James Stahl was born in Canada in 1846 and married his wife, Elizabeth, in 1870. James and his sons, Jack and Herman, came to Columbia Falls in 1891. The following year his wife, two daughters, Jennie and Lena , and two other sons arrived on the train from Midland, Michigan. A third daughter, Ruth was added to the family in 1893. 1893 and 1894 were depression years and no one had any money. The men hunted deer and elk for food and logged up the North Fork. Jennie Stahl Hollensteiner tells of making new mittens every night from several layers of gunnysack so the boys hands could keep warm. They wore out a pair a day. The boys also prospected up the North Fork where there is now Stahl Peak, names after Art Stahl. Mrs. Hollensteiner tells of once coming to a dance at Kalispell from Columbia Falls and staying overnight at the West Hotel, which later burned down, Three couples came in a surrey with Mrs J W Walker as chaperon.
The Stahl family moved to Kalispell in 1894. The men established a brickyard and helped build some of the first brick buildings in Kalispell, among them the Central School, Kalispell Mercantile, and the Eagle Shoe store. With one batch of poor bricks they built two small brick houses in the 200 block on 5th Ave West. Ed Stahl became a forest ranger for the U S Forest Service after participating in the first forestry civil service examination in 1905.
Jennie Stahl taught one of the first schools at Swam Creek near Jennings.
From the The Kalispell Bee (MT)
22 July 1902
Blind and Bedridden, James W. Stahl Ends His Days of Suffering and Despair
James W. Stahl, a old and highly respected resident of Kalispell committed suicide Monday morning by shooting himself with a 25-35 caliber Winchester rifle. The deed was committed in his room at his residence on Fifth avenue west and attributed to mental derangement caused by total blindness and the fact that for the past year or more he had been unable to move from his bed without assistance. Sunday night he retired about 10 o'clock and shortly afterward Mrs. Stahl and the two small children also went to bed. About 12:20 Mrs. Stahl was awakened by a gunshot and rushing to Mr. Stahl's room found him lying on the floor with a wound on his head. Doctors were summoned, but Mr. Stahl was beyond earthly aid, and from the wound must have died immediately.
Mr. Stahl was 56 years of age and was a veteran of the civil war. Besides his wife, he leaves six children. He came to Flathead county about 12 years ago and has since resided here. He was highly respected and his death was a shock to the entire community.
The funeral occurred today, the last view of the remains being at Willoughby's undertaking parlors. Interment was made at the Demersville cemetery, the services being held at the grave.
The Stahl family moved to Kalispell in 1894. The men established a brickyard and helped build some of the first brick buildings in Kalispell, among them the Central School, Kalispell Mercantile, and the Eagle Shoe store. With one batch of poor bricks they built two small brick houses in the 200 block on 5th Ave West. Ed Stahl became a forest ranger for the U S Forest Service after participating in the first forestry civil service examination in 1905.
Jennie Stahl taught one of the first schools at Swam Creek near Jennings.
From the The Kalispell Bee (MT)
22 July 1902
Blind and Bedridden, James W. Stahl Ends His Days of Suffering and Despair
James W. Stahl, a old and highly respected resident of Kalispell committed suicide Monday morning by shooting himself with a 25-35 caliber Winchester rifle. The deed was committed in his room at his residence on Fifth avenue west and attributed to mental derangement caused by total blindness and the fact that for the past year or more he had been unable to move from his bed without assistance. Sunday night he retired about 10 o'clock and shortly afterward Mrs. Stahl and the two small children also went to bed. About 12:20 Mrs. Stahl was awakened by a gunshot and rushing to Mr. Stahl's room found him lying on the floor with a wound on his head. Doctors were summoned, but Mr. Stahl was beyond earthly aid, and from the wound must have died immediately.
Mr. Stahl was 56 years of age and was a veteran of the civil war. Besides his wife, he leaves six children. He came to Flathead county about 12 years ago and has since resided here. He was highly respected and his death was a shock to the entire community.
The funeral occurred today, the last view of the remains being at Willoughby's undertaking parlors. Interment was made at the Demersville cemetery, the services being held at the grave.