Louis Stahl was born in Mudgee in 1858 to Johann Stahl and Ann Margaretta nee Altenbrandt.
NEWS ITEMS
1938 - OLD TIMES RECALLED By District Veteran
A VERY worthy resident of Dunedoo, Mr Louis Stahl, passed the 80th milestone of his life, on Thursday last, 14th April. Mr Stahl was born at Mudgee, and has lived all his life in the Dunedoo district. He is in excellent health, and can read without the aid of glasses.
During the course of a half hours conversation with the ''Guardian" reporter while waiting for the train, he mentioned many interesting items of the history of the district. His keen eyes lighting up as he recalled events of the past. Mr Stahl mentioned the 1874 flood, when water swirled right round Cobbora and flooded all low-lying land. He remembered a man named Jones, who was marooned on a post. He told of how a raft was made from beer barrels supplied at that time by the Mudgee brewery. The raft was, effective, and Jones was rescued just in time.
TOWN OF TENTS
Dunedoo at one time, as Mr Stahl recalls it, was a township of tents and rabbit traps. Hurricane lamps were the only means ol illumination, and these had to be used to walk through the rough streets of a night.
'What do you do to keep yourself so well?' Mr Stahl was asked. 'I don't worry about my health at all,' he replied. 'I find I am always well and fit but I never worry over being sick or anything.'
GULGONG GOLD BOOM
Mr Stahl went on to speak of the famous gold boom in Gulgong some 70 years ago. Although only a boy at that time he recalled how he and a number of other lads would run behind the gold drays and make quite tidy sum out of the gold that spilt from the dray. 'We were often chased with a whip too for doing that,' said Mr Stahl.
BEAT COBB AND CO. COACH
Mr Stahl's father ran a passenger freight in those early days from 'anywhere to anywhere.' Mr Stahl's father Mr John Stahl, took the first schoolteacher from Mudgee to Bourke and, using only one set of horses, beat Cobb and Co.'s coach, which changed horses every ten miles. Mr Louis Stahl recalls an amusing incident about the school teacher. 'He was eating some chops and remarked on the wonderful flavour of the 'lamb' chops. Mr Stahl said 'We told him afterwards, and it was perfectly true, that he ate goat chops and not lamb. He didn't seem to relish the idea too much.'
'WHAT HO, SHE BUMPS'
They had special names for coaches in these days, Mr Stahl went on. The favorite coaches were called 'What Ho, She Bumps.' 'Here She Comes' and 'Just in Time.' These names stuck, too.
JIMMY GOVERNOR
Mr Stahl recalled the terror created by the Governors. 'We got to the old Merrygoen Hotel, near Richardson's,' he said, 'and had a couple of drinks. We were informed by the hotel-keeper that the Governors had been there an hour or so before us. We journeyed on then to the Cobbora turn off, where Mr Alf. Yeo now lives, and the only weapon we had to protect ourselves with was a rifle that wouldn't shoot. We camped that night. At 8. o'clock the next morning we were surprised to see 50 men, all armed, looking for the Governors.'
'Looking for the Governors again?' I asked one of the men. 'Yes,' he replied, 'they killed Worbys at Breelong homestead.'
1902 DROUGHT
'I suppose you would remember the 1902 drought,' Mr Stahl was asked. 'Yes,' he replied, 'and I also remember the flood at that time in Gulgong. We were livings at Black Lead at the time. We would have lost the horses, which were harnessed in the drays, only that we took the horses out of the drays and let the drays stand. They dis- appeared in the flood waters.'
It is hoped Mr Stahl will see many more birthdays, for this gentleman is still as fit and active as many younger men.
Source: Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954) Thu 21 Apr 1938 Page 14FOUR local people had an unenviable experience on Sunday night, August 20, when they were forced to remain, in the cabin of a utility truck for seven hours when water cut out the engine on a lonely part of the Gulgong-Dunedoo road.
The party, which comprised Mr. Lou Stahl, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Croft and Miss Enid McMillan, had at tended the funeral service in Gulgong on Sunday afternoon of Mrs. Vera Jane Stahl, wife of Mr. J. H. Stahl, who is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Lou Stahl, of Dunedoo.
They were returning from Gulgong to Dunedoo in the utility truck owned by Mr. Croft, when, a few miles out of Gulgong, past Mr. Honeysett's house, the engine of the truck cut out when water entered it on a shallow water-filled crossing. This was about 11 o'clock. From then till nearly seven o'clock next morning they were unable to obtain assistance.
At seven o'clock they went to Mr. Tom Edmond's house and rang up Gulgong. Mr. Reg Croome came along and helped the party out of their plight. They reached Dunedoo about 10 o'clock on Monday morning.
'We managed to keep ourselves warm enough,' said one of the party, 'but daylight seemed as if it would never come.' The party were without lights of any kind, except for matches, and were completely cut off for seven hours.
1948 - Royal Congratulations to Dunedoo Couple
On Monday last Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Augustus Stahl, of Dunedoo, were the recipients of a Royal Telegram. It read: "The King and Queen send you hearty congratulations and good wishes on your sixty fifth wedding anniversary." Mr. and Mrs. Stahl were married on 29th. October, 1883, at the Church of England, Gulgong.
Congratulations were received also from the Governor-General, the Rt. Hon. W. R. McKell, and wife, the Governor of N.S.W., Gen. Northcott, and the Bishop of Bathurst, the Rt. Rev. A. L. Wylde. These were suplimented by scores of telegrams and letters from friends.
Mr. Stahl was born in Mudgee, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Stahl. His wife was formerly Miss Ellen Gibbons, daughter of Mr. James Henry Gibbons, of Forbes. She came to Gulgong at the age of four.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Stahl, at the ages of 90 and 81 respectively, are quite active and are unruffled by the event.
The couple have four children living, viz., James H., who is in business in Gulgong, Ruby (Mrs. F. J. Weedman, Brisbane) , Ivy Ellen (Mrs. A. L. Dowell, Mosman), Nellie (Mrs. John Dulvey, Wollongong). A grand daughter is married to Mr. Roy Croft, of Dunedoo.
