Kostmayer, Hiram Watkins

Submitted by Mike Miller

Kostmayer, Hiram Watkins, successful physician, surgeon and medical educator, was born at New Orleans, La., Sept. 25, 1883; son of John G. and Catherine (Eichborn) Kostmayer, born, respectively, in New Orleans, La., and in Germany. His paternal grandfather was the first representative of the family to come to America, and located at New Orleans. His son, John G., was for 40 years a member of the firm of J. H. Keller, soap manufacturer, and the oldest soap manufacturing establishment in the South. He is at this time engaged in the real estate business. During the "Reconstruction Period" in Louisiana, following the Civil war, he was allied with the forces of the "White League," and participated in the battle against the "carpet-bag" regime in 1874. Catherine Eichborn came from Germany with her mother when about 7 years old. Hiram Watkins Kostmayer was educated in the public schools of New Orleans. After graduating from the Boys' Central High school, he entered Tulane university, and took the degree of A. B. at that institution in 1904. He then entered the medical department of Tulane university, and in 1909 graduated with the degree of M. D., having meantime spent 2 years as interne, or ambulance surgeon, at the New Orleans Charity hospital. Following his graduation, he entered upon the practice of medicine at New Orleans and has so continued. Immediately after having taken his medical degree at Tulane university, he was appointed clinical assistant to the chair of gynecology. Later he was made instructor in gynecology and chief of clinic to Prof. Clark, medical department, Tulane university. From the time of his graduation he has been a visiting surgeon to the Charity hospital. He has been district surgeon for the Illinois Central R. R. since 1911, and is associate abstract editor of the magazine, "Surgery, Gynecology, and Obstetrics." Dr. Kostmayer is a member of the Orleans Parish Medical association, Louisiana State Medical association, American Medical association, Phi Chi Medical fraternity, in which he has been active, representing the organization at one time as delegate to the national convention at Atlanta. Dr. Kostmayer is also a Mason--Blue Lodge-- and at this time occupies the post of Worshipful master.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 236-237. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.