MRS. MATILDA STAHL

Sacramento County

Biographies

MRS. MATILDA STAHL

MRS. MATILDA STAHL.--A very interesting woman, who is not only an old-timer but also a native daughter proud of her association with the Golden State, is Matilda Stahl, who was born at the Fifteen-Mile House on the Placerville Road, Sacramento County, a daughter of William Deterding, who was born in Hanover, Germany, June 11, 1818. There he received a good education in the excellent schools of the Fatherland and there, too, he learned the wagon-maker's trade, after which he married Wilhelmina Rosenberg. The young couple came to St. Louis, Mo., in 1850, where he ran a wagon shop. He became interested in the stories of the new El Dorado and soon decided to come hither. In 1852 he brought his family across the plains in an ox-team train, arriving in Placerville in the autumn of that year. He first kept a store at Grizzly Flat and then at Diamond Spring and still later at Logantown. During this time he also freighted between Sacramento and the mines, as well as mined some. Then he opened a wagon shop at Ninth and J Streets, Sacramento, where he was in business until he purchased the Fifteen-Mile House on the Placerville Road in 1857. The hotel and store was the first night out of Sacramento by the freighters and was well patronized, and "Deterding's" or "Fifteen-Mile" was a very popular place in the early days, for its comfort, rest and meals. He gave parties and balls two or three times a year, always enjoyable occasions to the many guests from Sacramento and all over the county. Church and Jones, the leading orchestra in the capital city at the time, furnished the music and his entertainment was highly appreciated. He added to his holdings, becoming owner of 520 acres, and was a very substantial and influential man of affairs. When he passed away in 1881 he was mourned by his family and friends and particularly by his fellow members in Schiller Odd Fellows Lodge and the Lutheran Church. His widow survived him until 1887, being the mother of six children: Mrs. Christine Rice and Mrs. Julia Thielbahr, both now deceased; Charles, a farmer in Fair Oaks; Mrs. Matilda Stahl, the subject of our interesting review; Mrs. Isabelle Dee, deceased; and Mrs. Minnie Ecklon, of San Francisco.

Matilda Deterding was reared in the healthful environment of her father's ranch at Fifteen-Mile House. She enjoyed and was benefited by the great outdoors, of which she was always a great lover. Her education was had in the Kinney school. Matilda Deterding was married at her parents' home to Mr. John Stahl, a native of Pennsylvania and a carpenter by trade, who came out to Sacramento, Cal., a young man. They followed farming on Mrs. Stahl's ranch, a part of the old Deterding place, until they sold it to the Natomas Company. However, before this they had located in Oak Park, where they built their comfortable residence and have since resided. They have also built and own several other residences in Oak Park. Mr. and Mrs. Stahl's union has been blessed with two children, both girls: Irene, who is Mrs. Smith of Oak Park; and Tillie, who makes her home with her parents. Fraternally Mr. Stahl is a member of Industrial Lodge of the I. O. O. F., while Mrs. Stahl and her daughters are members of the Capital City Lodge of Rebekahs. In religion, Mrs. Stahl was reared in the Lutheran Church, of which she is still a member.

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.

Source: Reed, G. Walter, History of Sacramento County, California With Biographical Sketches, Pages 321-322. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1923.