JOHN T. STOLL

Sacramento County

Biographies

JOHN T. STOLL

JOHN T. STOLL, manufacturer of and dealer in saddles and harness, No. 610 K Street, Sacramento, came to this city a poor boy; today he leads in his line of business, with a trade extending throughout the Pacific coast. He was born in Ober-verrieden, Barvaria, Germany, January 6, 1843. His mother’s maiden name was Margaret Ladeo. His father, Carl Stoll, and his grandfathers for three preceding generations, were saddlers and harness-makers. Even before he was six years of age he had learned to do some work in this line. Visiting at his grandfather’s one day, the latter, who also carried on a shop, asked him if he knew anything about the business, and he replied, “Not much.” Being given the task of sewing a buckle upon a hame-strap, he succeeded so well as to elicit the praise of his grandfather and uncle, who gave him presents of money as testimonials. At the tender age of fourteen years he embarked from Bremen for California, on the sailing vessel Laura, with no money of his own but with $500 in coin belonging to his uncle, to meet him here. He arrived in New York, and thence came by way of the Isthmus to San Francisco, arriving November 7. He worked steadily at his trade with his uncle at Stockton until the Fraser River gold mining excitement. He went there and worked in a hotel about three months and then returned to his uncle at Stockton. He soon earned enough at odd jobs to pay his uncle the $253 he owed him for passage money. In partnership with Charles Wagner, a newly formed but intimate acquaintance, he began buying mustang ponies. Starting to Sacramento with a load of leather, drawn by two mustangs, one of the animals gave out as they were crossing Dry Creek about twilight in the evening; and Warner, being taller and stouter, carried the leather across the creek on his back. When all were across it was quite dark. That night they obtained little or no sleep, but in the morning they found they had been lying beside a small building containing hay. Of this they gave a quantity to the horses and then lay down on the hay to finish out their sleep. By noon they found a farmer three miles distant, who came with his team to their assistance and helped them along until they were across the Cosumnes River, receiving $2.50 for his reward. Arriving in this city Mr. Stoll like the place, remained here and was employed by Wagner & Gehring in their saddle and harness shop, at $25 a month. Work becoming slack there in about six weeks, he had to find another place, which turned out to be at the shop of Samuel Roth, on J street, where he had great ambition to excel in his calling. The flood of 1861 suspended this establishment, and Mr. Stoll went to Stockton to visit his sister who had a short time before come over from Germany, and he worked for his uncle again for two weeks at from $18 to $21 a week. He was then persuaded by a friend to try his luck in Calaveras County; but just before going there he received a letter from Mr. Roth, desiring him to return to him. He came here, but only to settle up with him, and he went again to the mountains to open his business, having only $60 in cash. His friend Charles Wagner and his brother lent him a stock of leather. As yet he was but eighteen years of age, and did not seem to be over fifteen. People coming in would ask him where the boss was. This embarrassed him, but he made his headway by doing good work, and in five months he was worth $600. He went to Murphy, and soon all the men from Murphy to Silver Creek were owing him from $10 to $40, making a total of $800. He invested in silver and copper stock, and in two years’ time was worth a little over $1,500, and had spent nearly half of that amount in mining speculations. The building of the Central Pacific Railroad checked his business, and after visiting, in company with his old friend Eberhardt of Sacramento, the mines of Silver Mountain, Carson and Virginia City, he returned to this place. Their trip through the mountains and in Nevada was filled with romantic incidents. Mr. Eberhardt purchased the interest of Frank Gehring in the firm of Wagner & Gehring, and he wrote to Mr. Stoll, who had gone temporarily to Murphy’s, to come down and buy out the other partner. This being done, the business there conducted by Eberhardt & Stoll until 1867, when Mr. Stoll bought Mr. Eberhardt’s interest, and he has since carried on the business alone. When he began along here he employed but one workman and did only a retail business; he now employs forty men, and since 1885 has been doing an extensive wholesale business. He manufactures his own stock, making a specialty of saddles, for which he has gained a wide reputation. His trade extends through California, Oregon, Washington Territory, Nevada, Utah and Idaho. In 1865, when he came to Sacramento, he had but $850 in coin. He paid that as part of the purchase price ($2,650), for Mr. Wagner’s interest, giving his note for the balance; within a year and a half after that he had paid that balance. The year subsequently he bought out Mr. Eberhardt and still had money left. Next he bought the building, and soon had that paid for. Mr. Stoll was married in February, 1867, to Miss Orsillia Haag, a native of Germany, who came to America when a child of three years, her people setting in Cincinnati. She was left an orphan at an early age, and came to California with relatives. Mr. and Mrs. Stoll have four children, namely: John C., Albert G., Horatio F., and Edwin P. Mr. Stoll has long been connected with the Turn-Verein, of which society he has been leader and secretary. He is also a member of Sacramento Lodge, No. 2, I. O. O. F., having passed all the chairs.

Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.

Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 603-604. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.