Smith County, Texas
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George & Kerrenhappa came to Texas in 1837 and were the earliest settlers in the part of the territory, that later became Troup, Texas. At the time the nearest neighbor - save Col.Bowls, John Bowls, and Richard Fields, chiefs of The census of Cherokee County on October 10th, 1850 shows that George, age 35, was a stockraiser, had real estate valued at $1,000 and had remarried. (If the census was correct, G.W. Stone's birth year would have been 1815.) His new wife was Phobee Elizabeth Cadenhead, who was listed as 18 years of age and unable to read or write and was from Alabama. The census listed families in the order of visitation and shows that the visit to George was no.169. Interesting enough the Cadenheads that had temporarily lived with George and Kerrenhappa and now show up on the census as visit no.167 to T. M. Cattenhead and visit no.168 to J. F.Cattenhead. During this time George bought thousands of acres of land and was known as a wealthy farmer. It is thought that he may have been a also a frontier judge, due to common The census of Cherokee County on July 27th, 1860 showed George, age 42, was a farmer with property valued at $1,200. (If the census was correct, G. W. Stone's birth year would have been 1818.) Phobee, age 28, was listed as being able to read and write. They had 9 children: George (10yr), Mary E.(7yr), Nancy (5yr), Julia K.(4yr), Martha J.(4yr), Albert M.(2), Amanda J.(2yr), Octatia (4mo), Thomas J.(4mo). Phobee's sister, Mary Margaret Cadenhead (16yr) lived with them in the capacity of seamstress. Rumor was that George W.Stone had an affair with Mary Margaret, and father a child by her. Additionally, the Smith's were listed with the occupation of farming, Thomas (18yr), Hamit A (14yr), and J. Marion (12yr) and also listed as farming: Harmon Monroe Stone (19yr) and Adolphus Wakefield Stone (18yr) had moved back to live with their father. The Cadenhead families still live nearby. The census of Cherokee County on August 23rd, 1870 showed George, age 55, was farmer with property valued at $7,700, Phoebee Elizabeth was 36. (If the census was correct, G. W. Stone birth year would have been 1815.) By 1870, they had 13 children: George(19yr), Mary E.(16yr), Nancy (14yr), Julia K.(12yr), Martha J.(12yr), Albert (10), Amanda J. (10yr), Octatia (died), Thomas J.(8yr), Sidney S.(6yr), William (5yr), Sherman (4yr), Alice (2yr). Adeline Stone is listed as a Keeper of House and was the wife of the oldest boy, George. Mary Margaret Cadenhead no longer lived on the farm. Phoebee and George were said to have had 16 children, they later had 3 more children: Laura Jeannetta (born 1873), Theodocia E (born Aug.1874), and Susan Leona (born 1874). George died July 23rd, 1883 and was buried by the Dixie Masonic Lodge of Troup, Texas. He was laid to rest at twelve high with full Masonic honors, and buried in his own field and estate that he loved so well. Phoebe died in 1884 and left everything to Sidney Sanders Stone. Marriages of his children:
Divorce Decree: George W. Stone vs Kerrenhappa Stone. In the matter of Marriage George W. Stone vs Kerrenhappa Stone From certified copy the 1848 Rusk Co. Tex. #319 Now come the parties by their attorney and announces them ready for trial and now comes a jury of good and lawful men Ichica Simpsen, T. Allen Sernos, William Gray, Thomas McClure, John A. Windle, M L Clay, Leonard Tomlinson, Harrison Aleck, William McGee, William Fallwell, Silas Mercer and Robert W.Smith who being impowered and sworn as the statute provides upon their oaths so say they the jury find that the parties was married and that the defendant is guilty of the crime of adultery within the State of Texas and the county of Rusk. Robert W. Smith foreman. Upon the finding of which facts by the jury aforesaid, the court pronounced a decree which was ordered to be enacted, concluding with the following order, It is Ordered and decreed, that bond of Matrimony heretofore and existing between the said George W. Stone and Kerrenhappa Stone be now and forever dissolved so far as the said George W. Stone is concerned, and that he pay the cost of suit. (( During this time period, divorces were granted for only 2 reasons: adultery or insanity. )) From the 1883-1884 Minutes of the Dixie Masonic Lodge, Troup: July 17th, installation of officers. July 24th, special meeting was called for the purpose of burying brother G.W.Stone, who died at his home six miles east of Troup (TX), on July 23rd, 1983. Next is another special meeting, date not given, called for the purpose of burying Brother Joel Sanders, an honored and respected member, who died at his home at Old Knoxville site. At each of these funeral meetings committees were appointed to draft resolutions of respect for the deceased brothers, but if any were offered they were never spread on the minutes. Brother G.W. Stone lived three miles east and Brother Joel Sanders lived three miles west of the writer's home and birthplace, and I wish to honor them with a few remarks before leaving their memories to the past. G.W. Stone, alias Wash, alias Judge Stone, as he was commonly known, was one of the earliest settlers of Cherokee County, having settled where his son, Sid S. Stone, now lives, when the territory was part of Nacogdoches County. At one time his nearest neighbor - save Col. Bowls, John Bowls, and Richard Fields, chiefs of the Cherokees - was John Long, who resided near Rusk (TX) just thirty-two miles away. Brother Stone reared a large family and accumulated a fortune. At his request, and his last will, he was laid to rest with Masonic honors, and at high twelve, they buried him in his own field and estate that he loved so well. That the internal and not the external qualifications made the man was the Masonry that Judge Stone lived.
Confederate records from National Archives for these three brothers that were son's of George Washington Stone of Troup, Texas : Adolphus Wakefield STONE and his 2 brothers, Hiram Monroe STONE and Wesley Wiley Alexander STONE, joined Capt. Jack Davis' Company, Gregg's Reg't Texas Volunteers, Co.E 7th Reg't Texas Infantry on Sep. 21, 1861 in Rusk, Cherokee County. The 3 brothers listed above were the son's of George Washington Stone b.1812-1815 in TN d. Jul 23, 1883 in Troup, Smith Co, Texas and Kerrenhappa (Carrie Ann) Swinford Stone b. 1822 in NC daughter of Seith Swinford of SC and Elizabeth Cherry of SC. Adolphus Wakefield STONE - CSA records show: Sep 21, 1861 enrolled by Capt.Jack Davis at Rusk, Cherokee Co TX; Oct 2, 1861 Muster-in at Marshall TX at age 19; Feb 16, 1862 captured at Donelson; Jul 24, 1862 escaped but must have been recaptured because Sep 20, 1862 Prisoner of War roll on Steamer Jno.H.Done being sent to Vicksburg to be exchanged; Jan-Feb 1863 present; Mar-Jun 1863 present; Jul 6, 1863 left sick at Clinton MS; Oct 31, 1863 absent-in Texas on parole; Nov-Dec 1863 absent-was prisoner and paroled & is now in Texas without leave; Jan-Jun 1864 absent-captured at hospital in Clinton MS and was paroled & is now in Texas. Hiram Monroe STONE - CSA records show: joined Capt. Jack Davis' Company, Gregg's Reg't Texas Volunteers on Sep. 21, 1861 in Rusk, Cherokee County, Texas at the age of 21 for a period of 3 years or the duration of the war. On Feb 9, 1862 he was left sick at Clarksville, apparently he recovered and rejoined his unit. He received pay in the amount of $289.16 which was payment for services from enlistment to discharge on March 12, 1863 at Port Hudson, Louisiana.
Wesley Wiley Alexander STONE b.1844 in Rusk,TX d. 1922 in Falls Co, Texas and is buried in McClanahan Cemetery next to his brother, Adolphus Wakefield Stone b. Sep 1842 in Rusk, Texas d. June 06, 1910 in Marlin, Falls Co, Texas. Both grave sites have the same marker inscription "PVT Co E 7 Texas Regt Confederate States Army", but Wesley's has an additional engraving that resembles a cross (CSA Purple Heart?). Hiram Monroe Stone b. Sep 1841 in Rusk, Texas d. Nov 1900 in Smith Co, Texas
Submitted by: Dolores Stone Escalera |
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