Joseph S. Spitzer in Hawaii

The Spitzer family, along with their Rubinstein and Hyman relations, were merchants in Hawaii before 1900.

Joseph S. Spitzer

According to one of Joseph Spitzer's grandsons, Joseph was quite a dashing fellow. The grandson says his grandfather always wore spats (short for spatterdashes or spatter guards, which is a type of classic, buttoned footwear accessory for outdoor wear. Spats covered and protected the instep and ankle from rain or muddy splashes in unpaved streets. Wearing spats represented wealth.). Joseph never shaved himself, but had his beard trimmed every day by a barber. He loved Hawaii. He left Chicago and never went back.

Why did Joseph S. Spitzer move to Hawaii? He was encouraged to emigrate to Hawaii by his brother-in-law, Isidore Rubinstein, who had been living in Hawaii since 1880. 

When did Joseph Spitzer move to Hawaii and why at that time? The timing can be explained by looking at Hawaii's history. Briefly, Hawaii's Queen Liliokalani was deposed in 1893 and the monarchy was overthrown. The United States annexed Hawaii in 1898. These events brought more Jewish settlers to Hawaii (Glanz).

According to the June 1900 Hawaiian census, Joseph S. Spitzer was living in Honolulu, having immigrated there in 1898. His son, Sidney, followed in 1900. Note that they lodged at some unnamed establishment on Hotel Ave., where it was primarily filled with Chinese men.

1900 Honolulu census for Joseph S. Spitzer and his son, Sidney.

Joseph S. Spitzer appears in the 1898 Honolulu City Directory and the address of his business is at 69 S. Hotel Ave.

1898 Honolulu City Directory

Advertisement for Joseph Spitzer's store, The Hub Clothing House in 1901:

Advertisement in the Honolulu Republication on February 13, 1901 (Honolulu Republican)

In July 1900, the remaining family members arrived in Hawaii. Here is the city directory listing in 1902:

1902 Honolulu City Directory, p. 401-2

Although the 1902 city directory lists everyone as living at 592 Lunalilo, the family changed accommodations frequently, including living at various hotels. One of their favorites was the Alexander Young Hotel, built in 1902 on the corner of Bishop and King Streets for an estimated $2,000,000. Joseph and Eda Spitzer moved there in 1904. It became their permanent residence. Their youngest child, Clifford Spitzer, lived there with them until 1918. Their other sons lived at various hotels and addresses. The daughters were not always listed in the city directories.

Alexander Young Hotel, Honolulu (Hawaii State Archives)

Alexander Young Hotel in 1905 (Hawaii State Archives)

Eda Rubinstein Spitzer, Joseph Spitzer's wife, lived at the Alexander Young Hotel until she died in 1930.

Eda Rubinstein Spitzer, the wife of Joseph S. Spitzer

The well-dressed sons of Joseph and Eda Spitzer:

Back: Arthur J. Spitzer and Clifford Spitzer. Seated: Sidney S. Spitzer

1913 news article on the incorporation of Hub Clothing Co., Ltd.
(Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 1-8-1913)

Joseph S. Spitzer died on August 16, 1913, in Honolulu. He is buried at O'ahu Cemetery in Honolulu, where his wife, Eda, and children, Sidney, Valentine, and Arthur are also buried.

1913 news article regarding the value of Joseph S. Spitzer's estate 
(Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 11-28-1913)

The U.S. Inflation Calculator measures the buying power of the dollar over time. If in 1913 an item was purchased for $19,900, then in 2015 the same item would cost $478,293.48. That is a cumulative rate of inflation of 2303.5%.

Upon the death of Joseph S. Spitzer, the estate was divided as follows: 
one-third to Mrs. Eda Spitzer, wife
two-fifteenths to each of the following:
Arthur J. Spitzer, son
Sidney Spitzer, son
Mrs. Charles T. Lewis (Valentine), daughter
Mrs. Herbert Cohen (Irma), daughter
Clifford Spitzer,  son
(Order Approving Accounts, Determining Trust, and Distributing Estate in the matter of the Estate of Joseph S. Spitzer dated June 4, 1914, and filed in the Circuit Court, First Circuit of the Territory of Hawaii)

References

Glanz, Rudolph. "The Jews in the Sandwich Islands." Western States Jewish Historical Quarterly, April 1974, Vol. VI, No 3, pp. 177-187. Published by the Southern California Jewish Historical Society. Reproduced at www.konabethshalom.org/history.early.html, accessed on 9 Feb 2014.

Hawaii State Archives Digital Photograph Collection, http://archives1.dags.hawaii.gov/.

Honolulu City Directories, from U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Ancestry.com.

The Honolulu Republican. (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, February 13, 1901, Page 5, Image 4, provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI, link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047165/1901-02-13/ed-1/seq-4/.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin.  (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii) 1912-current, January 08, 1913, 2:30 Edition, Page 8, Image 8, Image provided by: University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI. link:http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1913-01-08/ed-1/seq-8/.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii) 1912-current, November 28, 1913, 2:30 Edition, Page 3, Image 3, provided by University of Hawaii at Manoa; Honolulu, HI, link: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1913-11-28/ed-1/seq-3/.

U.S. Inflation Calculator, http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/.