Homer G. Hemstreet, sales manager for the Gloversville Knitting Company for the past fourteen years, was born in this city, on the 18th of May, 1879. His parents were Joseph E. and Hester (Gardner) Hemstreet, both natives of Schoharie county, New York. During the Civil war his father served his country in the Union army for several years and was not discharged from the army until the close of the conflict in 1865. The following year the ex-soldier came to Gloversville, where he was engaged in business as a contractor and builder until his death in May, 1912. Mrs. Hemstreet passed away in November, 1907.
Homer G. Hemstreet has spent the major part of his life in the city of his birth. He was educated in the public schools here and at the Troy Conference Academy at Poultney, Vermont. In 1899, at the age of twenty, he entered the employ of the Gloversville Knitting Company as a clerk in the office, from which position he has risen through successive steps to his present post of sales manager. Two years after becoming associated with this concern Mr. Hemstreet was made a salesman. He showed great capacity for this branch of the work and as experience and effort increased his ability along this line, his work was recognized by promotion to the position of sales manager in 1910.
In July, 1901, Mr. Hemstreet was married to Miss Olive M. Kinne, daughter of A. R. and Emma (Vosler) Kinne, and they have become the parents of one child, Hester K. Hemstreet, born December 16, 1907. Mrs. Hemstreet's parents live in Gloversville and both claim Montgomery county, New York, as their birthplace. The family is connected with the Fremont Street Methodist Episcopal church, in which Mr. Hemstreet is very active as treasurer of the board of trustees and chairman of the finance committee. Formerly he served as superintendent of the Sunday school for a period of four years. As a young man just out of school Mr. Hemstreet enlisted in the United States army for service in the Spanish-American war, thus upholding the ideals of patriotism handed down to him by his soldier father. He served with the First United States Cavalry and was discharged from the army on May 25, 1899, after which he took up the line of work in which he has been engaged ever since. A republican in his political views, Mr. Hemstreet has manifested his interest in the cause of good government by consenting to act as alderman in the city for a term of office. Although he has never been an office seeker and has filled only a municipal post, he is always to be found supporting those things that make for civic progress and social betterment and is considered one of the substantial and public-spirited citizens of Gloversville. Socially Mr. Hemstreet is identified with the Eccentric Club. That his has been a life well spent and full of help for others is indicated by the fact that he has a host of friends in Gloversville, many of whom have known him ever since the days of his tops and marbles.