STONER, Thomas W.
Thomas W. STONER is not only a prominent
farmer in Hopewell township, but is likewise prominent and is a
leader in the councils of the democratic party, taking an active
part in the various campaigns, believing it not only the
privilege, but the duty of every qualified voter to do all in
his power to disseminate his political views and advocate the
measures he regards as for the best interest of the
people. He was born in Richland
county, Ohio, February 2, 1841,
and is a son of Henry and Catherine (CASTLEMAN) STONER, the
former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Ohio.
Henry STONER was born in Berks county,
Pennsylvania, in 1796. He was the son of
John SONER, likewise a native of Pennsylvania. He married Catherine CASTLEMAN,
a native of Jefferson county, Ohio,
born in 1800, and a daughter of John CASTLEMAN, a native of Pennsylvania, but of German descent. They
were married in Ohio, and
settled in Richland county, where they
made a permanent home and there died some years ago. Of their
family of eight children, seven grew to maturity – Annie, now
Mrs. GOTCHALL, living in Nebraska; William, who died in Marshall
county, in 1866; John, who lives in Michigan; George, now living
in Richland county, Ohio; Jacob, who lives in Marshall county,
Illinois; Henry, now living in Nebraska; Mary, now Mrs.
BENEDICT, living in Richland county, Ohio; and T. W., the
subject of this sketch.
Our subject was born February 2, 1841, in
Richland county, Ohio,
and there grew to manhood on his father’s farm, receiving his
primary education in the public schools, then attended the
Savannah
Academy, in Ashland
county, and finishing his course at
Baldwin
University, near Cleveland, Ohio.
After leaving the university he taught school for a time in his
native county, and in 1864 removed to
Marshall county, Illinois, where he also taught several terms of school in
Bennington
township, in connection with his farming operations.
On the 15th of October, 1868, Mr. STONER
married Miss Eleanor Ann GERMAN, a sister of W. H. GERMAN, of Hopewell township. She was
born on Ox Bow Prairie, Putnam county, July 19, 1848. By this
union six children were born, five of whom are now living –
Wilbert Lee, Effie May, John R., Edna A., George H., and Harry
C. Of the number, John R. is deceased.
After living upon rented farms for five
years, in 1873 Mr. STONER came to Hopewell
township, Marshall
county, and settled upon his present farm on section 1. The farm
was partially improved at the time, but many improvements have
since been added by him. He has now five hundred acres, of which
three hundred and eighty acres are under cultivation. In
addition to general farming, Mr. STONER has engaged somewhat
extensively in stock raising, in which line of business he has
been quite successful. Upon his farm he has a number of head of
blooded polled Angus cattle, full-blooded Poland China hogs, and
also Duroc Jerseys. In addition he has imported Belgian and
full-blooded draft horses.
In politics, Mr. STONER affiliates with the
democratic party, and has taken an active interest in township
affairs. For twenty-three years he has served as school
director, has been supervisor of Hopewell
township four years, tax collector in
Bennington township one year, clerk of
Hopewell township two years, assessor of Hopewell township three
years, and is now serving his third term as justice of the
peace. He has been a delegate to county conventions for twenty
years, and has been a leader in his party. He comes of a
patriotic family, his grandfather, John STONER, serving in the
Revolutionary war, being present at the battle of
Bunker Hill. His brother Henry was a soldier in the
civil war as a member of the Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
Mr. STONER is not a member of any church, but was reared a
Methodist. Mrs. STONER is a member of the Christian church, and
in all religious and benevolent work takes an active interest
and does all in her power to advance the interest of the
Master’s cause.
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from
The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois,
1896.
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