John B. Stoll

1966

John B. Stoll, editor, was born in Wurtemburg, Germany on March 13, 1843. At the age of 10 he migrated to America and located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. As a young man he secured employment at the Harrisburg Telegraph, where he mastered the printer’s trade.
In 1863, at the age of 20, he became the owner of the Middlebury (Penn.) People’s Friend.
He married Mary F. Snyder and soon after the civil war they moved west to Indiana and settled in Ligonier. Here he established the Ligonier Banner, putting out the first issue on May 3, 1865.

In 1869, Stoll became the principal mover in establishing the Northern Indiana Editorial Association and was its first president serving six years. In 1881, he helped to organize the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association and remained a member until his death.
In a move to Elkhart, Indiana in 1882, he bought part of the stock in the failing South Bend Times. Eventually he came into full ownership and the Times soon became the Democratic organ of the northern half of the state.

In 1912, Stoll sold the Times, continuing as an editor for a year until leaving. In his later years he had charge of a magazine, the Editorial at South Whitley, furnished a column of editorial comment for the Kendalville News-Sun and still later prepared a daily column for two years for the Indianapolis Star.

Throughout his career, Stoll was also active outside of editorial work. He served six years as a member of the South Bend school board. He was very active politically and widely known as a public speaker. Stoll was a Democrat with much power and influence.
John B. Stoll died in 1926 but not before being styled as the "Nestor of Indiana Journalism."