Charles Stager Served as Sheriff of Lucas County in 1897

Charles Stager Served as Sheriff of Lucas County [Ohio] in 1897                      by Alan Borer

 

When we think of a “sheriff,” many of us think of a man in western garb, wearing a badge, and drawling, “This town ain’t big enough for the two of us,” or something like it.  Charles G. Stager, sheriff of Lucas County from 1897 to 1902, did not leave much in the way of letters or papers, but one thing he wrote was this:

Throughout the week ending today Clover Seed ruled comparatively dull and lower.  Receipts were liberal, while the demand was very tame and was of a don’t care order. . . .  Today the market ruled very dull, a sale of 100 bags March was made @8.10, closing dull. (March 25, 1893)

Stager used the word “dull” three times in four sentences!  Although this dates from a few years before his term as sheriff, it seems out of character for a prospective lawman.  But Stager lived at a time when the sheriff’s job was a political prize, a reward for party loyalty and work.  Charles Stager was a salesman first and foremost.  The sheriff’s job was an extra, a bit of praise, prestige, and remuneration.  Stager was a lawman, but not in the way you might think.

            Charles G. Stager was born in Toledo on June 10, 1860.  His parents, Gottfried and Dorothea, were both German immigrants, and German was the language of his childhood.  As an adult, Stager went into the wholesale garden and farm seed business.  He became a business partner with William F. Kratz in 1885.  Three years later Stager and Cratz went their separate ways, founding separate seed businesses.  With a store located at 123-125 Erie Street,[i] Stager advertised “Clover seed a specialty.” 

Stager became a successful businessman, but sadly his health took a turn for the worse.  Now he turned toward civil service, serving as Toledo’s police commissioner.  In 1896 was elected sheriff of Lucas County.  Sheriffs of the late nineteenth century had a reputation of political favoritism, corruption, and, party hack work.  Charles Stager was different.  Elected at the same time as Toledo Mayor Samuel “Golden Rule” Jones, Stager leaned toward the Progressive movement in the new century.  He received support from both parties in his campaign for sheriff:

Newly in office, Stager and Jones agreed on the need to reform the Toledo police department.  One of the issues the old department wanted approval on was to allow patrolman to carry a large club as a police baton.  Stager viewed these as a menace, a way of intimidating the civilian population.  With Mayor Jones’ “enthusiastic endorsement,” Stager “recommended the use of walking sticks” instead of cudgels.[ii]

            Other parts of the sheriff’s job were more mundane.  Stager was the defendant in a lawsuit, Sargent vs Stager (1899).  Sargent’s lawyer lost the case, but in 1902, he countersued under a legal maneuver known as replevin.  Replevin allows the loser of a lawsuit to retrieve some of the money lost.

            Stager was active in fraternal organizations.  He belonged to the Elks Club, climbing to the position of “exalted ruler” in the Toledo lodge:

….” A delegation of Elks will leave Cincinnati for Toledo.  They will arrive in time to make the town hot that night – so hot in fact that Lake Erie will be tepid as far as Sandusky Bay.  . . .  because of a testimonial to Charlie Stager, the Sheriff-elect of Lucas County.  It is to be tendered at the meeting of the Toledo Elks at the Valentine Block, and all because he, a Democrat, was elected by a handsome majority in a Republican county.”[iii]

In August of 1898, Stager and his wife Mary went to an Elks convention in Sandusky, and “were among the early arrivals.”  Among the huge crowds (at least 2,300), enjoying clambakes, dancing, and yacht races, was a Toledo marching group called the Toledo Cherry Pickers.  “Then came the Cherry Pickers in their bright red uniforms. . . . They gave several pretty evolutions along the line of march and were greeted with applause.” It is likely that Sheriff Stager greeted some of his Toledo friends in Sandusky.

Stager was also a member of the Knights of Columbus where, in December of 1898, he took part in a mock street battle:

“The Toledoans were led by that indomitable son of St. Patrick, O’Brien O’Donnell, ably backed up by Messrs John T. Solon, Frederick Schaal and Charles Stager. The engagement lasted an hour and although the dwellers on the shores of the Maumee were at a great disadvantage they went through with flying colors.[iv]

Stager died at the relatively young age of 49 on January 21, 1910.  His is buried in Calvary Cemetery.[v]  He left his wife and three daughters, the two elder of which taught for Toledo Public Schools.  Charles Stager accomplished much during his short life.

 

 

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[i] https://books.google.com/books?id=PugCAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1248&lpg=PA1248&dq=stager+seed+merchants+toledo&source=bl&ots=xgwJmwxfOK&sig=ACfU3U2qHDU8luVaILHwwWcC-Tp3E_qGQw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiGlubyruHyAhUHTN8KHdecDwoQ6AF6BAgCEAM#v=onepage&q=stager%20seed%20merchants%20toledo&f=false

[ii] Marnie Jones, Holy Toledo: Religion and Politics in the Life of "Golden Rule" Jones, p.

 

[iii] Cincinnati Enquirer, November 9, 1897, p. 4.

[iv] The Catholic Telegraph, Volume 67, Number 48, 1 December 1898

 

[v] https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DY99-CND?i=1352&cc=2128172&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF6LW-H83