BIOGRAPHY - JOHN STADLER
John Adam Stadler was for many years one of the leading, enterprising and honored farmers of Ford county. He always exemplified in his work the spirit of progress, and his successful accomplishment resulted from close and unremitting application and well directed industry. Moreover, in his business affairs he was so reliable that he commanded the unqualified confidence of all with whom he was associated. His birth occurred in Baden, Germany, June 8, 1836, his parents being George and Sybilla (Bachfisch) Stadler, who emigrated to America when their son John was a little lad of eleven years. The family home was established at Newark. New Jersey, where John Stadler spent his youth, later, however, becoming a resident of Cochecton, New York, where he engaged in farming for a time.
Mr. Stadler was there married to Matilda Detzel, who died in the Empire state, leaving two sons, George and John Stadler, who are now in bnsiness in Chicago. In Cochecton, Sullivan county, New York. Mr. Stadler was again married on the 14th of August, 1861, his second union being with Catherine Valendor, who is a native of Germany, having been born in Baden, her parents being John and Catherine Valendor. She was a maiden of six summers when brought to the Empire state, where the death of her father occurred. Her mother died in Baden and the father was again married there before he brought his family to the new world. Mr. Stadler continued to engage in farming in New York until 1867, when he emigrated westward, thinking to find better business opportunities in Illinois. Locating in Ford county, he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 20, Brenton township. It was then a tract of wild prairie, but the possibilities for the development of a good farm were there, and with characteristic energy he began its development, and in course of time brought it under a high state of improvement. He erected a comfortable home and good outbuildings, planted many rods of hedge fence, and made other substantial improvements which transformed the property into one of the attractive farms of the locality. Although he started in life empty-handed, at his death he was the owner of a valuable property of three hundred and sixty acres, which annually returned him a good income. He kept everything about the place in excellent condition, and the neat and thrifty appearance of the farm indicated his practical ideas.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stadler as the years went by were born ten children: Jacob, who was born in New York, wedded Annie Ristow, and now resides in Piper City; Lewis, who died at the age of twenty-six years; Catherine, the wife of Fred Ristow, of Piper City; Frank, who is mentioned on another page of this work; William, who died at the age of nineteen; Helen, the wife of Joseph K. Montelius, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; Sam, a resident farmer of Livingston county, Illinois, and also the owner of farm property in Brenton township. Ford county; Annie, the wife of George D. Montelius, who is also mentioned in this work; Elizabeth, the wife of Ferdinand Luther, who resides in Piper City; and Charles, who is with his mother in Piper City.
In his religious faith Mr. Stadler was a Lutheran and in all his relations with his fellowmen was upright, honorable and reliable. His political allegiance was given to the democracy, but the honors and emoluments of office had no attraction for him, as he preferred to give his entire attention to his business affairs. He died September, 26, 1884, and was laid to rest in Brenton cemetery. Many friends as well as his Immediate family mourned his death, for he was respected wherever known, and had a wide acquaintance in the county. For the past twelve years Mrs. Stadler has resided in Piper City in a fine home which she erected. She has a wide and favorable acquaintance in the city and in the surrounding district, having for more than forty years resided in Ford county. Of its growth and development she has been an interested witness, and her memory goes back to a period when much of the county was still unimproved.
Extracted 16 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 2, pages 503-505.
