D.C. Stover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
D.C. Stover
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D.C. Stover 1896
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Daniel Carroll Stover
May 9, 1839 |
| Died | January 17, 1908 (aged 68) |
| Resting place | Spring Grove Cemetery Saint Paris, Champaign County, Ohio |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | Wittenburg College |
| Occupation | Manufacturer |
| Known for | Bicycle manufacturer |
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Notable work
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| Children | 1 |
D.C. Stover (born May 9, 1839 – died January 17, 1908) was a very successful businessman and inventor from the 1800s. He started many important companies, like the Stover Wind Engine Company, which made windmills. He also founded the Stover Bicycle Manufacturing Company, known for making bicycles. Stover was known as one of the richest people in Freeport, Illinois, because of his many successful businesses.
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Early Life of D.C. Stover
Daniel Carroll Stover was born in Antrim Township, Pennsylvania, on May 9, 1839. He was the youngest of 12 children. His parents were Jacob P. Stover and Elizabeth Stover. He grew up on his family's farm in Pennsylvania until he was 18 years old.
After leaving the farm, he moved to California for a while and worked as a miner. In 1866, he moved to Freeport, Illinois. There, he started working on new inventions for farming. He created machines that helped make barbed wire fences. On the 1880 U.S. Census, he proudly listed his job as "inventor."
Stover's Business Career
D.C. Stover created many different businesses throughout his life. He was always looking for new ideas and ways to build things.
Starting the Windmill Company
In 1876, Stover started his first big company, the Stover Wind Engine Company. This company made and sold Windmills. Windmills were very important back then for pumping water and grinding grain, especially in farming areas.
Farming Machine Company
A few years later, in 1881, Stover began another company called the Stover Manufacturing and Engine Company. This business focused on making machines for farms.
Bicycle Manufacturing Success
One of his most famous ventures began in 1889. Stover founded the Stover Bicycle Manufacturing Company to make bicycles. He started with just six employees. His company produced bicycles under the brand name "Phoenix." They were one of the first companies to make the "Safety bicycle," which looked much more like modern bicycles than earlier designs.
By 1897, his bicycle company had become very large. They were making about 20,000 bicycles every year! This made them one of the biggest bicycle makers at the time. In 1899, Stover sold his bicycle company to a large group of bicycle companies called a "Bicycle Trust," which later became known as the American Bicycle Company.
Other Stover Companies
Even after selling his bicycle company, Stover didn't stop inventing and building. He started several other businesses in Freeport, Illinois. He made combustion engines (engines that create power by burning fuel) under the name Stover Engine Works. He also ran the Stover Motor Car Company, which made cars and boat engines.
During his career, Stover's companies made many different products. These included large tanks, bicycles, stationary engines (engines that stay in one place), windmills, and various types of farm equipment like cultivators.
Stover's Personal Life
On July 13, 1871, D.C. Stover married Mary C. Porter. They had a son and a daughter together. Stover was also an adventurous person. Before he passed away, he traveled around the world two times!
Stover's Death
D.C. Stover died on January 17, 1908. The cause of his death was a serious heart problem.
