Thomas Treadwell Stone facts for kids

Thomas Treadwell Stone (born February 9, 1801 – died November 1895) was an American pastor. He was a Unitarian, which is a type of Christian faith. Stone was also a strong supporter of ending slavery and a Transcendentalist thinker.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Treadwell Stone was born on February 9, 1801. His hometown was Waterford, Maine. His parents were Solomon Stone and Hepzibah Treadwell Stone. Thomas's grandfather, Thomas Treadwell, was a brave soldier. He fought with the Minutemen at the battle of Bunker Hill.

Waterford was a new farming area back then. Thomas's father, Solomon, worked as a farmer. Thomas went to Bridgton Academy for his schooling. He then graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820.

Family and First Jobs

In January 1825, Thomas married Laura Elizabeth Poor. They got married in Andover, Maine. Laura's brother, Henry Varnum Poor, became a famous financial expert. He helped start a company that later became Standard & Poor's.

Thomas and Laura had a large family. They had seven sons and five daughters. After studying religion, Thomas became a minister. He worked in Oxford County, Maine. From 1824 to 1830, he served at the Orthodox Congregational Church in Andover. Then, from 1830 to 1832, he was the head of Bridgton Academy. One of his students there was John Albion Andrew. John later became the Governor of Massachusetts during the Civil War. He was also a strong opponent of slavery.

Fighting Against Slavery

From 1832 to 1846, Stone and his family lived in East Machias, Maine. He was the pastor of the Union Church there. During this time, Stone became an early supporter of ending slavery. He believed slavery was a national problem. He told his church members that Christians should fight against slavery.

East Machias was a place with many smart people. Many of Stone's church members later became important religious leaders. They worked at colleges like Bowdoin College and Yale Divinity School. Stone also gave talks for the Massachusetts Anti-slavery Society.

In 1837, Stone gave a powerful sermon called The Martyr of Freedom. He spoke about the killing of his friend, Elijah Parish Lovejoy. Lovejoy was a minister and publisher who printed anti-slavery newspapers. Mobs destroyed his printing presses. He was killed while trying to protect his office in Illinois. Stone urged people to speak the truth about slavery. He said slavery harms everyone, not just the enslaved.

Because of his strong views, Stone was removed as a Congregationalist minister in 1844. In 1846, he moved his family to Massachusetts. He became the pastor of the First Church of Salem (Unitarian). He served there until 1852. In Salem, he met other famous anti-slavery leaders. These included Ralph Waldo Emerson and William Lloyd Garrison.

In 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed. This law made it harder for enslaved people to escape to freedom. Many people in New England were very angry about it. Stone became even more involved in helping enslaved people. This caused problems with some people in his church. In August 1851, he was formally asked to leave his job. Many other ministers who supported the anti-slavery cause also lost their jobs.

In December 1851, Stone spoke to the Salem Female Anti-Slavery Society. His wife, Laura Poor Stone, was a member of this group. She even made a special quilt about ending slavery. In his speech, Stone said that slavery goes against God's plan for people. He asked everyone to pray for slavery to end. He also thanked those who stood strong for the cause, even when others rejected them. In November 1852, Stone and his family moved to Bolton, Massachusetts. He became the minister of the First Parish of Bolton.

Transcendentalist Ideas

Thomas Treadwell Stone was also part of the Transcendentalist movement. This was a new way of thinking in New England. It focused on individual freedom and the goodness of people and nature. Stone knew many of the main Transcendentalist thinkers. He wrote essays for The Dial magazine, which was important for the movement. His essays included "Man and the Ages" and "Calvinist's Letter." Stone was very interested in these new ideas. He worked hard to bring about social change.

Family During the Civil War

In 1859, Thomas and Laura moved to Brooklyn, Connecticut. He became a pastor there in 1860. The American Civil War started soon after. The war was largely about ending slavery. This must have given Stone hope.

Four of his sons joined the Union Army.

• His son, William, was wounded in two major battles: Antietam in 1862 and Gettysburg in 1863. After the war, William worked for the Freedmen's Bureau. This group helped formerly enslaved people. He was dedicated to equal rights for Black people.
• Another son, Lincoln Ripley Stone, was a surgeon. He served in the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. This was one of the first Black regiments in the Union Army.
• His son, George Herbert Stone, was a private. He died while serving in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1863.
• His son, Henry, became a lieutenant colonel in a U.S. Colored Troops regiment.
• His son, Alfred, became a well-known architect.

Later Years

In 1866, Bowdoin College gave Stone a special degree. It was a Doctor of Divinity degree. In his later years, he still preached and gave talks. Stone returned to Bolton in 1871. He spent his final years writing. He passed away in Bolton in November 1895. His funeral was held in Salem, and he and his wife are buried there. They rest in Harmony Grove Cemetery.

Selected Writings

• "An address on the introduction of historical studies into the course of common education", 1831
• "Christianity fitted for universal diffusion : a sermon", 1837
• "Influence of intemperance on the moral sensibility: an address", 1829
• "The rod and the staff", 1856
• "The martyr of freedom : a discourse", 1838
• "Roger Williams, the prophetic legislator, a paper read before the Rhode Island historical society", 1871