Louis J. Stoltz, Butcher

Louis J. Stoltz, Butcher

My great-grandfather Louis Stoltz had quite a life. There was that whole hobo riding the rails thing from North Dakota to the end of the line, El Paso. Then there was that living out of the lyrics of the song El Paso:

Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
I fell in love with a Mexican girl.

That would be my great-grandmother Apolonia Luján.

1911 newspaper ad for Ardoin's Market, where Louis Stoltz worked.

1911 newspaper ad for Ardoin’s Market, where Louis Stoltz worked.

But his taste for adventure didn’t end once he settled down in the exotic town of El Paso with Apolonia. His employment history was, shall we say, diverse. Somewhere he had learned the butcher’s trade, but he tried many different jobs, including those involving cigars and pool. And at one time he even tried his own business in candy making. Did he enlist my grandmother Consuelo, a skilled worker in that field, in his venture? His daughter Viola was listed as the clerk at the store.

Token from J. F. Primm & Co. Cigars and Billiard Parlor, 207 E. San Antonio, where Louis Stoltz worked

Token from J. F. Primm & Co. Cigars and Billiard Parlor, 207 E. San Antonio, where Louis Stoltz worked

Here is a list of my great-grandfather’s various jobs, dreams and schemes, as recorded by El Paso city directories and U. S Census records. Note that at times during the Depression there is no employer listed; we know there were times then when he could not find work.

Year Job Company/Address Residence
1902 Butcher J. H. Nations Meat & Supply Co., 214 San Antonio 518 Tays
1903 Butcher Myles Meat Co. 518 Tays
1905 Butcher Ardoin & Robinson 518 Tays
1907 Clerk J.W. Eckman Cigars & Billiard Parlor, 223 San Antonio 518 Tays
1908 Clerk J. W. Eckman 518 Tays
1910 Salesman Cigar Store 518 Tays
1912 Royal Pool Hall, 408 San Antonio 518 Tays
1913 Butcher Refugio Soto 518 Tays
1914 Driver Daniel Payne 518 Tays
1915 Butcher Ardoin’s Market, 218 San Antonio 518 Tays
1916 Manager Mrs. Augustina Dietenberger 518 Tays
1917 Butcher 518 Tays
1918 Clerk J. F. Primm & Co. Cigars and Billiard Parlor, 207 E. San Antonio 518 Tays
1919 Clerk J. F. Primm & Co. Cigars and Billiard Parlor 518 Tays
1920 Butcher Meat Market 518 Tays
1921 Butcher S. S. Carpenter 518 Tays
1922 518 Tays
1923 Proprietor

Alamo Confectionary (Jennie is clerk), 1205 E. Fourth 518 Tays
1924 Meat Cutter Golden Rule Market, 3529 Hueco 518 Tays
1925 Meat Cutter 1205 E. Fourth
1927 518 Tays
1928 Meat Cutter White Grocery & Market 518 Tays
1929 Meat Cutter 518 Tays
1930 Meat Cutter Meat Market 518 Tays
1930 Meat Cutter 2321 Copper
1931 Meat Cutter 403 S. St. Vrain
1932 3416 Rivera
1934 Butcher 3416 Rivera
1935 Meat Cutter 3416 Rivera
1937 Meat Cutter 3416 Rivera
1938 Meat Cutter Piggly Wiggly No. 3, 901 N. Piedras 3416 Rivera
1939 3416 Rivera
1940 Manager El Paso Billiard Club, 317 Mills 3212 Alamagordo
1941 3212 Alamagordo
1954 3231 Missouri
1958 424 Pecos
El Paso Herald, 6 May 1912; Louis Stoltz was likely working at this establishment at the time.

El Paso Herald, 6 May 1912; Louis Stoltz was likely working at this establishment at the time.

The last entry, for 1958, is from his death certificate, where his occupation was noted as “retired meat cutter,” self-employed.

At some of the addresses above Louis was living with other family members:

  • 1925, 1205 E. Fourth, with Peter and Consuelo
  • 1930, 2321 Copper, with Jennie, Maybelle, and Ralph
  • 1931, 403 S. St. Vrain, with Jennie, Charles, Maybelle, and Viola
  • 1932, 3416 Rivera, with Charles, Maybelle, Ralph, and Viola
  • 1934-1937, 3416 Rivera, with Ralph and Viola
  • 1938-39, 3416 Rivera, with Ralph and Amalia
  • 1940, 3212 Alamagordo, with Felix and Maybelle
Downtown El Paso, 1908

Downtown El Paso, 1908

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