My Genealogy Hound

PETER H. HOYT, a prominent and respected citizen of Jamestown, and who is a successful, self-made man, having begun the battle of life with comparatively nothing and accumulated a comfortable fortune, is a son of John and Phoebe (Stiles) Hoyt, and was born July 22, 1838, at Mt. Salem, Sussex county, New Jersey. His paternal great-grandfather, Ebenezer Hoyt, was born in Stamford county, Connecticut, in 1712, and married Mary Green, of the same State. He served in the war of 1812 and assisted in drawing a chain across the Hudson river at Newburg, to prevent the British vessels further ascending that river. Peter Hoyt (paternal grandfather) was born in Stamford county, October 24, 1764, and removed to Orange county, N. Y., where he died. He was a farmer, and married Obedience Haines, a daughter of John Haines, of Dutchess county, this State. Lewis Stiles (maternal great-grandfather) was a native of Connecticut and removed to Orange county, N. Y., where he died. John Hoyt (father) was born in Stamford county, May 7, 1786, removed to Orange county, then in 1810 to Sussex county, N. J., where he purchased a tract of three hundred acres of land, and two years later enlisted and served in the war of 1812. He was a very active democrat, a member of the Baptist church and died in 1847, at the age of sixty-one years. His brother Peter also served in the war of 1812. He married Phoebe Stiles, by whom he had ten children — six sons and four daughters. Of the sons, Archibald is a farmer in Orange county, N. Y.; Joel is a merchant in Newport, R. I., but resides in Jamestown; John T. is a speculator in live-stock in Orange county; Peter H.; Jerard R. is also a speculator in live-stock at Clinton, Pa.; and Louis S. is a coal dealer, iron manufacturer and railroad man in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Peter H. Hoyt was educated in the common schools of Mt. Salem, N. J., and at the early age of fourteen years was left to do for himself. After leaving school he began business, at twenty years of age, on his own account, and opened a grocery in Jersey City, where he remained seven years. In 1865 he went to New Castle, Pa., and engaged in the dry-goods, carpet and grocery business with his brother, L. S. Hoyt, under the firm-name of P. H. Hoyt & Bro., where he remained three years. In January, 1869, he came to Jamestown and opened a dry-goods, carpet and clothing store at No. 32 Main street, which building he now owns. He continued in this business until the autumn of 1882, when he sold his stock and leased the building, intending to go to Texas, but abandoned the idea and, purchasing some real estate on West Third street, built a fine brick block of tenement houses known as the Hoyt block, extending one hundred and twenty feet front and forty-five feet deep, comprising five four-story houses, each containing twelve rooms finished throughout in cherry, maple and oak and supplied with the modern conveniences. He has a fine barn in the rear and keeps a half-dozen good horses.

He is somewhat interested in real estate in Jamestown. In April, 1861, he enlisted in Co. C, 2d regt., New Jersey Vols., going out as corporal, but was afterwards promoted to first lieutenant of Co. K. He participated in the first battle of Bull Run. Politically Mr. Hoyt is a democrat, is at present a member of the city council of Jamestown and is a member of Blue Lodge, No. 243, F. and A. M., at New Castle, Pa.

In December, 1865, Mr. Hoyt united in marriage with Jennie E. Hogen, a daughter of John D. Hogen, a real estate broker of Paterson, N. J.