Stanley was born in Aurora, DuPage County in 1844. Before his move to Rock Falls in 1873, he had been employed by the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad in the car department. A carpenter by trade, Stanley left that occupation after more than one year and accepted a post as superintendent of the Rock Falls Manufacturing Company. After nine years, Stanley left the company to operate his own business. He purchased the stock of John Newton and began the grocery business in the 100 block of West Second Street for a period of nearly 35 years.
This photo (on the right) shows Mr. Stanley and his sons, Walter and Earl, in front of his store - and it should be
noted that the sidewalk in front is made of wood. He later sold this business to Eli Gudeman who moved the old frame building to a location on First Avenue.
In 1892 Stanley saw the need for expansion of his business which was the "largest grocery and with with the biggest business" in the two cities. He constructed the large three story brick building next to the old store building which he had sold to Ed Gudeman.
In the new A.C. Stanley building, which stands today, Stanley operated a hotel on the upper floors and a dining room on the lower level.
Stanley and his wife lived in a most impressive home located at 300 E. 3rd St. (Photo below).
They were the parents of three sons, Walter, Earl and Howard and one daughter, Mrs. Lois Jensen.
Earl and Walter Stanley operated the family business for several years along with a bakery. Stanley again took over the business and retired after selling to Gudeman.
Rock Falls was a rapidly growing city at the time Stanley built the new building in the downtown area. During the 1890 census, Rock Fallshad a population of 1950 inhabitants and during the Presidential election in 1893, the vote was registered at 507. The census enumerators allowed five people for every vote and estimated Rock Falls had grown in two years to a population of 2535.
A compilation of official records in 1892 places the amount of capital represented by entirely new residences and the improvement of residence property at $45,000 with new merchantile property valued at $5,000 and manufacturing plants at $70,000 for a grand total of $120,000.
Stanley's youngest son Howard attended and graduated from local schools and business college and was a veteran of WW II. He was employed at the Simpson-Powelson Lumber Company in Sterling for 27 years. He began his career as a bookkeeper for the lumber company and was the manager the last nine years of his employment. Howard Stanley owned and operated the H.S. Stanley Fuel Company in Sterling from 1948 to 1969, two years prior to his death in 1971.
The Stanley home on East Third Street was a landmark in the city of Rock Falls for many years. The 10 room home was originally built by Stanley in an area of fine and quality homes of that day. The Stanley home was demolished in the late 1960's after the property was acquired by the Russell, Burdsall & Ward Company. While no longer a visible landmark, the old stanley home is still remembered by many as it was in its heyday, "the great white mansion."
A.C. Stanley, a prominent businessman and early civic leader in Rock Falls, was associated iwth the commercial growth in the downtown area in the early 1880's. Stanley was a popular and well known grocer, former mayor of Rock Falls and was at one time the president of the Rock Falls Building & Loan Association.He was in addition, a member of nearly all the different secret organizations of that time.
Sources:
The Daily Gazette July 1, 1776 BiCentennial edition.
Bent & Wilson History of Whiteside County Page 351
The Sterling Standard Illustrated 1896
