Ohio County, West Virginia Biography: William F. STIFEL ************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor. Submitted by Valerie Crook, , March 1999 ************************************************************************** The History of West Virginia, Old and New Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, Volume III, pg. 11-12 WILLIAM F. STIFEL. To know aught of the history, civic and industrial, of the City of Wheeling, West Virginia, implies high recognition of what the name of Stifel has here signified in connection with normal development and progress. He whose name introduces this paragraph is president of J. L. Stifel & Sons, which concern here con- ducts an extensive manufacturing enterprise as printers of cotton goods—a business that was founded by his father in 1835 and that is one of the most important industries of the city at the present time. He is president also of the Wheeling Fire Insurance Company, the only fire insurance corporation in West Virginia. J. Louis Stifel, father of William F., was born and reared in Wurtemberg, Germany, where he learned the trade of calico printing, and where he became manager of a large manufactory in this line. He came to the United States in 1833, and in 1835 became one of the pioneer manufacturers at Wheeling, then little more than a vil- lage in the western part of Virginia. In 1837, at Steuben- ville, Ohio, he wedded Barbara Becht, a native of Darm- stadt, Germany. On coming to Wheeling Mr. Stifel estab- lished a small calico-printing shop at the corner of Main and Ninth streets, and six years later he purchased the property at this location. There he erected and equipped a larger plant, and with the passing years the industry has constantly expanded in scope and importance. The sons, Louis C. and William F., were thoroughly trained in all de- partments of the business, in which they became partners after the close of the Civil war. The honored father retired from active connection with the business in 1878, and he was one of the venerable citizens and honored pioneer business men of Wheeling at the time of his death, in 1882. The two sons continued to be associated in the control of the business until Louis C. met a tragic death in a street- car accident in 1899. In his calico-printing and indigo work the father at first conducted all operations by hand, and at the time of his retirement, in 1878, his calico- printing plant was the largest establishment of its kind in the Central States. Mr. Stifel was a strong Union man in the period of the Civil war, and was a member of the convention whose action brought out about the separation of the present State of West Virginia from Virginia, inci- dental to that war. He was a man of prominence and influence in Wheeling, liberal and public-spirited, and served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners. He was one of the organizers and original directors of the National Savings Bank of Wheeling, which later was consolidated with the Wheeling Savings Bank, and he served a number of years as president of the institution. He was concerned in the organization of the Benwood Iron Works, now a part of the Wheeling Steel Corporation's holdings, and he continued a stockholder in the same until his death, besides which he was a director of the Belmont Bridge Com- pany and a stockholder in the company that gave to Wheel- ing improved railroad facilities. Mr. Stifel never returned to Germany, was a most loyal and appreciative American citizen, and he brought his father to this country after the death of the mother, the venerable father having passed the remainder of his life at Wheeling. Mr. Stifel and his wife were earnest members of the Evangelical Protestant Church, and he was one of the founders of the church of this de- nomination in Wheeling, besides being one of the most liberal contributors to the erection of the original church edifice, which is now the Presbyterian Memorial Mission, on Eighteenth Street, the fine modern edifice of the church itself being at the corner of Twenty-second and Ohapline streets. Mrs. Stifel passed to the life eternal in the year 1875. Of the children the eldest was Louis 0., of whose death mention has already been made; William F., of this review, was the second son; Amelia became the wife of Frederick Linke and died at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Matilda, the wife of Louis Demmler, likewise died in that city; Charles F., formerly engaged in the tanning business at Pittsburgh, is now living retired in that city; George E. is a merchant at Wheeling; Dr. Albert F., who was grad- uated in a leading medical institution in Germany, was one of the most able and popular physicians and surgeons in the City of Wheeling at the time of his death, when but thirty-eight years of age, and his two sons likewise are physicians of ability, Richard being engaged in practice at Cleveland, Ohio, and John at Toledo, that state. The original firm title of J. L. Stifel & Sons is retained in the continuing of the industrial enterprise founded by J. L. Stifel, and Edward and Henry Stifel, sons of the late Louis 0., as well as Arthur, son of William F. Stifel, are now interested principals in the industry. Edward Stifel went to Germany and gained practical experience in the same factory with which his grandfather had been con- nected as a youth. Henry also attended school and gained business experience likewise in Germany. Arthur Stifel was graduated in Cornell University and also in a textile school in the City of Philadelphia. William F. Stifel has been a resident of Wheeling from the time of his birth, and in all the relations of life has well upheld the prestige of the family name. He has been connected with the business founded by his father since he was a lad of sixteen years, and the concern now gives employment to 200 persons, while the average shipments of bleached fabrics and dyed prints are several car-loads daily, the output being sold to jobbers and clothing manu- facturers. The present modern plant was erected in 1899, and is one of the most important industrial institutions in the city and state. Mr. Stifel is one of the original stock- holders and directors and the present president of the Wheel- ing Fire Insurance Company, specifically mentioned on other pages, and he is a director of the Wheeling Steel Corpora- tion, the Wheeling & Belmont Bridge Company, the Superior Coal Company, the Wheeling Sanitary Manufac- turing Company, and the Fostoria Glass Company, Mounds- ville, West Virginia. He was reared a democrat, but in his young manhood was strongly opposed to the secession movement that culminated in the Civil war. He has been one of the liberal and progressive citizens of his native city and has done all in his power to further its civic and material advancement and prosperity. He was born in a house that stood on the site of his present beautiful home, and the date of his nativity was August 12, 1840. As a young man Mr. Stifel wedded Miss Emma Schan- dein, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her death occurred thirty-two years later, in 1908. She is survived by two children, Arthur and Flora, the latter being the widow of P. K. Witmer, of Des Moines, Iowa. In 1912 Mr. Stifel married Miss Etta McFadden, a sister of Richard McFad -den, of Moundsville, this state, in whose personal sketch, on other pages, is given record concerning the family.