SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

Frank Stone, Page 642

FRANK STONE, of Sheboygan, correspondent and city agent for the Sheboygan County News, is one of the best known of the old settlers of Sheboygan County.  His numerous sketches and anecdotes of the pioneers and pioneer times in this county have constituted a distinctive, as well as an interesting, feature of the News for many years, adding materially to the popularity and circulation of that journal.

    Mr. Stone was born in the town of Wendell, Franklin County, Mass., August 2, 1825, and is a son of Lewis and Lucy (Howe) Stone.  His parents were natives of the same town as their son.  In 1848, Frank, with his parents, came West, and settled in Sheboygan.  The father was engaged in merchandising on Eighth Street, at what is now N. 422.  Frank was associated with his father in business, which was continued in Sheboygan for seven years, or until 1855, when they removed to Wilmington, Ill., and engaged in farming.

    Prior to leaving Sheboygan, the subject of this sketch was married, in this city, to Miss Belle, a daughter of Ira and Charlotte Bliss, in January, 1851.  Mrs. Stone was born in Ilion, Herkimer County, N. Y., and came to Sheboygan County with her parents in 1848.  Her father is deceased, but her mother is still residing on the old homestead near Sheboygan.  Mrs. Stone was called from her earthly home to "one not made with hands" November 25, 1869.

    Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Stone, as follows:  Jessie May, who died at the age of six years; Louise, who died at the age of fifteen; Esther F., who is a physician of the Christian science faith, an artist of recognized talent and skill, and now a member of the New York Art League, making New York City her home; and Herbert F., the only son, who is an artist by profession, and a newspaper correspondent.  He is also a member of the New York Art League and resides in New York.

    In the spring of 1871, Mr. Stone returned to Sheboygan, which has since been his home.  From the time of his return until the burning of the Crocker & Bliss Chair Factory, he was employed as shipping clerk in that concern.  Subsequently, he was connected with other factories until 1886, when he became associated with the Sheboygan County News as correspondent and city agent, continuing until the present time.  Mr. Stone had some two years' journalistic experience while in Illinois, as associate editor and part owner of the People's Advocate, of Wilmington.

    Our subject has been a member of the Congregational Church for many years, and for twenty years was sexton of that church.  He was also Librarian of the Sheboygan Library Association a number of years, and has always taken great interest in Sunday-school work.  At one time in the history of the Congregational Sunday-school, when its condition was such that the pastor and teachers thought seriously of discontinuing it, Mr. Stone came to the rescue, and succeeded in awakening a new interest in the work, restoring its vitality to such an extent that the school has since been conducted uninterruptedly for a period of forty years.

    Mr. Stone has won a warm place in the hearts of many of his old settler friends by his interesting and humorous stories of early days, and by his feeling and appropriate words and character sketches of his old-time friends.