council until he declined re-election. Among other positions, Mr. Hosterman has been Township Clerk, Secretary of the Loan & Savings Association of Springfield, and of the Champion Hotel Company, which he is at present. He has grown to be one of Springfield’s solid citizens, and his successful career is one to be emulated.

As printed in The History of Clark County Ohio, (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.