Henry J. Stone Biography


	This biography appears on pages 174-177 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				HENRY J. STONE. 

	Henry J. Stone, who owns a barber shop in Custer and is also 
extensively interested in mining, was born on one of the Fox islands in 
Lake Michigan. When he was a child the family went to Chicago on a 
small vessel owned by his father, who later sold the ship and purchased 
a residence in Chicago but was not permitted to enjoy his new home long 
as he and a son and daughter all died in that city within a week of 
cholera. The mother subsequently returned with the remainder of the 
family to the island where our subject was born and was there married a 
second time, the ceremony being performed at the lighthouse. Mr. Stone 
of this review was about ten years of age when his mother and 
stepfather removed to Story county, Iowa, and not long afterward he and 
his sister left home as there was considerable friction between them 
and their stepfather. His sister was about twelve years of age at that 
time and lived with a farmer in Story county until her marriage. The 
mother and stepfather eventually removed to Minnesota, where she passed 
away a number of years later. She returned to Adams county to visit her 
daughter and our subject saw her then. A younger brother, George, 
remained with his mother and stepfather and our subject has never seen 
him since the removal of the family to Minnesota. 

	Mr. Stone of this review first resided with a Mr. French after 
leaving home and following the demise of that gentleman made his home 
with William Thompson, also a resident of Story county, for about six 
months. He then returned to the French home and assisted Mrs. French 
with the work of the place. Some time later he went to live with 
William Larrabee and upon their removal from Story county he went to 
the home of Eli French, a brother of the Mr. French with whom he had 
previously lived. Subsequently he made his home with a Mr. Evans but as 
he was not allowed to go to school he went to the home of a Mr. Cross, 
with whom he remained about nine months, during which time he attended 
school for about six weeks. Upon leaving that place he lived with a Mr. 
Kegley until the outbreak of the war. Mr. Stone was then a youth in his 
teens and became a member of Company D, Tenth Iowa Regiment, enlisting 
on the 26th of August, 1861. He served for over four years, being 
mustered out at Little Rock, Arkansas, on the 15th of August, 1865. He 
then went to Boone county, Iowa, and worked upon a farm, thus providing 
for his support. He realized the need of a better education and 
attended school there for several winters, after which he attended the 
State Agricultural College during the first year of its existence. Upon 
leaving that institution he taught school for two terms, one term in 
Story county and one in Boone county, but in 1872 he abandoned teaching 
and went to Grand Island, Nebraska. He entered a claim in Merrick 
county, that state, and proved up on his land, residing there until 
about 1879. In that year he went to Sidney, South Dakota, and in 1880 
he arrived in Rockerville, this state, where he remained until 1881, 
which year witnessed his removal to Custer. He opened a barber shop in 
that city and has since owned and conducted it, his place of business 
remaining the same room throughout the intervening third of a century. 
He has built up a large business and derives therefrom a good income. 
He also owns stock in the Custer Electric Light, Heat & Power Company 
and is extensively interested in mining projects in Colorado and the 
Black Hills, also in oil at Newcastle, Wyoming, and has a third 
interest in the Glen Rock Mining Company, which owns valuable mines 
seven miles west of Custer. 

	Mr. Stone is independent in his political views, supporting the 
candidate whom he deems best fitted for the office in question without 
regard to his party ties. Since taking up his residence in Custer Mr. 
Stone has traveled extensively and has gained much valuable knowledge 
and experience from visiting various parts of the country. In 1886 he 
spent considerable time in California and in 1893 he visited the 
World's Fair in Chicago. In 1913 he traveled over a number of the 
southern states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama, 
and continued his journey to Iowa, visiting a sister who resides at 
Mount Etna, Adams county, that state. He has also gone to Rhode Island 
and New York and has a knowledge of conditions in all sections of the 
country. His success is the more creditable when the fact is considered 
that he has been dependent upon his own resources since about ten years 
of age and that everything that he has accomplished has been the result 
of his own efforts and ambition. The qualities of perseverance, 
determination and courage are everywhere admired but are deemed 
especially worthy of praise in the west and Mr. Stone is deservedly 
held in high regard in Custer.