Quoting a bio taken from the book “Williamson County in the World War 1917-1918”, “America means opportunity,” said Emerson. “An example of this truth is very fittingly proved in the career of Attorney George R. Stone, practicing lawyer of Marion.”
Born on a farm near Thompsonville, Franklin County, Illinois, on November 16, 1878, the son of Nathan Louis Stone and Malinda Helen Weir, he passed through the district schools at the age of sixteen, sharing the common hardships incident to a country boy’s life in that community in those days.
The 1880 census finds George at age 1 living with his parents in Northern Township in Williamson County. Northern is a township that no longer exists but when it did occupied roughly the eastern half of what is now Corinth Township in the northeast corner of the county.
This means that between 1878 and the 1880 census, the Stone family moved several miles south of their previous location out of Franklin and into Williamson County. George had an older sister named Olive Stone (a.k.a “Ollie”) and an older brother named Andy Stone.
At some point between the 1880 and 1900 census records, the Stone family moved to Marion, Illinois.
Determined to possess a good education, George spent a year at the State Normal at Carbondale and later attended Marion High School, graduating in the class of 1898.
He and Judge DeWitte T. Hartwell began reading law in the office of the latter’s father, Judge L.D. Hartwell in 1898, and later in the office of W. F. Slater and Duncan & Rea. Stone also took a correspondence course in law.
In 1900 he was selected Police Magistrate of the City of Marion and served for four years.
The 1900 census finds the Stone family living in Marion. George is now 21 and lists his occupation as lawyer, though I’m not sure how since he hadn’t been admitted to the bar yet. Other than George’s parents, other family members in the home are older sister Ollie Stone and a younger sister Alice May Stone, born in 1882. There are two boarders in the home, a schoolteacher and a cigar maker.
In 1901 Attorney Stone was married to Miss May Smith, daughter of lawyer Jacob C.B. Smith, and who was also a member of the Marion High School graduating class of 1898. William S. Burkhart was a classmate of George and May’s as well.
George was admitted to the bar in October, 1907 and formed a partnership with George W. Pillow and J. C. B. Smith (his father in law), under the firm name of Pillow, Smith & Stone. This partnership continued until 1910 when Attorney Smith retired from that firm, and the new firm of Pillow & Stone continued until January 1, 1917, after which time Attorney Stone maintained an office alone for several years, enjoying a very lucrative practice.
In politics he had always been an active Republican. In 1910 he lost the nomination for County Judge to W. F. Slater by a margin of eighteen votes.
The 1910 census finds George 31 and wife May 29 with one daughter, Helen May Stone aged 5. They are renting a home at 312 E. Everett St. next door to Dr. Dausa D. Hartwell, M.D. George lists himself as a general practice lawyer.
Beginning in 1912 he served three years as Assistant States Attorney of Williamson County under Judge D. T. Hartwell, the then States Attorney.
In 1915 he made the race for nomination for States Attorney for the unexpired term of Judge Hartwell and lost the nomination to Mr. Delos L. Duty, in quite a memorable campaign.
Also in 1915, George and May lose their only child Helen May Stone at the age of 10. She was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
On September 9, 1918, George registered for the WWI draft at the office on the square. He reveals on his registration that he is now living at 600 S. Thorne Place and is a self-employed lawyer with an office in the Marion State and Savings Bank on the square. He is 39 and described as medium height, slender build, blue eyes and brown hair. It was noted that he was crippled in the left hip and deaf in the left ear.
In 1917 and 1918, during WWI, a group of men called themselves the “Four Minute Men”. This group of men were all prominent community members such as W.O. Paisley and Judge Rufus Neely. Their purpose was to talk to the public at theaters and groups around Marion on subjects furnished by the U.S. government in four minutes or less. They would try and dissuade any German propaganda that may have been generated and try to calm any fears that may have occurred. They were also active in financial drives in support of the war.
In 1919 he represented the United Mine Workers of America in Sub-District 10 and a portion of Sub-District 9, as General Attorney, and was also District Attorney for the Central Illinois Public Service Company, besides doing a general practice.
In the 1920 census, George 40 and May 38 are living at 600 S. Thorne Place. They own the home and George is a general practice lawyer.
By the publication of the 1922 Marion directory, the couple have sold their Thorne Place home and purchased a home at 512 E. Everett Street.
By the 1927 directories, George had gone into partnership with August L. Fowler and formed the firm of Stone and Fowler. They occupied an office in Room 36 at the Marion State and Savings Bank on the square.
A listing in the 1927 directory also indicates George has an involvement in a business called The Elza Cash Company. So far I have found no listings on this business, but presume it to be a lending business.
By the 1930 census, George is now 51 and May is 49. They own their home on E. Everett Street and value it at $11,000.
George served as Marion Rotary Club President from 1932-33.
The 1940 census reflects the same with no changes except in their ages. Now, however, after the depression they value their home at $4,000. George indicates he worked 52 weeks out of the year in 1939, so he is still very active.
The Stone family home at 512 E. Everett in 1940 is just next door to the Longbons family at 514. Helen Longbons is 38 and living with her parents, Edward and Mamie (Bundy) Longbons that are both around 70 years old.
In April, 1941, George returned to the draft office, this time to register for WWII. He confirms that he still lives on E. Everett and is employed at the firm of Stone and Fowler. He was described then as blue eyes, grey hair, light complexion and a left leg that is shorter than his right.
On August 11, 1946, his wife May died at 65.
George lived until December 7, 1951 when he died suddenly at his home in Marion at age 73, due to a heart ailment. His body was handled by Frick funeral home and his funeral was at the Methodist Church. The small family of three were all buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Fraternally, Attorney Stone was an Elk, Mason, Modern Woodman and Woodman of the World.
Sam’s Notes:
May Smith Stone, his wife, was born November 23, 1880 in Stonefort, Illinois to Jacob C.B. Smith, a lawyer, and Julia Weber.
Andy Stone, George’s older brother, appears to have died in 1919 with burial in Rose Hill.
Sisters Ollie and Alice May Stone became Mrs. Ollie Stonum and Mrs. Alice Teplow who resided in California and were both invalids.
(Data extracted from “Williamson County in the World War”; The Daily Register, Harrisburg, Ill. dated Dec. 7 and 8, 1951; Federal Census Records; Marion City Cemetery Records; Marion City Directories; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 07/03/2013)