Daniel H. Stoll worked for about four years at Niagara Stamping & Tool Co. before joining with some co-workers to form the Stark Machine & Tool Co. That firm's line of sheet metal working machinery did well until the company suddenly failed in the financial panic of 1893. Stark and others formed a successor firm, West Manufacturing Co., to take over the Stark factory and business. Stoll was a stockholder and superintendent. During this time Stoll developed a seam-forming machine, a "power side seamer" that was specialized for creating rolled steel drums that were fairly water-tight and air-tight. In 1904 West ceased making their power side seamers and Stoll went out on his own as D. H. Stoll Co to manufacture the seamers.

Within a few years Stoll was manufacturing a line of sheet metal machinery, including punches, shears, forming and bending machines, presses, and a metal-spinning lathe. Major specialties included machinery for making packages such as barrels and drums, and machinery for making sheet metal parts for the automobile industry. In 1913 the business was incorporated as D. H. Stoll Co., Inc. In 1916, Stoll and others formed the Buffalo Pressed Steel Co. to manufacture pressed steel articles, especially for the automotive industry.

The company survived into the early 1920s but had completely disappeared by 1924.

Information Sources

• 1898 book, Our County and Its People: A Descriptive Work on Erie County, New York, Volume 2.

  Stoll, Daniel H., Buffalo, is a native of Germany, born May 5, 1865. In 1871 his parents, John and Otilla (Haemmer) Stoll, came to America, locating in Lockport, N. Y., where Mr. Stoll was educated in the public schools. In 1885 he came to Buffalo and entered the employ of the Niagara Stamping and Tool Company. Several of the employees of this firm afterwards formed a stock company, called the Stark Machine and Tool Company, Mr. Stoll becoming one of the stockholders. This company was very successful until the financial panic of 1893, when it was discontinued and the plant purchased by the West Manufacturing Company, in which Mr. Stoll is a stockholder. This concern was incorporated in 1896, Mr. Stoll taking the post of superintendent. The business of the company consists principally of the manufacture of all kinds of dies and special machinery for working sheet metal. Mr. Stoll is a member of the I. O. O. F. in all its branches. In 1893 he was united in marriage to Miss Rosa Kaufmann, of Buffalo, and they have two children: Arthur C. and Nettie.

• 1902-05-24 The Age of Steel.

  The West Manufacturing Company, Buffalo, N. Y., has been incorporated for the purpose of manufacturing and selling machinery, tools, etc. It is capitalized at $40,000. The directors are Charles N. Atkinson, Andrew F. West and Daniel H. Stoll, all of Buffalo.

• 1911 The Iron Age Directory lists D. H. Stoll Co., Buffalo, N. Y., as makers of hand power punches; hydraulic punches; power punches; forming and bending machines; wire forming machines; foot presses; power presses; alligator shears; rotary shears; sheet metal hand-shears; slitting shears; and slitting hand-shears.
• From a web page on Buffalo Body Corp., quoting the 1913-10-29 Horseless Age.

  D. H. Stoll Co. Incorporated.—The D. H. Stoll Co., Inc., has been incorporated to take over the press, shear, dies and special metal working machinery business formerly conducted by Daniel H. Stoll, at Buffalo. N. Y., under the same name. The officers of the company are Daniel H. Stoll, president; Roy J. MacKenzie, vice-president; Kenneth B. MacDonald, secretary and treasurer. The company makes a specialty of machinery for the production of sheet metal automobile parts. Messrs. MacDonald and MacKenzie were formerly associated with the E. R. Thomas Motor Co., as factory manager and purchasing agent, respectively.

• 1916-03-02 The Iron Trade Review.BUFFALO—The Buffalo Pressed Steel Co. has been incorporated; $30,000 capital stock; by D. H. Stoll, R. J. Mackenzie and K. B. MacDonald, to manufacture iron, steel, aluminum, copper and brass products.
• A Practical Machinist discussion relates to a 1917 catalog from this firm. A cut of a 36" spinning lathe is shown.
• 1917 Buyers Directory Issue by the Oil, Paint and Drug Reporter lists D. H. Stoll Co., Inc., Buffalo, N. Y., as makers of barrel machinery; drum machinery; chemical drum machinery; oil drum machinery; steel drum machinery; pressed steel drum machinery; and sheet metal machinery.
• 1921 Buffalo City Directory lists D. H. Stoll Co., Inc.
• 1922-05-04 The Iron Age.

  Power Side Seamer Developed in 1903
  The D. H. Stoll Co., Inc., Buffalo, referring to the description of the compound seam closer of the Niagara Machine & Tool Works, Buffalo, which appeared in THE IRON AGE of Feb. 23, page 534, has submitted the following in relation to the original development of machines of the type described.

  In 1903 manufacturers of calcium carbide were endeavoring to obtain a suitable metal container in which to pack and ship their product. Although an absolutely water-tight package was not demanded, yet one as near atmospheric tight as possible was desired. Daniel H. Stoll, president D. H. Stoll Co., Inc., Buffalo, was at that time superintendent of the West Mfg. Co., Buffalo, and was called into consultation with the engineers of what is now one of the largest chemical manufacturing companies in this country for the purpose of developing a solderless container. This resulted in containers incorporating the Stoll box seam and in the developing and producing of the power side seaming machine.

  The formations of the seam are power press operations in dies of proper construction. However, the power side seaming machine is the most satisfactory method yet devised to close the seam, although attachments have been produced to operate in power presses for this work but with more or less unsatisfactory results.

  The West Mfg. Co. continued making power side seamers until late in 1904. Since that time, until very recently, the D. H. Stoll Co., Inc., has been the sole manufacturer and it estimates that approximately 15,000,000 drums are produced per year on Stoll side seamers.

• 1922-06-29 The Iron Age carries a small text ad: "Presses and Shears / Sheet Metal Working Machinery / The D. H. Stoll Co., Inc. / Military Road and Austin Street, / Buffalo, N. Y."
• Findagrave shows a gravestone for Daniel H. Stoll, 1865-1932. The stone is located in the United German and French Cemetery in Cheektowaga, NY.
• Undated Catalogue No. 17 from "The D. H. Stoll Company / Manufacturers of presses, shears, and other sheet metal working machinery".
• Correspondent Brian Szafranski did some research on this firm and reported, "There is no Stoll in a 1923 Buffalo Blue Book... I do not find any DH Stoll listed in a 1924 Buffalo telephone book I have. There's no DH Stoll, or any Stoll firm, in a 1927 Buffalo city directory. So, I guess they weren't around too long."