FATHER

Gallus Stoll

MOTHER

Christina Magdalena Stump

WIFE

Mary Jane Scrugham
b. 12 Apr 1824

CHILDREN

1. George W. Stoll   b. Dec 1841

2. Richard Pindell Stoll   b. 21 Jan 1851

3. James S. Stoll   b. 24 Apr 1855

4. Charles H. Stoll  b. 1858

5. John William Stoll b. 11 Nov 1864

History of Kentucky Vol 5, 1922 Richard Pindell Stoll. For upwards of a century the name Stoll has been held in the highest honor and esteem in the City of Lexington, where members of that family have been the source of much initiative and enterprise in business and also prominent influences in the civic and political affairs of the community and state. A member of the family of special distinction was the Richard P. Stoll, who was born at Lexington January 21, 1851, and died in his home city March 11, 1903. His grandfather, Gallus Stoll, was a native of Wuertemberg, Germany, and in 1818 brought his family to America. Several years later he moved to Lexington, Kentucky, and remained a resident of that city the rest of his life. George Stoll, father of Richard P. Stoll, was born at Philadelphia in 1819, grew up at Lexington, and for a number of years was engaged in the furniture business and later as an insurance man. He married Mary J. Scrugham, who was born at Lexington After that he was head of the firm Stoll & Hamilton in the wholesale whiskey business and was head of the firm when he died. He was also president of the Lexington City National Bank and the Lexington Gas Company, and his sincere interest in the welfare of his home city enabled him to accomplish an inestimable amount of good in the development of its institutions. He was a man of wide interest and frequently served in positions of responsibility without corresponding remuneration. At the time of his death he was president of the Board of Trustees of the Eastern Kentucky Asylum for the Insane. He was also at one time president of the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association, and the breeding of fine horses was perhaps his chief hobby. He enjoyed a long record of prominence in the republican party of the state. He was elected to represent Fayette County in the Legislature in 1875 and again in 1897. He was once a candidate on the republican ticket for state treasurer, and in 1900 a candidate for the Lexington District for Congress. He participated in the famous Republican National Convention of 1880 where he was one of the "Old guard" of 360 delegates that votes until the end for the nomination of General Grant. In 1875 Richard P. Stoll married Elvina Stoll, a native of Louisville, daughter of John G. Stoll, who was a grandson of Gallus Stoll, the founder of the family in America, as above noted. Mr. and Mrs Stoll had two sons, Richard C. and John G.

Source: History of Kentucky, The J.S. Clarke Publishing Company, Louisville Kentucky, 1928

A lifelong resident of Lexington, Richard Pindell Stoll was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of enterprise and stimulated the development of the city along many lines, while he also left the impress of his individuality upon the legislative history of the state. He was born January 21, 1851, and was a scion of one of the old and influential families of Lexington. His grandfather, Gallus Stoll, was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and in 1818 brought his family to the United States. He first located in Pennsylvania and afterward migrated to Kentucky, settling in Lexington, where he spent the remainder of his life. His son, George Stoll, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1819 and was reared and educated in Lexington. He was one of the pioneer furniture dealers of the city and later engaged in the insurance business. He married Mary J. Scrugham, who was born April 12, 1824, and was one of Lexington's native daughters. Her father, Joseph Scrugham, was born in Transylvania county, Virginia, in 1777 and lived in Lexington from early manhood until his death. His wife, Mary Scrugham, was a daughter of George and Peggy (Frier) Vallandingham, the former of whom was a soldier in the Continental army and aided in winning American independence. Mrs. Vallandingham was a daughter of Robert and Jane Frier, who left their home in Yorkshire, England, and came to the new world. They spent a few years in Virginia and were pioneers in the settlement of Kentucky. Robert Frier figured conspicuously in events which shaped the early history of Fayette county, which he aided in forming, and was one of its first trustees. He also served as sheriff of the county and was a delegate to the first constitutional convention of Kentucky.

Richard P. Stoll supplemented his public school training by a course at the University of Kentucky, and after completing his education he obtained a position in the internal revenue department, with which he was connected for several years, acting as collector for his district. Endowed with executive force, keen sagacity and initiative power, he was a very successful business man and served as president of the Commonwealth Distilling Company until the property was sold to the Kentucky Distilleries & Warehouse Company. He was afterward engaged in the wholesale whiskey business as a member of the firm of Stoll & Hamilton and remained at its head until his demise on March 11, 1903. He won and retained a position of leadership in that business and also achieved prominence in other walks of life. An astute financier, he was largely instrumental in promoting the growth and stability of the Lexington City National Bank, of which he was president, also becoming the executive head of the Lexington Gas Company, and he likewise served as treasurer of The Lexington Railway Company. His clear and farseeing brain enabled him to grasp every detail of a project, however great its magnitude, and his business associates had the utmost confidence in his honesty and judgment.

Mr. Stoll was one of the outstanding figures in political circles of Kentucky and in 1875 was chosen to represent Fayette county in the state legislature, to which he was recalled in 1897. When Judge Walter Evans was made the republican nominee for governor of Kentucky, Mr. Stoll became a candidate for the office of state treasurer but met defeat with the rest of the party ticket. In 1900 he was the candidate of his party for member of congress from the Lexington district but was unable to overcome the normal democratic majority. He was frequently a delegate to the state conventions of his party and in 1880 was sent to the republican national convention as one of the three hundred and sixty members of the famous "Old Guard" that voted continuously for the nomination of General Grant, whom he greatly admired. He was a lover of fine horses and for some time was president of the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders' Association. He exerted his efforts as readily for the general welfare as for his own aggrandizement and at the time of his death was president of the board of trustees of the Eastern Kentucky Asylum for the Insane. His was a many-sided, forceful personality and honor and integrity were the keynotes of his character. He was a tireless worker, utilizing every opportunity to further the interests of his community and state, and his memory is held in affectionate regard by the citizens of Lexington.

In 1875 Mr. Stoll married Miss Elvina Stoll, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and a daughter of John G. Stoll, who was a grandson of Gallus Stoll, previously mentioned in this sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Stoll were the parents of two sons: Richard C. and John G., the former of whom is one of the able jurists of Lexington and presides over the circuit court.