Hulbert Harrington Warner

Hulbert Harrington Warner
Engraving of H. H. Warner
Born	1842 (1842) Syracuse, New York, United States
Died	1923
Nationality	American
Occupation	Businessman and philanthropist
Known for	Making his fortune from the sales of patent medicine

Hulbert Harrington Warner (1842–1923) was a Rochester, New York businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune from the sales of patent medicine.

He was born near Syracuse, New York, in a small settlement called Warners. Warners had been named for Warner's grandfather, Seth, who had moved there in 1807 from . In 1865, Warner moved to Michigan to engage in the stove and hardware business. In 1870, Warner moved to Rochester and entered into the first business that would make him a millionaire, selling fire- and burglar-proof safes. The demand for safes had escalated dramatically after the discovery of oil in western Pennsylvania; by decade's end, it is estimated that Warner and his sales agents had sold 60,000 safes worth an estimated $10 million ($248 million in present terms).

Warner was married twice. He married Martha L. Keeney of Skaneateles, New York in 1864. Martha died suddenly in 1871, and is buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Skaneateles.

In 1872, Warner remarried, this time to Emily Olive Stoddard of Michigan. Although the details of his second marriage remain vague, it appears that Warner and Stoddard separated in 1893. It appears that the couple may have had one child, Maud, but there is little information available about her.

Warner later lived with Christina de Martinez of Mexico. Warner and Martinez were never actually married (and it appears that Warner and Stoddard were never divorced), but Martinez took Warner's name as her own and they resided in the same household after Warner moved to Minneapolis.

Based upon the history recounted in Warner's early almanacs, Warner used a portion of the wealth he accumulated from the safe business to purchase the formula for a patent medicine from Dr. Charles Craig of Rochester. Warner developed an unexpectedly severe case of Bright's disease, a kidney disease. While close to death, Warner used a vegetable concoction sold by Craig and was restored to health. Based upon his admiration for Craig's Original Kidney Cure, Warner purchased the formula and the rights to the product and in 1879 introduced Warner's Safe Kidney & Liver Cure.

Although Warner's early publications herald Craig's potion as a revelation, references to Craig soon disappeared from Warner's advertising, and ultimately the two ended up in court when Craig attempted to reenter the patent medicine business with a cure remarkably similar to the one he had sold to Warner.