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 833-834 
 
WILLIAM AUGUST STOETZER, a well-known contractor of Wheeling, West 
Virginia, was born in Ohio County, West Virginia, in 1859, and is a son 
of F. W. Stoetzer.  
   F.W. Stroetzer was born in Saxony, a province of Germany, and there 
learned the trade of a plaster.  He came to the United States and 
settled in Wheeling, in 1845, where he lived until 1895, when his death 
occurred, at the age of sixty-seven years.  His widow still resides in 
Wheeling.  They had five boys and two girls, all but one of whom are 
now living in Wheeling.  The sons are all engaged in the same line of 
business and two of them are contracting.  One son is located in 
Wellsburg. 
    William August Stoetzer, the subject of this sketch, learned his 
trade from his father, and worked with him until he had reached the age 
of twenty-three years.  He then removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he 
remained for a year and a half, after which he spent six months in 
Wheeling, and then two years at Wellsburg.  He followed contracting in 
these different cities, and this has been his occupation ever since he 
began work for himself.  He returned to Wheeling in 1885, and this has 
been his home ever since.  He employs from six to 14 men to assist him 
in his business, and does much work in the neighboring towns.  He is a 
painstaking, conscientious workman, and his knowledge of his trade is 
thorough.  Mr. Stoetzer owns five or six houses in Wheeling, and also 
has a summer home at Glendale, which he has rented since 1893.  He 
built an addition to his house at No. 2111 Eoff Street, and it is one 
of the many attractive homes in Wheeling. 
    In 1882 Mr. Stoetzer was married to Mary Fulton, and to them were 
born five children, namely: Charles, deceased; Cora; Earl; Edna; and 
William August Jr.  Mr. Stoetzer is a Democrat in politics.  He was 
elected a member of the board of education in 1900, and will represent 
Centre District for a term of six years.  Fraternally, he is a member 
of Nelson Lodge, No. 30, A.F.& A.M.; Benevolent and Protective Order of 
Elks; Knights of Pythias; Ancient Order of United Workmen; National 
Union; Royal Tribe of St. Joseph; and Empire Knights of Relief, the 
latter being a society organized at Wheeling.  Religiously, he is a 
member of the Lutheran church.  His children attend the Presbyterian 
Sunday-school.  A portrait of Mr. Stoetzer accompanies this sketch.