Frederick C. Orthwein was born on May 11, 1871 in Saint Louis, Missouri. His father, William D. Orthwein, was a German-born grain merchant. Orthwein was the owner and President of the William D. Orthwein Grain Company, founded by his father.
In 1900, he co-founded the Gulf Ports Grain Exporters" Association, a trade organization whose aim was to set common rules of grain exports among merchants in Saint Louis, Chicago and Kansas City, Missouri. Orthwein served as its secretary and treasurer. Orthwein also served as the President of the William F Niedringhaus Investment Company, his father-in-law"s investment firm.
Additionally, he served on the Boards of Directors of the Mississippi Valley Trust Company and the Kinloch Telephone Company, like his father.
He also served on the Boards of the Saint Louis Coke & Chemical Company, the Gilbsonite Construction Company, and Anheuser-Busch. From 1913 to 1915, Orthwein served on the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Commerce of Saint Louis.
Orthwein died in 1927. He was buried at the Bellefontaine Cemetery in Saint
