Who are/were the Hostetler Blind Family? Good question. That's exactly what this site exists to answer.

In the latter half of the Nineteenth Century, the Hostetler Blind Family was a musical group of three brothers and one sister who played in and around the area of Fayette County, Pennsylvania (Google Map | Wikipedia). As you can see above, they looked much like any other quartet you could expect to find playing schoolhouses, churches, and county fairs in a rural area such as southwestern PA...except they were all blind.

Specifically, they were all born without eyes.

Catherine, Samuel (a.k.a. Jesse Samuel or, sometimes, Samuel Jesse), Bartholomew, and John were the children of Daniel Hostetler and Mary (Gibbons) Hostetler--who were first cousins. Despite being born blind, all four were gifted musicians, and were quite renowned in the Fayette County area. There are rumours, too,--unsubstantiated--that they toured Europe as well. With the exception of Catherine (who lived into her fifties), they enjoyed long lives, and all four are buried with their parents at the Leckey (or Lecks) Cemetery between McClellandtown and Lamberton.

They are more or less completely forgotten today...and that's just not right! Therefore, this site exists to collate and organize any and all information concerning these fascinating musicians.

The nature of this site permits all visitors to add and edit information to the various pages. If YOU have any information concerning the Hostetler Blind Family...well, then, go right ahead and post it on the respective pages! As you'll see above, there's a page for the family's genealogy, a page for the individuals themselves, and a photo gallery. Feel free, also, to take part in the discussion boards or take a moment to read about the novel I (Derek Pegritz) plan on writing based on the Blind Family!