Lucien Chenault was born in Gonzales, Texas, December 15, 1852, the son of Felix Chenault of Kentucky who came to Gonzales County in 1838. His mother was Eliza Polk Chenault of Gonzales. On September 16, 1874, Lucien married Narcissa DeWitt, born in 1858 in Gonzales, and they had four children. Narcissa was the daughter of Christopher Columbus DeWitt of Missouri and Parmelia Narcissa Barrow DeWitt of Tennessee and the granddaughter of Empresario Green DeWitt. Narcissa’s parents gave the lot to her in 1875. The deed states that “the lot with the dwelling house recently erected by L. Chenault goes to Narcissa for love and affection.” The initial part of the house was probably completed in 1875, but they lived there for only two years, selling the house in 1876. Lucien worked for a while in the County Clerk’s office but resigned in 1893 to join H.L. Hopkins in the general land and abstract business. Later he returned to public service as the District Clerk, retired in 1902 and died October 16, 1916. Narcissa died July 16, 1921. They are buried in the Gonzales City Cemetery.
Solomon Stahl purchased the property in 1885 and was probably responsible for the two large additions on the back of the original structure. According to naturalization papers, Solomon was born December 15, 1852, in Alt Sogorren, Russia, and came to the United States in 1880. According to his death certificate, he was born November 24, 1849, in Wilna, Poland. He was the son of Marcus Stahl of Russia. He settled in Gonzales in 1882 and established a dry goods and grocery business. Stahl was in business with Solomon Joseph and they owned the Stahl-Joseph Building on the north side of Independence Square. Stahl invested in public utilities in Texas and Louisiana. Other investments included interests in the Gonzales Cotton Oil Manufacturing Company, the Luling Oil Manufacturing Company, the Gonzales Land & Royalty Company, and the Nolen Produce Company.
According to the 1900 census, Solomon married Henrietta “Yetta” Wolfe in 1878 and they had seven children. Henrietta, born May 29, 1854, in Kempen, Germany, was the daughter of Joseph and Rosalie Wolfe. She followed Solomon to the United States through New York in 1882 and came to Gonzales with him.
Since Solomon lived in this house for over fifty years, it had been known as “The Solomon Stahl House” until recent research showed that the original builder was Chenault. When Solomon died March 29, 1938, he left the house to one of his sons, Dr. L.H. Stahl. Solomon and Yetta, who died April 30, 1922, are buried in the Gonzales Jewish Cemetery.
