William Stone (attorney) facts for kids

William Stone (September 4, 1842 – May 22, 1897) was an important American figure in the 1800s. He served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he worked to help formerly enslaved people as an agent for the Freedmen's Bureau. He was also a lawyer and even became the Attorney General of South Carolina.

Early Life and Family

William Stone was born on September 4, 1842, in East Machias, Maine. His parents were Laura Poor Stone and Thomas Treadwell Stone. Both of his parents were strong supporters of ending slavery. His father was a Unitarian pastor and an abolitionist, meaning he actively worked to abolish slavery. William's great-grandfather, Thomas Treadwell, was a minuteman who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolution.

William spent his early years in Salem, Massachusetts. Later, his family moved to Bolton, Massachusetts. This move happened because his father's strong anti-slavery sermons made some people in Salem unhappy.

William's two older brothers went to Harvard University. This meant there wasn't much money left for William's education. However, William was very smart and taught himself a lot. He developed his own strong anti-slavery beliefs. He also kept detailed diaries, starting in 1858. These diaries recorded his experiences during the Civil War and his work in the South after the war.

In late 1860, when he was 18, William wrote a letter to his father. He correctly predicted that Abraham Lincoln would be elected president. However, he also thought that the Southern states would not actually leave the United States, which turned out to be wrong.

Serving in the Civil War

On April 12, 1861, Confederate cannons fired on Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War. William Stone, then 18 years old, volunteered to join the Union Army on May 8. After training, he officially joined the Nineteenth Massachusetts Infantry Regiment on June 28, 1861.

William Stone fought in several major battles of the Civil War. These included Savage Station, Antietam, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg. He was wounded at Antietam and later became a Second Lieutenant. After being wounded a third time at Gettysburg, he was given an administrative job in Philadelphia.

Helping After the War: The Freedmen's Bureau

When the Civil War ended in 1865, William Stone decided to stay in the army. In early 1866, he became a Major. He was then assigned to the new Freedmen's Bureau. This organization was created by Congress to help about four million formerly enslaved African Americans. Its goal was to help them transition from slavery to becoming free citizens. The Bureau aimed to provide education, ensure fair treatment in courts, and establish fair labor standards.

As an agent for the Bureau in South Carolina, William Stone worked hard to achieve these goals. He faced strong opposition from some white landowners and groups like the Ku Klux Klan. He often oversaw special courts to make sure freedmen were treated fairly in legal arguments. He also played a key role in setting up schools for children of former slaves in his area of South Carolina.

Later Life and Career

In 1869, Major Stone married Mary Taylor. She was a Quaker from Pennsylvania who had come to South Carolina to teach Black children. They had two sons, Alfred and Herbert. Herbert later became a well-known editor and publisher of Yachting magazine.

In 1870, Stone left the army. Because of his hard work and self-study, he became a certified lawyer in South Carolina. After a successful law career in Charleston, he became involved in state politics. In 1876, he was appointed Attorney General for South Carolina by Governor Daniel Henry Chamberlain.

In 1877, Governor Chamberlain lost his re-election to Wade Hampton III. William Stone then moved his family back North. He started a very successful law practice in New York City. He passed away in New York City in 1897. He is buried next to his wife in a Quaker Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

Images for kids

• William Stone, ca 1865

  William Stone around 1865.