William Patrick Stone was born in about 1814 (404), likely in Tennessee, or possibly in Virginia. His parents have not been identified.

By age 19 years, William P. Stone was in Mississippi where on 20 Sep 1833 he committed to a contract to survey land (398). During the fourth quarter of 1834, he surveyed Township 23 North of Range 3 West in the Choctaw Land District, for which he was paid $5 per mile totaling $360.72. He completed and signed this survey on 8 Feb 1835 (398). William P. Stone was living in Washington County, Mississippi by 1 Mar 1837 when he witnessed a deed by Wylie Bohannon and his wife Ann to W. H. and A. M. Paxton (412). On 16 May 1837, William P. Stone mortgaged land on Deer Creek in Washington County, Mississippi.

William Patrick Stone and Amanda Susan Ragan married in Hinds County, Mississippi on 6 Nov 1838 (540). At the time of their marriage, William Stone was about 24 years old, and Amanda Ragan was age 17 years.

A May 1839 deed by Jesse B. Ragan and Sarah King (Bohannon) Ragan with William Patrick Stone names William Stone as being of Washington County, Mississippi (514). On 6 Jul 1839, William P. Stone and R. M. Williamson assumed surety on a note by David W. Connelly for $6,842.72 payable on 1 Feb 1841 to G. W. Denton (93).

In Oct 1839, a first child, William Ragan Stone, was born to Amanda Susan (Ragan) Stone and William Patrick Stone in Hinds County, Mississippi (401).

The 1840 federal census enumerates the Jesse B. Ragan household in Hinds County, Mississippi (389). A male age 20–29 and a female age 15–19 were likely William Patrick Stone and Amanda Susan Stone. A male 0–4 years of age was likely their first child, William Ragan Stone.

On 8 Jan 1841, a daughter, Sarah Katherine Stone, was born to Amanda Susan and William Patrick Stone at Mississippi Springs in Hinds County, Mississippi (402).

On 10 Dec 1841, William Patrick Stone of Washington County, Mississippi was issued a patent for 80.31 acres of land described as the west 1/2 of the southwest 1/4 of Section 29 in Township 15 of Range 4 East in the District of lands subject to sale at Jackson, Mississippi (473). On 10 Dec 1841, William P. Stone acquired land in Holmes and Warren Counties of Mississippi (474). A 34.26 acre parcel—Township 18 North of Range 2 East, Section 5, Aliquot Parts: South 1/2, East 1/2 Northeast 1/4—and a 40.5 acre parcel in Warren County, Mississippi were both acquired jointly with Russell M. Williamson and Hiram G. Runnels of Hinds County, Mississippi (475).

On 1 Feb 1843, Jacob B. Womack and William P. Stone of Hinds County, Mississippi acquired 402.38 acres of land in Yazoo County, Mississippi, USA described as Choctaw Meridian, Township 11 North of Range 2 West, Section 11, Aliquot Parts: South 1/2 (476).

Two additional children were born to William P. and Amanda Susan Stone in Mississippi: Coleman Stone in about 1844 and Frederick Walter Stone in about 1845; both likely in Hinds County, Mississippi.

Before Oct 1846, the Stone family migrated from Hinds County, Mississippi to Madison Parish, Louisiana where William P. Stone established Stonington Plantation near the town of Delta in Madison Parish. Land on the Mississippi River owned by Col. W. P. Stone is depicted on a map of Louisiana by John La Tourrette published in 1848 and on a later version published in 1853 (87). A son, James Armstrong Stone, was born in Madison Parish, Louisiana on 1 Oct 1846 (403, 736).

In Jan 1849, the Mississippi High Court of Errors and Appeals considered an appeal by William P. Stone and others regarding debts associated with land in Washington County, Mississippi (93).

The 1850 federal census of Madison Parish, Louisiana enumerates the William P. Stone household including Amanda S. Stone, 28 years old and born in Mississippi; William R. Stone, age 11; Coleman P. Stone, age 7; Fredrick W. Stone, age 6; and James A. Stone, 4 years old (404). William Patrick Stone was 36 years old, born in Tennessee, and working as a planter. Also living in the William P. Stone household was Thompson E. Stone, an 18 year-old student, born in Tennessee. Presumably, Thompson E. Stone was a relative of William P. Stone.

Soon after the 19 Aug 1850 federal census of Madison Parish, Louisiana, a son, John Beverly Stone, was born to William P. and Amanda Susan Stone in Madison Parish (395, 406).

On 2 Nov 1850, William P. Stone of Hinds County, Mississippi acquired 49 acres of land in Holmes County, Mississippi described as Township 17 North of Range 1 West, Section 13, Lot/Tract 15 on the Choctaw Meridian (477).

On 23 Dec 1853, a daughter, Amanda Rebecca Stone, was born to William P. And Amanda Susan Stone at Delta in Madison, Louisiana (424). A daughter, Cornelia Stone was born in about 1853; she died soon after birth.

William P. Stone died on 6 Dec 1855 at about 41 years of age. He was buried on the Stonington Plantation near Delta in Madison Parish, Louisiana. In about Nov 1860, Amanda Susan Stone had his remains removed to a family burial plot on the Brokenburn Plantation in Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Notes and Comments

At the 1850 federal census, William Patrick Stone was 36 years old, implying that he was born in about 1814 (404). The 1850 census enumerates William P. Stone as born in Tennessee, and where specified, subsequent Stone family census records consistently list William P. Stone as born in Tennessee.

Assuming that William P. Stone was born in about 1814, then he was 18 to 19 years old on 9 Nov 1833 when he contracted to survey land in the Choctaw Land District of Mississippi (398).

Interactions between William Stone and the ancestors of his wife Amanda Susan (Ragan) Stone began as early as 1 Mar 1837 when he witnessed a deed made in Washington County, Mississippi by Wiley Bohannon and his wife Ann (King) Bohannon (412). Wiley and Ann Bohannon were grandparents to Amanda Susan Ragan.

On 29 May 1861, Kate Stone wrote in her journal that her brother William Ragan Stone was 15 months older than her, implying that he was born in Oct 1839 (401).

The William P. and Amanda Stone family migrated from Mississippi to Louisiana prior to the birth of their son, James Armstrong Stone in Madison Parish, Louisiana on 1 Oct 1846 (410, 403).

The 1850 federal census of Madison Parish, Louisiana enumerates the household of Colin B. Buckner, a 28 year old physician born in Virginia. Laura L. Buckner, 18 years old and born in Mississippi, was the only other member of the Buckner household. Laura L. Buckner was Amanda Susan (Ragan) Stone’s sister, Vansa Laura L. Ragan.

In a 29 Nov 1861 journal entry, Kate Stone wrote that Ashburn R. Ragan was buried in a new family graveyard just back of the house at Brokenburn and that William Patrick Stone and two little sisters “were removed from the old graveyard a year ago” (401).  One of the deceased sisters likely was Cornelia Stone, who died in about 1853. The other sister has not been identified, and presumably died soon after birth.

Sources

87. “Louisiana Map Showing Townships, Sections and Plantations.” John La Tourrette, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1848.

93. Smedes, W. C., and T. A. Marshall. High Court of Errors and Appeals, State of Mississippi. Volume 12 Containing all Cases for the January 1849 Term. Charles C. Little and James Brown, Boston, 1849. Page 73.

389. Jesse B. Ragan Household, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Hinds County, Mississippi. Roll 214, Page 203. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.(Images: Ancestry.com, Image on file.)

395. Obituary, John Beverly Stone, 25 Nov 1928. (Image on file.)

398. Survey Plat, Township 23, Range 3 West, Choctaw Land District, Mississippi, Surveyor’s Office, Jackson, Mississippi, 8 Feb 1835. (Image on file.)

401. Stone, Sarah Katherine. Brokenburn: The Journal of Kate Stone 1861–1868. John Q. Anderson (Ed.). Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1972.

402. Petition to United Daughters of the Confederacy, Louisiana Division, Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana. Kate Stone Holmes, 21 Oct 1903. (Image on file.)

403. Obituary, James Armstrong Stone. The Madison Journal. Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana, 1905. (Image on file.)

404. William P. Stone Household, Madison Parish, Louisiana, 19 Aug 1850. Western District, Roll M432_233, Page 382, Image 95. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

406. Gravestone, John Beverly Stone, Silver Cross Cemetery, Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana, USA. Find A Grave Memorial 13762812. (Image on file.)

412. Deed by Wylie Bohannon and wife Ann to W. H. and A. M. Paxton, Washington County, Mississippi, 1 Mar 1837. Washington County, Mississippi Deed Book G, 30 Dec 1837 – 23 Nov 1839, Page 230.

424. Petition to United Daughters of the Confederacy, Louisiana Division, Madison Parish, Louisiana. Amanda Rebecca Stone, 5 Mar 1902. (Original and images on file.)

473. Patent Issued to William P. Stone of Washington County, Mississippi, 10 Dec 1841, 80 acres. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. General Land Office. Document 29641, Jackson Land Office. (Image on file.)

474. Patent Issued to William P. Stone, Russell M. Williamson, and Hiram G. Runnels of Hinds County, Mississippi, 10 Dec 1841, 34.26 acres. Document Number 29684. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. General Land Office, Jackson Land Office. (Image on file.)

475. Patent Issued to William P. Stone, Russell M. Williamson, and Hiram G. Runnels of Hinds County, Mississippi, 10 Dec 1841, 40.5 acres. Document Number 29685. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. General Land Office, Jackson Land Office. (Image on file.)

476. Patent Issued to Jacob B. Womack and William P. Stone, 402.38 acres, 2 Feb 1843. Document Number 17373. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. General Land Office, Jackson Land Office. (Image on file.)

477. Patent Issued to William P. Stone, 49 acres, 2 Nov 1850. Document Number 25548. General Land Office Records, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior. General Land Office, Jackson Land Office. (Images: BLM. Image on file.)

514. Indenture by Jesse B. Ragan to William P. Stone, Warren County, Mississippi, 1 May 1839. Warren County, Mississippi Deed Book N, Pages 248-252. (Print and images on file.)

540. Marriage Bond, License, and Certificate, William Patrick Stone and Amanda Susan Ragan, Hinds County, Mississippi, 6 Nov 1838. (Print and image on file.)

623. Jesse B. Ragan Household, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Warren County, Mississippi, 2 Oct 1850. Roll M432_382, Page 244, Image 455. (Images: Ancestry.com. Image on file.)

736. Invitation to Mr. and Mrs. James A. Stone, Tallulah, Madison Parish, Louisiana. (Original and images on file.)