from Kentucky – A History of the State, Perrin, 1888

Montgomery County

Silas Stofer, farmer and stock-grower, was born in Montgomery County, Kentucky, May 28, 1841, and is a son of John and Mary (Cobb) Stofer.  John Stofer was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, in 1796.  He was a farmer and came to Kentucky in 1816.  He was a son of Matthias, a native of Virginia, who came to Kentucky a few years later than his son John, who lived and died where our subject now resides.  Mary Cobb was born in South Carolina.  Silas Stofer was born and raised on the farm of 357 acres where he now resides, was educated in Montgomery County, and has followed farming all his life.  October 19, 1869, he married Miss Bettie Holland Turner, a daughter of James Turner, of Montgomery County, an officer in the Federal army, Twenty-Fourth Kentucky Infantry, who died from the effects of injuries received in the recent war.  This family are descendants of General Gist, who was prominent in the Revolutionary War.  Mr. Turner was a prominent attorney of Greenup and Mount Sterling, and at one time represented Montgomery County in the Legislature.  To Mr. and Mrs. Stofer were born four children, three of whom are living, Rachel G., John and James N.  Mrs. Stofer died March 22, 1882, and June 9, 1886, Mr. Stofer married Miss Bell Darnell, daughter of Jackson and Penelope (Kemper) Darnell, of Fleming County.  Mr. and Mrs. Stofer are members of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics Mr. Stofer is a Democrat.