Edward G. Stoiber

Edward G. Stoiber
Born	Template:Birth date New York, New York
Died	April 21, 1906(1906-04-21) (aged 50) Paris, France
Burial place	Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado
Nationality	American
Education	School of Mines, Freiberg, Germany
Occupation(s)	Mining engineer and businessman
Spouse	Lena Stoiber

Edward G. Stoiber (born September 18, 1855 – died April 21, 1906) was a prominent American mining engineer and proprietor of the Silver Lakes Mines and Mills located near Silverton, Colorado. After obtaining his mining degree in Germany, he initially worked in Leadville, Colorado. During the mid-1880s, he joined forces with his brother Gustavus to develop mining ventures in San Juan County, Colorado close to Silverton. The siblings parted ways in 1887, with Edward maintaining ownership of the Silver Lake mine. In 1888, he wed Lena Allen Webster, who became a co-owner and took charge of operational management. Edward’s expertise lay in mining engineering with an emphasis on cost-efficient extraction and processing of low-grade ore, turning the business into a lucrative enterprise that significantly contributed to the economic growth of the San Juan mining region. Lena played an active role in managing daily operations through a practical leadership style that enhanced both efficiency and community relations. Both were engaged members of professional bodies such as the American Institute of Mining Engineers.

Early life

Born on September 18, 1855, in New York City to Helena Rouse and Felix Stoiber—who were affiliated with the German Evangelical Mission Church—Stoiber completed his studies at the School of Mines in Freiberg, Germany.

Context

As mining evolved in Colorado, operations shifted focus from high-grade ores to lower-grade deposits, which raised extraction expenses and required advancements in milling technology to sustain profitability.

Initial career

Stoiber entered the field as a mining engineer and became a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers in 1877. He spent three years working in Leadville, Colorado. In 1879, he married Gertrude Comstock. By 1885, he was residing with his brother in San Juan County, Colorado.

In the mid-1880s, Edward and Gustavus acquired approximately 200 claims at Arrastra Gulch and founded the Silver Lake Mine along with a custom ore sampling facility. Edward concentrated on developing a mine situated near Silver Lake at an elevation of 12,250 feet. He built one of the most advanced mining installations in the Western United States at that altitude, including pioneering the first concentrating mill at such elevation.

Following their partnership’s dissolution in 1887—with Edward retaining control over the mine—he innovated profitable methods for processing low-grade mixed sulphide ores.

Collaboration with Lena

Lena Allen Webster came to Silverton in 1884 after her first husband, attorney F. C. Webster, either disappeared or died soon after their move. Born in St. Anthony, Minnesota around 1862 or 1864, Lena remarried Edward Stoiber on March 29, 1888, in Chicago. During the early stages of their enterprise, Lena contributed by taking boarders and actively participating in mining operations—including installing machinery—often donning men's attire. As co-owners, Edward concentrated on engineering while Lena managed the workforce with a hands-on approach that earned her the nickname "Captain Jack" due to her commanding presence and forthright language. She became an associate member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers in 1894 and maintained this affiliation until her passing in 1935.

Business expansion

In 1895, he ordered an 8,640-foot Bleichert aerial tramway from the Trenton Iron Company to facilitate ore transport from the mountain down to Arrastra Gulch, with a throughput of five tons per hour. The concentrates were subsequently dispatched via a branch of the Silverton Railroad. Partnering with J.H. Robin to broaden his mining ventures, he installed an additional mill and enhanced the tramway system to handle 30 tons per hour. This development played a crucial role in boosting the economic vitality of the San Juan mining district.

Waldheim

In 1897, Edward and Lena erected Waldheim, a grand residence in Silverton that functioned as both their home and business headquarters, complete with a conservatory, theater, and ballroom. They also built a hydropower facility to provide electricity for their mining operations, milling plant, and household. By 1901, Edward sold the Silver Lakes Mines to the American Smelting and Refining Company for $2.35 million (), marking a significant financial achievement.

Personal life

Edward earned admiration from his workforce due to his considerate nature and dedication to advancing mining industry welfare in Colorado. His philanthropic efforts included donating scientific apparatus to the Colorado School of Mines and founding a scientific section within the University Club library.

Lena was active in supporting laborers by organizing social gatherings and charitable initiatives while playing an integral role in managing business affairs. She contributed to the establishment of Mesa Verde National Park and created a women’s organization focused on practical and historical literary pursuits. Despite her contributions, she was noted for a challenging personality, famously erecting tall walls and billboards around her properties in Silverton and later Denver to ensure privacy from neighbors.

Later years and death

Following the sale of their enterprise, the Stoibers resided in Denver and traveled extensively across Europe and Asia, settling in Paris from 1904 with plans to return to Denver to construct a mansion based on Edward’s architectural designs. On April 3, 1906, Edward contracted typhoid fever and passed away in Paris on April 21. Lena commissioned a mausoleum at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver for Edward, crafted from Vermont granite with Parian marble interiors at an approximate cost of $30,000.

After Edward’s passing, Lena worked with architects to finalize the Stoiber Mansion in Denver in 1907 according to his plans. In 1909, she wed Pacific Coast financier Hugh Rood, who later perished aboard the RMS Titanic. Subsequently relocating to Europe, she married U.S. Navy Commander Mark St. Clair Ellis on May 20, 1918, adopting the name Lena Allen Stoiber-Ellis. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1932 following legal disputes involving Ellis. Lena died on March 27, 1935, at her villa on Lake Como in Stresa, Italy.