Obituary of Col. Jno. H. Stone, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana Prepared and submitted by Claude B. Slaton, Baker, La. ------------------------------------------------------------------ ************************************************* Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** . ------------------------------------------------------------------ From an old scrapbook found on the floor of an abandoned store in East Feliciana Parish, La. I was allowed to copy articles from it by Mr. H. H. Forrester of Clinton, La. OBITUARY Col. Jno. H. Stone Col. Jno. H. Stone, the eminent jurist, citizen and soldier, is dead. This sad news, though not altogether unexpected, came over the wire Saturday evening, and cast a gloom over the entire community. Some six weeks ago, acting upon the advice of his physicians, Col. Stone went to New Orleans in the hope of regaining his health, but all efforts were unavailing and on Saturday last, surrounded by the family and loving friends, he breathed his last. In the death of Col. Stone the bar has lost one of her most shining lights, the church a prominent and influential member, and the parish of East Feliciana a zealous and loyal citizen. Possessed of a rare personal magnetism, to know him was to love him; his humor was infectious, and prevailed wherever he went, in the courtroom, on the street or at his fireside. Endowed by nature with unusual gifts as an entertainer, his companionship was highly prized and constantly sought. The friends of Col. Stone were legion and were numbered in every walk of life; but it was to the masses, the poor people, that his heart went out and in whose interest he never ceased to labor; In his long career of public life, he did much to lesson their burdens and ameliorate their condition. Born and raised in the South, he loved her people, her customs, her institutions. He was a gentleman of the old school, and his loss is irreparable; still, we must bow to the will of our Maker, who has so ordained it, and "who doeth all things well." The following article appeared in the Times-Democrat of Feb. 5th, and contains much that is interesting concerning the deceased: "Hon. John H. Stone, who has been one of the best known figures of public life since the civil war, died yesterday evening at the Touro Infirmary, where he was under treatment. His last moments, surrounded by his wife and children, were peaceful and quiet. "A gallant soldier, a successful attorney, a wise and equitable judge, Judge Stone enjoyed the esteem of all who knew him. Vigorous and aggressive in his politics, devoted to principle and his ideas of right, politics to him was a duty and public office a thing not to be entered upon lightly or with any thought except the welfare of the people. "A churchman of high standing in the Episcopal Church of this State, he was a familiar figure in the councils of the church, where his vigorous eloquence decided many a question according to his views. The principles he advocated in religion he applied to his daily life, so that he was a churchman not only prominent but influential. "In Col. Stone's family, believers in heredity can find full explanation of the prominence which he achieved in the affairs of Louisiana. The son of Dr. John Wilmer Stone and a grandson of Bishop William M. Stone of Maryland, he came from Revolutionary stock, and in his character was reflected the unbending virtue of his ancestors, softened by the polish of far Southern influences. He was a brother of Jeannie Stone, who married Gen. Chas. P. Stone, U. S. A., who served gallantly in the Mexican War, winning a captain's commission when he was twenty-three years of age. He was an equally gallant Federal soldier in during the civil war as a Brigidier-General of volunteers, and after the civil war entered the service of the Khedive of Egypt, and became his chief of staff. Returning to this country in 1883, he was engineer-in-chief for the construction of the pedestal of Bartholdi's statue. "Col. Stone's father died shortly after the birth of the subject of this sketch. His widow married a Virginian, Franklin Hardesty, who came to Louisiana when a young man. He was a lawyer by profession, and was clerk of court for thirty years. By this marriage were two children, Frank and Ophelia, the former a the former a prosperous planter and the latter a prominent educator of this state. "Col. Stone was educated at Oakland College, Miss. His college career was cut short by the opening of the civil war. He enlisted in the Washington Artillery in Capt. B. F. Eshelman's battery, and proved one of the finest soldiers in that famous command. He was at his gun at Fredricksburg, Gettysburg, Second Manassas, Malvern Hill, Drury's Bluff, James River, siege of Pitsburg, and the fighting around Richmond, as well as the battles of lesser note in which the famous tiger artillerymen were engaged. Col. Stone's messmates testify that he was one of the finest soldiers in the battalion. Cheerful under the most adverse circumstances, accepting the greatest hardships with and unconcern which was both unaffected and infectious, his influence upon the men about him was most salutary, and he was one of the most popular men in the battalion. "After the war ended, Mr. Stone devoted his attention to planting for several years, then took up the study of law. Graduating, he practiced his profession with marked success. Those were the days when true men and tried were needed in public life. The opportunity was present, and Mr. Stone entered public life as a duty, resolved like many another patriot to redeem his State at whatever cost. He was one of the county leaders in the movement which placed Gen. Nicholls in the gubernatorial chair and represented the parish of East Feliciana in the constitutional convention of 1879. It was on his motion that the interest on the State debt was reduced. "After the democracy was firmly established in control of state affairs, Mr. Stone, who had become known as Col. Stone, remained in public life, throwing himself heart and soul, with a characteristic singleness of purpose, into every campaign, his eloquence and power of speech rendering valuable service to his friends. "As a prosecuting attorney, which position he filled in the district comprising East Feliciana and St. Helena parishes, he made an enviable record for himself, and later, when Gov. Foster placed him upon the bench, his record was no less honorable and creditable. "Judge Stone came to the city about three weeks ago for treatment at the Touro Infirmary, where everything that skill could do for him was done. "He was married in 1869 to Imogene, daughter of Judge John McVea of East Feliciana. Mrs. Stone survives him with seven children: Amanda, wife of Dr. Perkins of Avoyelles parish; C. P. Stone, employed in the Custom House here; John Stone, a student at Clinton; Miss Ophelia Stone, little Misses Wennie and Wilmer Stone and Miss Imogene Stone, who is a teacher in the St. Mary's Academy, at Raleigh, N. C." The above article, though very comprehensive as a whole, contains no mention of the part sustained by Col. Stone in the great lottery fight. Urged by the same unselfish motives which led him to have the interest on the State debt reduced in 1879, he threw himself heart and soul into the lottery campaign, and by the power of his ken and the force of his eloquence, did much to overthrow that great evil and force it from within our borders. In an open letter to Grover Cleveland, he urged that some mention be made in his message of this terrible octopus, and suggested that a recommendation be made to exclude the matter of the lottery from the mails, which was afterwards carried out by President Harrison. In all this, he was prompted by the grand impulse of love for the people, and the desire to benefit them by every means in his power. To the grief-stricken family, we extend our sincerest sympathy. It is hard, very hard, to be consoled in the loss of a loving husband and father, but we pray that the rays of hope may pierce through the darkness and gloom and light up for them a future which now seems wholly in the shadow.