BIO: Samuel M. Stone, Wyoming Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, PA & NY

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Judy Banja & Denise Phillips

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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Chaffee, Amasa Franklin. History of the Wyoming 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
New York: Eaton & Mains, 1904, pages 251-252.
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  STONE, SAMUEL MATTISON, was born on April 30, 1819, at Augusta, 
Oneida County, N.Y.  His father gave him the name of Mattison because 
of his love for Rev. Seth Mattison, a Methodist minister of old-time 
power.  He was one of eleven children, all of whom became members of 
the Methodist Church.  When ten years of age he was converted at a camp 
meeting held at his native place, which was attended by Bishop Roberts.  
Some time after this he became a member of the church at Stockbridge, 
N.Y., of which his father was one of the founders.
  His education preparatory to the ministry was received at Cazenovia 
Seminary.
  In 1841, he received an exhorter's license, and in the following year 
local preacher's license.
  On October 23, 1842, he married Miss Lydia E. Cook, of Stockbridge, 
N.Y., who survives him.
  In the spring of 1844 he removed to the Territory of Wisconsin, and 
settled in Fort Atkinson, and soon identified himself with the church 
there.  By the church in this place he was recommended to Conference, 
and he accordingly joined the Rock River Conference in August, 1847, 
and received deacon's orders from the same session of Conference.  His 
first appointment was Winnebago County, Wis.  He lived at Oshkosh, on 
the shore of Winnebago Lake, in a log house which measured on the 
inside ten by twelve feet.  It had a cellar, and a guest chamber two 
logs high, where the presiding elder and other guests were lodged.  He 
was the first Methodist minister with a family to live in Oshkosh.  In 
1848 the Rock River Conference was divided, a part of its territory 
becoming the Wisconsin Conference, and he thus became a member of 
Wisconsin Conference.  His appointments this year was Centerville.  
Here he found no house to live in except a very uncomfortable log 
house.  He was offered a building lot in a new village if he would 
agree to build a house on it.  He accepted the lot.  While he had never 
learned the carpenter's trade, he went to the woods and cut and hewed 
the timbers for the frame of his house.  He then borrowed an ox team 
and hauled the lumber needed from Winnebago.  The lumber being green, 
the house was not very comfortable the first winter, but thereafter was 
very satisfactory.  He served this charge two years, and in 1850 was 
sent to Lowell.  In his second year on this charge, 1851, fever so far 
reduced him in strength that he felt compelled to locate in 1852, and 
returned East.  The change of climate was so helpful that in 1854 he 
accepted work, taking Vernon Village, N.Y., as supply, and in 1855 he 
was admitted to Oneida Conference and sent to Decatur.  Failing health 
caused him to superannuate in 1867, and in the same spring he moved to 
Burleigh, Cape May County, N.Y., where he did some work, supplying 
Hamilton, South River, and Asbury charges in the New Jersey Conference.  
He became a member of Wyoming Conference by the acquisition of Oneida 
territory in 1869.
  His pastorates have been as follows:  1855-56, Decatur; 1857, 
Laurens; 1858, Oneonta; 1859, sy.; 1860-61, Vernon Center; 1862-63, 
Westmoreland; 1864-66, Warren; 1867-1901, sd.