Thomas
Wesley Stone
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to my pedigree chart
I am taking the following notes from Notable Southern Families,
by Zella Armstrong, published 1918 and from Goodspeed's History of East
Tennessee.
Hurst & Stone, attorneys at law, Tazewell, Tenn.,
practice in the courts of Claiborne County, and in the Supreme Court at
Knoxville. The partnership was formed in the fall of 1885. Members of the firm
are Thomas W. Stone and E. A. Hurst, both of whom reside at Tazewell.
T. W. Stone was born in the Eight Civil District of Claiborne County,
three and one-half miles southeast of Tazewell, June 21, 1844. His father Thomas
H. Stone, came from North Carolina
to Claiborne County when he was quite a small boy, nearly eighty years ago.
He grew up on the farm, and married Mary Harper, who
was the daughter of Willis Harper, one of the eldest settlers in the
county. Thomas W. Stone was the ninth child of a family of eleven all
but one of whom grew to manhood and womanhood, and all but two of whom still
live and have families. He was raised on the farm, and his education was very limited.
The war broke out while he was yet young, (picture of
T.W. Stone) and before he had gone to school exceeding eighteen months
altogether. On September 16, 1862, he was conscripted by the Confederate Army,
and remained with Company C, Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry ( Also known as 12th
(DAY'S) TENNESSEE CAVALRY BATTALION ), until the fall of 1863, when he
escaped from that army, (you might find this story
about conscription into the Confederate army interesting) and in February,
1864, volunteered in the Federal
Army, Company
H, Twelfth Tennessee Cavalry. He was sergeant and clerk of his company, and
remained with it until October 1865, when he was honorably discharged. After
the war he engaged in farming, married Louvina Beeler, a daughter of Daniel
and Louvina Beeler, members of the oldest families of Grainger County,
December, 1867. He lived in Grainger County two years, then came to Claiborne,
where he farmed and sold goods until he was elected clerk of the circuit court of said county in 1874. He
served in this capacity one term, during which time he studied law. He obtained
a license in 1878, and has, since that time, been engaged in the practice of
that profession, together with mercantile and other business. He was a member
of the firm of T. W. Stone & Co., saddlers and harness makers, of Stone
& Wall, and of White & Stone, merchants, of Carr & Stone
and of Rogers & Stone, attorneys. He was elected justice of the
peace in August, 1882, and still holds that position: served as chairman of
county court for the year 1885. He has acquired some property, and has real
estate in and near Tazewell worth some $3500.
He has one child, a son, by his first marriage, whom he has
given a very fair education. His wife, Louvina, died in April, 1877, and
he married Harriet Hurt the
following August with whom he is now living. He was chairman of the Democratic
executive committee of this county from 1876 to 1884, and has been a member of
the Missionary Baptist Church since 1872. He was made a Mason in 1874, and has
been an officer in Evening Star Lodge, ever since: was Master of the lodge
during the year 1883.
His first wife was a member of the Methodist Church, his last is a member of the Missionary Baptist.( This was written in 1887 p. 1111 of the Claiborne County Pension Book).
