William J. Stone

For the other Congressman W. J. Stone, see William Johnson Stone.

William Joel Stone
United States Senator from Missouri
In office March 4, 1903 – April 14, 1918
Preceded by	George G. Vest
Succeeded by	Xenophon P. Wilfley
28th Governor of Missouri
In office January 9, 1893 – January 11, 1897
Lieutenant	John Baptiste O'Meara
Preceded by	David R. Francis
Succeeded by	Lawrence Vest Stephens
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 12th district
In office March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
Preceded by	Charles H. Morgan
Succeeded by	David A. De Armond
Personal details
Born	(1848-05-07)May 7, 1848 Madison County, Kentucky
Died	April 14, 1918(1918-04-14) (aged 69) Washington, D.C.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Sarah Louise Winston (1852–1933)

William Joel Stone (May 7, 1848 – April 14, 1918) was a Democratic politician from Missouri who represented his state in the United States House of Representatives from 1885 to 1891, and in the U.S. Senate from 1903 until his death; he also served as the 28th Governor of Missouri from 1893 to 1897.

Biography

Stone was born near Richmond in Madison County, Kentucky, on May 7, 1848, and attended Richmond's public schools as a child; he graduated from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1867, whereupon he began the study of law. Admitted to the bar in 1869, he began practice that year in Bedford, Indiana. Soon he moved back to Columbia, where he was the city attorney for a time in 1870. Later that year he moved to Nevada, Missouri, and continued his practice, becoming the Vernon County prosecuting attorney from 1873 to 1874 and was a presidential elector for the Democratic ticket in 1876.

In 1884 Stone was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served until 1891; he did not seek renomination in 1890. In his time there he served as the chairman of the Committee on War Claims. From 1893 to 1897 he served as Missouri's governor, moving to Jefferson City in 1893. Beginning in 1896 he served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, serving in this capacity until 1904; he was the committee's vice-chairman from 1900 until his departure. In 1897 Stone moved to St. Louis, where he continued his practice; he returned to Jefferson City in 1903. In 1902 he was elected to the Senate, being reelected in 1908 and serving until his death.

Stone served as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and chaired that important committee from 1913 until his death. In this capacity, he was involved in disagreements with the Wilson administration concerning European policy before the U.S. entry into World War I. He was one of the six U.S. Senators who voted against the United States declaration of war against Germany on April 4, 1917 (the other five were Asle J. Gronna, Republican from North Dakota, Robert M. La Follette, Republican from Wisconsin, Harry Lane, Democrat from Oregon, George W. Norris, Republican from Nebraska, and James K. Vardaman, Democrat from Mississippi). He supported acquisition of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Stone also served at various times as chairman of the Committee on Additional Accommodations for the Library, the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, the Committee on Corporations Organized in the District of Columbia, and the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Stone died in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1918; he is buried in Nevada, Missouri. His seat was filled until the 1918 election by Xenophon P. Wilfley. Some of Stone's personal and official papers are archived at the State Historical Society of Missouri, where they are open to researchers.

His son, Kimbrough Stone (1875 – 1958), served as a circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

See also

• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

Further reading

United States Congress. "STONE, William Joel (id: S000968)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. - Congressional biography with picture

External links

• William J. Stone at Find a Grave
• William J. Stone, late a senator from Missouri, Memorial addresses delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate frontispiece 1917