Troy is a community that has a deep and rich history. The heritage of our community is on display nearly everywhere one goes throughout our community. There are names that are on buildings and businesses throughout our community. But, what are the stories behind some of these names? What are the stories behind the individuals that helped create this community we call our hometown? What are the legacies these individuals left?
One of the places we can learn about these stories is the Troy Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, is located within the corridors of one of the city’s most recognizable buildings, Hobart Arena. Plaques hang on the walls sharing the stories of some of the most interesting and remarkable individuals to call Troy their hometown.
One of the goals of this publication is to not only understand the present, but also to learn about our community’s past. With that in mind, this publication is going to talk about some of the historic figures that are in the community’s Hall of Fame.
Augustus “Gus” Stouder, 1851-1929
Today, we honor Augustus Stouder. Gus Stouder was born one of six children in Delaware County, Indiana. As a young child, his family moved to Iowa, and he lost his mother when he was only 11. At that time, he moved to Ohio to live with relatives in Ohio. As a young man, he worked in manufacturing throughout Ohio and Kentucky working to create anything from buggies to burlap.
Mr. Stouder was in Troy by 1887 and, with Frank Douglass, organized the Troy Sunshade Company, a company that made sunshades for horse buggies. Building on that success, the young industrialist became President of the Hobart Electric Manufacturing Company in 1903 and would serve in that role for over two decades.
Mr. Stouder helped make Hobart a name in the food processing industry. The first Kitchen Aid mixer was created shortly after World War I and would be a mainstay of the Hobart name. Under his leadership, Hobart Manufacuring Co. became a world-wide concern as the company opened offices in Australia, Canada, Great Britain, South Africa and throughout South America.
But more than just an industrialist, Mr. Stouder had committed himself to creating a stronger community. In April 1924, he was the main force in creating The Troy Foundation by providing its initial funding. In May 1926, he put up $200,000 for the building and operating of a new community hospital with one condition; the community needed to put up $100,000 for the effort. The community came through and even raised an additional $75,000 above that original amount; at that point, the philanthropist brought another $40,000 to build the nurses; quarter at the hospital campus. Gus Stouder died on January 3, 1929, in the hospital that shared his name, after a long illness.
Feel free to share your thoughts and memories of Stouder Hospital or other places you have heard the Stouder name in the comment section! Also, please feel free to nominate the next person in the Troy Hall of Fame this publication should discuss.
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Thanks Bill, we’re looking forward to more on this topic