Ezra Fitch
Ezra Hasbrouck Fitch | |
|---|---|
| File:Ezra Fitch 1930.jpg Ezra Fitch in 1930 | |
| Born | Template:Birth date Coxsackie, Greene County, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 16, 1930 (aged 64) Santa Barbara, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, real estate developer |
| Known for | Early owner and developer of Abercrombie & Fitch |
| Spouse | Sarah Huntington Sturges (m. 1897) |
| Children | Edith Sturges Fitch |
Ezra Hasbrouck Fitch (September 27, 1865 – June 16, 1930) was an American entrepreneur in real estate and an avid outdoorsman. He invested in and eventually became the sole proprietor of the firm that evolved into Abercrombie & Fitch.
A prosperous New York City businessman, Fitch initially was among Abercrombie's distinguished clientele. He is widely recognized for significantly contributing to the early expansion and success of the company.
Life and career
Born on September 27, 1865, in Coxsackie, Greene County, New York, Ezra Hasbrouck Fitch was the sole offspring of a Christian family. His parents were Roswell Reed Fitch and Margaretta Wyanna Hasbrouck. Roswell (1841–1888) was the child of Ezra Fitch (1805–1870) and Margaret Reed (1802–1884). Margaretta (1846–1865) was the daughter of Benjamin Louis Hasbrouck (1813–1885) and Margaret Rymph (1812–1880). Sadly, Ezra's mother passed away shortly after his birth. His father remarried Helen Eldridge Carswell (1847–1950) on July 17, 1873; she was regarded as Ezra’s stepmother. Roswell and Helen had two daughters: Helen Margaret Fitch Cobb (1874–1978) and Eloise Madden Fitch (1880–1902).
Ezra’s formative years were spent at the Roswell Reed estate situated along the Hudson River in Coxsackie—a property constructed by his grandfather around 1850. The estate featured a grand Gothic Revival mansion, multiple auxiliary buildings, and a dock used for a thriving freight business. Roswell also lived for some time in Brooklyn, where he worked as an agent for an asphalt company.
On March 2, 1897, Ezra married Sarah Huntington Sturges in Brooklyn. Sarah was the daughter of banker Stephen Buckingham Sturges (1827–1897), originally from Mansfield, Ohio, and Sarah Minerva Cary of Syracuse, New York. Professionally, Fitch operated as a real estate developer in Kingston, New York under the firm Jenkins & Fitch; among their projects was the construction of the Huntington apartment house.
The Abercrombie & Fitch company notes that Fitch grew "restless and discontented" with his real estate career. Passionate about outdoor pursuits such as yachting, climbing in the Adirondacks, and fishing in Catskill streams, he became Abercrombie's most loyal customer after David Abercrombie established his excursion outfitting store in 1892. In 1900, Fitch acquired a controlling interest in the flourishing enterprise, persuading Abercrombie to accept him as a partner. By 1904, Fitch’s name had been added to the company title as "Abercrombie & Fitch Co." The company credits him as an innovator who embraced challenges rather than rejecting them.
Despite their shared financial achievements, tensions arose between Abercrombie and Fitch regarding company management philosophies. While Abercrombie preferred to maintain an exclusive clientele focused on elite customers, Fitch advocated broadening the market to appeal to a wider audience. Ultimately, Abercrombie sold his stake to Fitch in 1907.
Under Fitch’s leadership, Abercrombie & Fitch thrived considerably. He expanded operations and enhanced the brand’s popularity by introducing its inaugural mail-order catalog in 1909.
Fitch is also credited with introducing Mahjong to American consumers through merchandise offered at Abercrombie & Fitch stores around 1920.
Later years and passing
Fitch stepped down from his role in the company in 1928, transferring leadership to new administrators. He passed away on June 16, 1930, aboard his recently constructed 60-foot cruising yacht named Content in Santa Barbara, California, just days after relocating to the vessel. Captain A. Van Valin of the yacht contacted the builders, Fellows & Stewart, requesting assistance in reselling the boat. The Content was eventually sold and remained in British Columbia for approximately forty years before being acquired by a private owner in 2010. Fitch was laid to rest in Washington, Connecticut, his longtime residence. His spouse, an artist by profession, survived him until 1960.
Fitch practiced the Anglican faith and was affiliated with the Episcopalian denomination.
Family and personal background
Fitch and his wife Sara were parents to a single daughter, Edith Sturges Fitch (born March 6, 1901 – died December 24, 1991). Edith married Paul Fessenden Cruikshank (October 1, 1898 – December 4, 1985) on June 26, 1923, in Washington, Connecticut. The couple had four children: three daughters and one son.
His grandfather, Ezra Fitch—after whom he was named—was engaged in business operating sloop vessels on the Hudson River near Wilbur in Kingston, New York, alongside his brother-in-law Roswell Reed Jr. This enterprise had been acquired from another of Fitch’s brothers-in-law, Theron Skeel. Additionally, Ezra Fitch constructed a hotel on Abeel Street in Kingston to serve visitors arriving via his boats. Later, he divested from the maritime operations and entered the bluestone industry with his brother Simeon and cousin William B. Fitch. Fitch’s contributions to Kingston are commemorated by Fitch Street bearing his name as well as that of Ezra H. Fitch.
On the family side, Fitch’s paternal aunt Harriet Fitch (1840–1932) married his maternal uncle John Cornelius Hasbrouck (1840–1901), resulting in their children being double first cousins to Ezra. His paternal grandparents, Ezra and Margaret Fitch, were second cousins to each other, while his maternal grandparents Benjamin and Margaret Hasbrouck were fourth cousins connected through the Hasbrouck family.
References
- Obituaries, New York Times, New York, N.Y.: June 19, 1930, page 21.