From "History of Wheeling City and Ohio County, West Virginia and 
Representative Citizens," by Hon. Gibson Lamb Cranmer, 1902.

Typed by Carol Taylor Lanza.

Pages 729 & 730

LOUIS F. STIFEL, a prominent member of the legal profession of 
Wheeling, is secretary of the Wheeling Title & Trust Company and is 
closely identified with many of the prosperous enterprises of this 
city.

C. E. Stifel was born in Germany and there learned the trade of a 
tinner, working as a journeyman in different towns as far from home as 
Geneva, Switzerland.  He came to Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1836, and 
upon arriving worked for Squire Duly.  After marriage he entered upon 
business for himself on Main Street, near Ninth Street, and 
manufactured tinware and house furnishings.  He worked up a fine 
business and in 1870 took in his sons, W. C. And L. F., as partners, 
the firm name becoming C. E. Stifel & Sons, and as such is now 
conducted by his oldest son, W. C. Stifel.  C. E. Stifel was known as 
the finest mechanic in his line, in using the hammer and in spinning 
copper and other metals into shape, work which is now done by 
machinery.  He died in July, 1898, lacking but one month of being 
eighty-four years of age.  In May, 1839, he was united in marriage with 
Anna Clara Becht, who is still living at the age of seventy-nine years, 
having come from Germany in 1835.

Louis F. Stifel continued as a member of the firm of C. E. Stifel & 
Sons until 1875, and then attended law lectures in the University of 
Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he graduated in 1877.  He was admitted to 
the bar and began the practice in the office of Henry M. Russell.   He 
was elected to the state legislature in 1882, and again in 1888, 
serving two terms.  He is a Democrat, politically, although he has 
taken no active part in politics except as mentioned. The partnership 
with Mr. Russell continued until Mr. Stifel took charge of the Wheeling 
Title & Trust Company, April 1, 1891.  The company was organized in 
January, 1890, the organizers being William P. Hubbard, Henry M. 
Russell, George R. E. Gilchrist and Louis F. Stifel, and the idea being 
to do a regular title and trust business. Finding there was an 
insufficient title business, legislation was secured authorizing 
banking, and September 10, 1891, this branch of the business was 
started.  The officers of the company are Henry M. Russell, president; 
Charles J. Rawling, vice-president; Louis F. Stifel, secretary; William 
H. Tracy, assistant secretary; and George R. E. Gilchrist, examiner of 
Titles.  They have a property of 62 feet frontage on the west side of 
Main Street, the building being partly occupied by Nay Brothers' shoe 
store and Kraus Brothers' clothing house.  The company has had a steady 
increase in business since it's inception, and is one of the soundest 
banking institutions in the state.  The board of directors consists of 
the following substantial business men:  Henry M. Russell; Charles J. 
Rawling; William P. Hubbard; John A. Hess; Charles F. Brandfass; 
Charles Menkemeller; Fred C. H. Schwertfeger; John S. Naylor; H. F. 
Behrens; and Dr. Ackerman.  Mr. Stifel is identified with several other 
business interests in the city, being president of the Ohio Valley Drug 
Company, a director of the German Fire Insurance Company of Wheeling, 
the leading company of the state; and treasurer of the Home for the 
Aged, and the City Hospital.  

Mr. Stifel was joined in matrimony with a daughter of John Oesterling, 
deceased, who was at one time president of the Central Glass Company, 
which enterprise he built up.  He was also president of the German Fire 
Insurance Company of Wheeling, and was a  prominent business man of the 
city.