History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Stolle, Henry H. founder of the flourishing village of Tripoli, lying partly in Lincoln and partly in Oneida County, was born in Germany, Aug. 17, 1866, son of Claus and Margaret STOLLE. The parents who also were natives of that country, were farmers by occupation and are now deceased. Of their ten children four are now living, Gerhardt, Dietrich, Catherine and Henry; the others all died in Germany. Catherine, who married Joseph MEYER and survived him, is now living in Germany. Henry H. STOLLE, who was reared in his native land and attended school there, began industrial life by working on his parents' farm. In his youth he also worked on the docks and was clerk in a store for a while. When in 1887 he came to the United States, he located at Hecla, S. D., where he worked on farms and also at times as a carpenter. From Dakota he came to Wisconsin, locating at Fifield, Price County. there he became connected with the lumber industry, during the winter being employed in skidding logs in the woods and during the summer working as millwright and at the carpenter's trade. He next entered the employ of the Jump River Lumber Co. and by them was sent to Prentice to do repair work. He subsequently worked in the company's store and after their failure was appointed manager of it by the receiver, a position in which he served until 1899. In that year Mr. STOLLE bought 80 acres of timber land on the site of the present village of Tripoli, and on which stood a portable sawmill. With this small mill he cut up the timber that he felled on his land in the process of clearing. In 1900 he moved his family to this place and built a new mill, taking into partnership E. T. ROLLENS and conducting a lumber business under the style of Stolle & Rollens. Later Messrs, Bandt & Lampert bought the interest of Mr. ROLLENS and the concern was incorporated was the Stolle & Brandt Lumber Co. As such it was continued until 1911 when Brandt and Lampert sold to Mr. ROENITZ of Chicago and the name was changed to the Stolle Lumber Company. The latter company sold out in the summer of 1918 to the Bissell Lumber Company. In 1920 Mr. STOLLE again embarked in the lumber business and is now operating a saw mill making lumber, lath and shingles; he is also engaged in logging. In 1919 he opened a general store in Tripoli, the concern being incorporated in 1921 for $25,000, with H. H. STOLLE, president; August H. MEYER, vice president; and Clarence M. STOLLE, secretary and treasurer. Mr. STOLLE is also engaged in farming, having 160 acres under the plow. He owns a large tract of cut-over land, which he sells piece-meal to settlers on the installment plan, taking a cash payment of $25, and giving the buyers five years time in which to pay, without interest; and besides that, he helps them to get started. He is vice president of the Tripoli State Bank. When Mr. STOLLE first came to Tripoli there was nothing here but woods; he was practically the first one to make a settlement and it is chiefly through his exertions that the village has been built up. He persuaded the railroad company to build a track to the mill; laid out and platted the village, built the sawmills and houses for workmen, as well as boarding-houses. In 1903 he started the first wagon road in that section which was carried to within three miles of Tomahawk, and another connecting with Prentice and Rhinelander. He also put in the first telephone and built schools and churches. He was the first chairman of the town of Soma, Lincoln County, serving as such for 15 years, and by virtue of that office being a member of the county board; and for several years he was vice chairman of the latter board and first chairman of the road and bridge committee. He was the first postmaster, serving 17 years, and was the first school clerk, which office he still holds. It will be seen that his public duties, no less that his private activities, have been many and various, and to all he has brought the force of a clear, far-seeing mind, a well-balanced judgment and a superabundance of physical activity. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow nd Modern Woodman, and in the Odd Fellows' lodge has passed all the chairs. Mr. STOLLE was married at Prentice, Wis., in 1895, to Bessie L. MCCLELLAN, daughter of Robert and Louise MCCLELLAN, who are now deceased, and before her marriage a school teacher. Mr. and Mrs. STOLLE have had three children: Clarence, now secretary and treasurer of the Stolle Mercantile Co.; Margaret, who is attending the State normal school at Oshkosh with the intention of becoming a teacher; and Richard, who died at the age of 12 years.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 707-708, History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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