Scott County Arkansas Biographies

Waldron News
15 April 1976
The Scott County Bicentennial Committee Salutes:
The Stone Family

The Stone family has been prominently identified with the growth, progress, and history of Scott County, Arkansas since the early 1840's when William DeFodger Stone moved there from Maury County, Middle Tennessee. He settled on a farm in the Square Rock community about 3 miles north of Waldron on what is now U.S. Highway 71. In later years he developed a farm near Abbott, Arkansas, in the Lewis Prairie community on Petit Jean Creek.

Married to Katharine Elizabeth Archer of Sebastian County, they had 5 children: Dr. James H. Stone who was practicing physician in Mansfield, Arkansas for many years, Thomas Washington Stone who lived in Waldron, Christopher C. Stone who was a merchant in Waldron for about forty years, Mary Virginia Stone who lived in Los Angeles, California and was a teacher and a land developer, Julia Stone Hotzclaw (Holtzclaw?) who also lived in Los Angeles, California and was a teacher and a housewife. William DeFodger Stone, a farmer and stockman, enlisted in the Confederate Army in Arkansas during the War Between the States. he was wounded during the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, which necessitated the amputation of his leg.

Thomas Washington Stone (1850-1923) was born in the Square Rock community near Waldron in Scott County. He was married to Hettie Lee Hough (1854-1839) of Parks, Arkansas, Scott County, in 1883. The daughter of Major Chapman Levy Hough and Martha Pollyanna Bourland Hough. Hettie Lee Hough was a teacher and was postmistress at Parks, Arkansas. She was educated at the Booneville, Arkansas Academy and the Fort Smith, Arkansas Academy. Served as Chairman of the Home Defense League of Scott County for food conservation appointed by Herbert Hoover during World War I. Major Hough, a farmer and stockman in Fourche LaFave Valley, served in the Confederate Army as an officer, enlisted from Texas. He moved from Florence, Alabama to Scott County in the late 1840's and served as Scott County Surveyor for forty years. In Alabama he served as U.S. Government Surveyor. For several generations, members of the Stone and Hough families have affiliated with the Methodist Church and the Masonic and Eastern Star Orders.

Thomas Washington Stone was reared in Scott County and as a young boy, during the war years, he took his mother, her younger children and older relatives by wagon train to Kansas as refugees from the war area of Western Arkansas. The real enemies of this refugee experience were the bush-whackers (outlaws) who robbed, killed, and pillaged the countryside.

After the war Mr. Stone received his formal education by attending Cane Hill, Arkansas Academy in Washington County and later at the University. he read law in the office of Judge Whyth Walker of Fayetteville, Ark. and was admitted to the practice of law. he was a teacher in Scott County and served as postmaster at Waldron and as County and Probate Judge of Scott County. He was an aide to the Federal Court at Fort Smith presided over by Judge Isaac Parker.

Mr. Stone was a partner with George Hughes (an early settler in Waldron) in the General Mercantile business and in the same building he operated the Post Office as Postmaster from 1870 to 1883 by appointment from President Rutherford B. Hayes. There were no banks in Waldron at that time but the merchants kept book accounts for their customers for cash received and disbursed. Money was transported to and from Ft. Smith (the nearest banking town) by mail stage. Post Office Money Orders served as exchange checks. Thomas Washington Stone and Hettie Hough Stone had seven children.

Ethel Elizabeth Stone Bates (1884-1958) was a teacher in Scott County and served as Scott County Home Supervisor for Farm Security Administration, U.S. Government in the 1930's. She was married to Gregg C. Bates, a prominent Waldron merchant.

Edna Stone Baker (1886-1926) a teacher in Scott County, was married to William E. Baker, publisher and editor of Advance Reporter and Scott County Record at Waldron.

Martha Katherine Stone (1887-1971) a prominent educator who was a teacher in Scott County and many other schools in Arkansas and Oklahoma for over fifty years. She retired in Waldron.

Levy DeFodger Stone (1891-1929) was a teacher in Scott County and a railway machinist in Kansas City, Missouri. He was married to the former Zella Taff of Scott County.

Hilda Hough Stone Martin, a teacher in Scott County, Fort Smith and Oklahoma for a number of years, was married to Millard F. Martin who was a retired manager of Hot Springs Division of Arkansas Best Freight Lines at the time of his death. Mrs. Martin now resides in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Elsie Stone died in infancy.

Thomas Washington Stone, Jr., a Scott County teacher, served as Deputy Sheriff of Scott County. He began his banking career at First National Bank of Waldron in 1925. He is married to the former Beatrice Oliver of Hartford, Sebastian County, Arkansas. They reside in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he serves as Chairman of the Board of First National Bank.

This was written by a son, Thomas Washington Stone, Jr., of Hot Springs. Happy Birthday, U.S.A.