Bernhard Stolle, Oldest Resident, 92 Years Old

Bernhard Stolle, Battle Creek’s oldest pioneer farmer, celebrated his ninety-second birthday anniversary last Saturday with his children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren at the old home place a few miles southwest of Battle Creek.

Mr. Stolle came from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1870 and has since lived on the place which he homesteaded sixty-seven years ago.  Though he admits this is “quite a spell of weather we’re having now,” he has seen so much of blizzards, floods, drouths and grasshoppers during his four score and twelve years on the old hemispehere that he is inclined to be content as he calls to mind seasons and things which were deucedly bad or a blamed sight worse.

Until a few years ago when the ravages of old age began an onslaught, the old gentleman rarely knew a sick day, or even now he is surprisingly active mentally and physically for one of his age.

Incidentally, Mr. Stolle read the first issue of the Enterprise published in May, 1886, and was our oldest subscriber for forty-nine years.  Failing eyesight now prevents him from reading it , he says.——Battle Creek Enterprise.   Source:  Meadow Grove News, Thursday, Jan. 28, 1937, page 1.