The Stone Family of Linn County, Iowa

Zephnia Stone was reared to agricultural pursuits in Genesee and Tompkins counties, New York, and on starting out in life for himself worked by the month as a farm hand until twenty-five years of age. On the 3d of November, 1844, he was married in Chemung county, New York, to Miss Sarah M. Jones, of that county, and the following year they came to Linn county, Iowa. He took a squatter's claim east of Springville, which village at that time contained but one house, that of Colonel Butler. He improved his place and in 1849 entered two hundred and eighty acres of land in Brown township, but it was seven years before he received the deed to the place and could really call it his own. In 1852 he sold that land for seven dollars and a quarter per acre and entered one hundred and sixty acres in Brown township, which he fenced, broke and improved. He also built a sawmill, which he later converted into a flouring mill costing twenty-five thousand dollars, and he carried on the milling business for about twenty-five years, when a flood swept away his dam and destroyed his property. He then devoted his time and energies wholly to farming and stock raising, and in business affairs steadily prospered. At one time he owned over twelve hundred acres of land, divided into several good farms, but he has since disposed of all of these with the exception of the old homestead consisting of three hundred and ten acres, which is one of the best improved places in Brown township. It has two sets of good farm buildings, and is now occupied and operated by his two sons, while our subject lives a retired life in Springville, having erected a nice residence in the village in 1896.

Mr. and Mrs. Stone are the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters, namely: Lester E., a farmer of Brown township; Hester E., wife of J. V. Bishop, of Springville; Emma, wife of Mark Tabasinsky, a farmer of Brown township; Leman C. and Eugene I., who live on the old homestead; and Maggie A., wife of Isaac Milton Reeve, of Vinton, Iowa. All are now married, and on our subject's eightieth birthday all of his children, nineteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren were present. On the 3d of November, 1900, Mr. and Mrs. Stone celebrated their fifty-sixth wedding anniversary, at which time not only their family, but a large number of friends met to wish them joy and they were the recipients of a great number of presents.

In early life Mr. Stone was a Democrat, but is now independent in politics, supporting the men whom he believes best qualified for office. He has never cared for official honors but has been called upon to serve as township trustee and treasurer, and has served on both the grand and petit juries at various times. He is a member of Springville Lodge, No. 139, A. F. & A. M. in which he has held all the offices and is past master. He is also a charter member of Maricin Chapter, No. 10, R. A. M., and! Patmos Commandery, No. 27, K. T. He has been a Scottish Rite Mason, thirty-second degree, for many years. Religiously he and his wife are earnest and consistent members of the Presbyterian Church. They are among the few remaining old settlers of Brown township, and have witnessed almost its entire growth and development. When they located here the Indians were far more numerous than the white settlers and deer and other wild game was found in abundance. Although he came to this locality in limited circumstances. Mr. Stone has prospered and through his own unaided and energetic efforts became one of the well-to-do and substantial men of his community, as well as one of its most highly esteemed citizens.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOSHUA D. STONE is a pioneer of Linn County of 1847, having come here during that year with his wife, and has been an active factor in the agricultural development of the county since that time. In fact the major portion of his life has been passed in agricultural pursuits, and he is yet engaged in that vocation. 1 living on his fine place on section 34, Maine Township. The parents of our subject were Henry and Laura (Bowen) Stone, natives of Massachusetts and New York respectively. For further facts connected with their lives we refer the reader to biography of Zephania Stone.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.