Noel Whitney Stiles 1844-1923

STILES, GLINES, KELLEY, LANE, SKELTON, MCEWEN

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 10/24/2009 at 19:04:14

Noel W. Stiles, said to have been the first to intorduce the American soda fountains into Europe, and who at various periods conducted drug stores in this city, Brookline and other communities, died suddenly last night at his home at 1212 Commonwealth avenue, Alston.

Born at Whitesville, N.Y. , Feb 19, 1844, he obtained his early education in that town. Subsequently he studied medicine at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis., but left before his course was completed to engage in business with his uncle in the drug line in Appleton.

After leaving Wisconsin he conducted drug stores in Postvile, Iowa; Batavia, N.Y.; Winter street, Boston; Old Orchard, Maine, and Brookline Village. Also he had a drug store on Boylston street near the Hotel Thorndike for a few years. About 35 years ago he sold his Brookline Village store and went to England, where he was first to manufacture soda fountains. At one time he had 500 employees in his fountain factory.

After approximately 15 years in England he returned to Boston. Following a few years of inactivity, he purchased and conducted until a few years ago a drug store on Commonwealth avenue, known as the Avenue pharmacy. On selling that store he retired from business. He was a former president of Boston Druggists Guild.

Surviving him are his widow, Mrs. Sarept (Glines) Stiles, formerly of Melvin Village, N.H., whom he married 53 years ago; one son, N. Ray Stiles, who is a manufacturer in London, England; two daughters, Mrs. Albert S. Kelley of Alliston and Mrs. Hallie M. Lane of San Antonio, Texas; one brother, Elbert Stiles of Waterloo, Iowa; and two sisters, Mrs. Charles Skelton of Glendale, Calif., and Mrs. James McEwen of Postville, Iowa. -Boston Daily Herald, January 23rd.

Mr. Stiles was Postville's first druggist, and many of the old-timers will recall him as an honorable and upright man and will regret to hear of his passing.

~Postville Herald, February 1, 1923
____________

Noel Stiles, Soda Expert, Dead in East
(Associated Press) Boston, Jan. 23 - Noel W. Stiles, who is said to have introduced the American soda fountain into Europe, died suddenly last night at his home here in his seventy-ninth year. He engaged in the manufacture of soda fountains in England 35 years ago and carried on business in that country for 15 years. A native of Watertown, N.Y., Mr. Stiles began his career as a druggist in Appleton, Wisconsin, and later conducted drug stores in Postville, Iowa; Batavia, N.Y., Boston; Old Orchard, Maine, and Brookline. He sold out his business in the latter town to embark on his pioneer enterprise in England.

~Olean Evening Herald, Olean, New York, January 23, 1923

____________

A dispatch to the Post-Crescent from Boston stated that Mr. Stiles, said to have introduced the American soda fountain into Europe, who died suddenly last night at his home in Boston, was a former Appleton resident but study of directories back 40 years failed to disclose his name. Several old time residents of the city were asked if they remembered him but none did. In 1884 an Alfred Stiles lived on Alton st. but the directories do not contain the name of Noel W. Stiles.

~Appleton Post-Crescent, Appleton, WI, January 23, 1923

_____________

Soda Pioneer in England Dead
Noel W. Stiles, said to have been the first to introduce the American soda fountain into Europe, died suddenly January 22, 1923, at his home in Boston, Mass., in his seventy-ninth year. He engaged in the manufacture of soda fountains in England thirty-five years ago and carried on business in that country for fifteen years. He was born in Watertown, N.Y. in 1845 and studied medicine at Lawrence University, Appleton, Wis., but left before his course was completed to engage with his uncle in the drug business at Appleton. Later he conducted drug stores at Postville, Ia., Batavia, N.Y., Boston, Old Orchard .... remainder is cut off.

~"The Soda Fountain", Vol 22, 1923, pg 26

______________

Noel Whitney Stiles (d. 1923) & his wife Sarepta Elizabeth Glines Stiles (d. 1925) are buried in Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Middlesex co. Massachusetts

~source: Ancestry.com burial records

_____________________

Photo is from a sketch that was published in American Druggist and Pharmaceutical Record. A Journal of Practical Pharmacy. Vol XXII No. 10, New York, April 21, 1893; pg 214

Biographies of N.W. Stiles
 

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen