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Abner Miller Stone

When I was a child the original of this picture, in large oval frame, beside a picture of Dony Taylor Stone, was hung on the wall of the middle bedroom of the A. M. Stone homeplace, Blevins, Falls County, Texas.

It is not known where the original pictures are now.

Lena Stone Criswell

Hairston Barn

It is legend in family that Abner Miller Stone left Scott Co., MS on horseback after the settlement of his mother's estate c 1887. Some say he bought a horse and saddle and headed for Texas. We know he arrived in Falls Co., Texas around this time. He worked at the Ed Hairston farm. Later, Roy Hairston lived here - then the house was lived in by the W. I. "Ike" Allen family. Later Ab Stone began to acquire his own land. This picture was made in 1987 by Clois D. Stone. The barn no longer stands.

Lena Stone Criswell

The Siblings of Abner Miller Stone

James Presley Stone, Sr. and his second wife Martha Olive (Crecelius) Stone

The Siblings of Abner Miller Stone

There are no pictures that have been found of Abner Miller Stone's parents - David and Mary (Johnson) Stone but here are a few pictures that have come from as far away as Scott Co., Ms - and one may even have been stored in the attic at the A. M. Stone homeplace. These are only camera copies.

James Presley Stone, Sr. was the eldest child of David and Mary (Johnson) Stone. He was born on Aug. 1, 1848 in Edgefield Co., South Carolina. He died on Feb. 19, 1921 and is buried in Antioch Cemetery in Scott Co., MS. He married (1) Susan Walters - and they had 5 children. After her death he married Martha Olive "Mattie" Crecelius. She was the daughter of E. C. "Cline" and Mary (Fleming) Crecelius.

I have no record that he ever came to Texas to live or visit.

Lena Stone Criswell

Family Group Picture of the James Presley Stone, Sr. Family

In 1987, we made a trip to Scott Co., MS and met family members of the James Presley Stone family and were able to camera copy this picture of his family made in 1904. I returned the picture to James and Martha Stone's eldest daughter and she identified for me the following: (l) Boy standing at back: Abner M. Stone, (2) Boy second row back left - Clifton Stone, (3) girl with big collar - Hattie Stone, (4) boy with bow tie far right - Jack Stone, - third row left - (5) Patricia "Pat" Stone, (6) Martha Olive "Mattie" (mother), (7) baby Henry C. Stone, Ola Stone, and Belle Stone. (I met Patricia and Henry C.) Clois and Dionee were not yet born when this picture was made. Since this trip all are deceased.

Lena Stone Criswell

Robert David and Henry Lafayette Stone

Brothers of Abner Miller Stone

This picture was made late 1920s. Robert David Stone was born in South Carolina and moved with his family to Scott Co., MS. Some of his grown children moved to Bell County, Texas and others to Falls and Harris counties. He returned to MS where he lived until his death in 1936. He was deaf and hit and killed by a train.

Henry Lafayette Stone lived at Blevins at one time and later farmed on one of Abner Miller Stone's farms in Throckmorton Co., Texas - where he died in 1932 and is buried in Brushie Cemetery. His wife moved to Falls Co., Texas to live with relatives after his death.

Lena Stone Criswell

Caroline Liberty "Ebb" Stone Battle

Sister of Abner Miller Stone

This picture of Aunt Ebb was made after she had grandchildren. In Scott Co., MS she married Alfred Eastland Battle. They came to Texas but it is unclear if they came before or after the arrival of Abner Miller Stone. Many of their descendants married into other Falls County families and have resided in both Falls and McLennan Counties. She died at Waco, Texas on September 30, 1942.

Lena Stone Criswell

Henry David "Dave" Stone

Nephew of Abner Miller Stone

I have no indication where this picture of Dave Stone was taken. He was the son of Robert David Stone and Ella Cornelia (Saxon) Stone of Scott Co.., MS. He was born in MS but came to Texas in later years and at one time had a store at Blevins. Then he resided at Temple, Texas where his sister and father were living at the time. He returned to Scott Co., MS. He died on June 19, 1935 at Morton, Scott Co., MS and was buried at Antioch Cemetery.

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone and Cousin Fred Stone

This picture was passed down to me from an aunt. I think it may have been one of the pictures of Grandpa's family that were stored in the attic but no one knows what happened to those pictures. On the back of the picture it read: "Papa and Cousin Fred Stone" I could see beneath the writing and the name had been "Frank" and Frank was changed to Fred. The picture was made at Vickers studio in Temple.

Lena Stone Criswell

Hester Ann Caldonia "Dony" Taylor Stone

This is the picture of my grandmother Dony that was hanging in the middle bedroom of the A. M. Stone homeplace at Blevins, Falls County, Texas when I was a child. It was framed in a heavy wooden ornate square frame beside the picture of Grandfather Ab Stone. It, like his picture, has disappeared from the Stone family. I have no pictures of my grandmother prior to her marriage.

Calvin Whatley.

I have borrowed use of the picture Calvin posted since I only had a copy - same picture but not as good as this one - Lena Stone Criswell

Rev. Isaac Taylor

Rev. Isaac Taylor was a farmer and circuit rider with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Texas. He was married to Jane (England or English) while living in Ill. They had several children and were in Falls Co. by 1860. After the death of Jane, he married Amanda Ruble.

Rev. Isaac and Amanda had three children, Mary Catherine, Benjamin Louis Landrum and Hester Ann Caldonia "Dony" Taylor. After Amanda's death he married Canzadie (Cantrell) English. They had no children but Canzadie was a good mother to Rev. Taylor's children. Toddler Dony was only three when her mother died.

Rev. Taylor died on June 3, 1894 at Kerrville, Kerr Co., Texas where he and Canzadie had moved. He is buried in the old Mountain View Cemetery at Kerrville.

See Families of Falls County for a biography for Rev. Isaac Taylor .

Lena Stone Criswell

Fielden and Frances (Simmons) Ruble

Grandparents of Hester Ann Caldonia "Dony" Taylor

Fielden and Frances (Simmons) Ruble were early Falls county settlers.

Fielden Ruble's biography can be read in Families of Falls County now posted to the Falls Website.

These copies are the same as used in the Families of Falls County book but were copies made for me at a studio in San Antonio from the original pictures - Lena Stone Criswell

Amanda Frances E. Ruble Taylor

Mother of Mary Catherine, Benjamin Louis Landrum and Hester Ann Caldonia Taylor. Amanda was the daughter of Fielden and Frances (Simmons) Ruble and the wife of the Rev. Isaac Taylor.

She died in January of 1875 and was the first person buried in the Blevins Cemetery on land that had been on the Taylor property which Rev. Taylor later deeded to the community for a school, church and cemetery.

This original tintype was in the possession of (aunt) Alta Stone Caraway but was sent to me by (aunt) Clyta Stone Shotwell to be copied. The tintype was about an 8 x 10 and in almost mint condition. I took it to a studio and had a negative and prints made and returned original to my aunt. I had never seen this tintype until it arrived in my mailbox and am eternally grateful to my aunts for trusting the mails and me with this treasure - Lena Stone Criswell

Amanda Frances E. (Ruble) Taylor

This is a full view picture of Amanda Ruble Taylor, mother of Dony (Taylor) Stone; grandmother of Charley David Stone and great grandmother of Lena Stone Criswell.

These two pictures are the only pictures I have of her.

Lena Stone Criswell

Canzadie Cantrell English Taylor

Step-mother of Mary Catherine, Benjamin Louis Landrum and Hester Ann Caldonia Taylor

Canzadie (Cantrell) English Taylor was the third wife of the Rev. Isaac Taylor. Canzadie's first husband had been Abraham English who was killed during the Texas Revolution. Her granddaughter, Zadie English Eakin lived at Chilton, Falls Co., Texas.

Zadie Eakin's obituary is on Falls Website.

Lena Stone Criswell

William A. Ruble

Uncle of Mary Catherine, Benjamin & Dony Taylor

William A. Ruble was a son of Fielden and Frances Simmons Ruble. He attended Baylor University then known as Waco University. He was a teacher.

This picture was copied by a studio in San Antonio from an original. Lena Stone Criswell

Isaac Hardin and Mattie Taylor

Half-brother of Mary Catherine, Benjamin and Dony Taylor Stone

Isaac Hardin Taylor was the son of the Rev. Isaac and Jane Taylor. I have many pictures of this family. Through the internet I have met the descendants of this family. There were more children of Isaac and Jane Taylor but I have no other pictures of the first family of Rev. Isaac Taylor.

Taylor family descendants

John F. and Mary Catherine (Taylor) Robinson Family

Mary Catherine (Taylor) Robinson was the eldest child of the marriage of the Rev. Isaac and Amanda (Ruble) Taylor. She was born at Blevins, Falls Co., Texas on July 24, 1869. She married John F. Robinson on April 3, 1886 in Falls County, Texas. Her father, the Rev. Isaac Taylor signed a paper giving his permission for her marriage.

The family is shown on the Federal Census in 1900 living in Indian Territory, of the Chickasaw Nation with five children. (For information of the area see "Ghost Towns of Oklahoma" by John W. Morris) The Families of Falls County listed her as having died young.

Identification of family: Ira Robinson-eldest son (standing next to his father) John F. Robinson, Milton Clara Robinson (daughter in her father's lap), Gertrude Robinson (daughter on her mother, Mary Catherine (Taylor) Robinson's lap), and Lonie M. Robinson (daughter standing next to her mother). I have other pictures of the children but none other of John and Mary Catherine (Taylor) Robinson.

Lena Stone Criswell (picture received from Mary Catherine Taylor Robinson's descendant)

Benjamin Louis Landrum Taylor

Sibling of Dony (Taylor) Stone

Benjamin "Ben" Louis Landrum Taylor was born on February 22, 1870 in Falls County Texas. He died on September 24, 1931 in Marlin, Falls Co., Texas. He was the son of the Rev. Isaac and Amanda (Ruble) Taylor. He married Cora Ella Bowers, daughter of Daniel and Aurillia (King) Bowers. Ben Taylor was my father's uncle and Cora Ella Bowers Taylor was my mother's aunt. (My parents were not related.)

See Families of Falls County for the biography of Ben Taylor .

Lena Stone Criswell

Cora Ella Bowers

Cora Ella Bowers wife of Benjamin Louis Landrum Taylor and daughter of Daniel and Aurillia (King) Bowers

Pat Taylor from the Clara Tull Taylor Collection

Marriage License of A. M. Stone and Dony Taylor

May 9, 1889

Coryell County, Texas

This was an elopement on horseback. So the story goes that Dony's father, the Rev. Isaac Taylor was in hot pursuit to stop the wedding. Dony, at the time, was a student at Salado, Texas, and the Rev. Taylor did not want her education to be stopped by marriage. Obviously, he was not successful, I am happy to say. This is one of the descendants prized stories. (Imagine this long ride from Blevins to Gatesville on horseback)

Lena Stone Criswell (The Stone family has the original license)

"Honeymoon" Hotel

Gatesville, Coryell Co., Texas

This is the hotel where it is believed that Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone spent their wedding night before returning to Blevins. This photograph was made just a few years ago by Clois D. Stone. The building has been demolished.

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone Homeplace

Blevins, Falls County, Texas

I have this original picture. It too was hung on the wall of the A. M. Stone homeplace when I was a child - in a large oval gold leaf frame with a curved glass.

Notice Abner Miller Stone in foreground of picture with his Dodge car ( I was told by a merchant in Marlin that "Ab" had the first Buick in the county; this appears to be the Dodge.) He planted these trees along the driveway. For a long time, the lean-to for the buggy remained attached to the garage. They probably kept the buggy just in case the new-fangled cars didn't work out.

I followed the construction of the house in the Marlin Democrat papers in year 1909. There were week by week reports - when the lumber arrived at Blevins for Ab Stone's house. etc. There will be other pictures of this house to be seen in this picture journal.

There was a smaller version of the new house just down the road toward Blevins where the new Stone family had lived before construction of this house, also painted yellow with white trim. There will be other pictures of this house in this journey.

Lena Stone Criswell

Charley David Stone

Eldest child of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone as a child

Charley David Stone, was the eldest child of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone. I do not know where this picture was made. He was well dressed for the occasion with suit and hat - probably age 10 or 12. I have the original of this picture.

Lena Stone Criswell

Brothers, Charley David and Oscar Wesley Stone

Sons of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Charley David and Oscar Wesley Stone, brothers.

See pictures on Blevins picture page 2 of the three little boys barefoot - Oscar Wesley, Herbert Lafayette and Charley David Stone - submitted by Calvin Whatley

Lena Stone Criswell

Herbert Lafayette and Abner Earl Stone

Children of Ab and Dony Taylor Stone

Herbert Lafayette and Abner Earl Stone, brothers. They took their turns and posed for the pictures. (See pictures on Blevins pictures of the three little boys barefoot - Oscar Wesley, Herbert Lafayette and Charley David Stone - submitted by Calvin Whatley)

Lena Stone Criswell

Bessie Leona and brother Edgar Wood Stone with "Spot"

Children of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Bessie Leona and Edgar Wood Stone with her dog "Spot". Bessie was called "sister" by her siblings and Edgar was called "Brother" or "Buddy" by his siblings and nieces and nephews.

Lena Stone Criswell

Baby Edgar Wood Stone

Edgar Wood Stone was born December 2, 1901 at Blevins, Falls Co., Texas.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie Stone at The Cotton Palace, Waco, Texas

Daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

This moon prop was a favorite place to have one's picture made at the Cotton Palace. The Cotton Palace was a favorite place to visit in the early days - like a fair park is to children today.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie Stone - Child

Alta Margie Stone, daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone - Studio picture - striped dress and large hat.

Lena Stone Criswell

Creek at Blevins

Blevins, Falls County, Texas

This creek was just north down the hill from the A. M. Stone homeplace (between the Stone and John Adams house) on the old road to Eddy from Blevins.

It was a favorite place to crawfish for the children of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone - and later the grandchildren enjoyed it as well. Often we'd take a picnic lunch with (biscuits and ham or whatever) and spend the day there until we could go home with enough crawfish tails to cook. Sometimes we built a small fire and cooked them right there. The poor things were thrown back into the creek minus their tails (where the meat was). This picture was made c 1980s.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony Eugenia Stone

Blevins School Picture

Daughter of Ab and Dony Stone

Dony Eugenia Stone moved to Temple with her mother after the death of her father in 1921 - then after the death of her mother in 1925 she and her sister, Clyta came back to Blevins and lived with her brother, Charley David Stone and family in the A. M. Stone homeplace. Younger brother, Culbert lived with brother, Edgar Wood Stone and family also at Blevins. Eugenia, Clyta and Culbert continued their education at Blevins and Eddy.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony Eugenia Stone at home

Daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

I am not sure if this picture was made before she moved to Temple with her mother or after she came back to Blevins but it was made just at the front (living room) window of the A. M. Stone homeplace at Blevins. In all of the pictures I have seen of her as a child, she had long curls.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony (Taylor) Stone and her two youngest children, Dony Eugenia and Cal Culbert

I can not be sure where this picture was made of Grandma Stone and her two youngest children, Dony Eugenia and Cal Culbert. It looks very much like the road leading down to the creek. That seemed like a steep hill to climb back to the house when we were children. Both sides of the dirt road was fenced and cotton fields on the left and pasture on the right.

If it was Blevins, Ab Stone's cotton fields would be on the left and Joe Litterals pastures on the right.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony Eugenia and Sister Clyta Stone

Daughters of Ab and Dony Stone

This picture of Eugenia and Clyta was made at one of the farms that Grandpa Stone owned in Throckmorton Co., Texas. They seem to be content here with their teddy bear and dolls. c before 1921.

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone, Flossie (Embry) and her husband Abner Earl Stone

All the Stones have this picture but no one no one knows for sure where it was made. Whereever there was a board walk sidewalk but that might have been at the homeplace before the brick walk was added. c before 1921.

Lena Stone Criswell

Oscar Wesley and wife Cleria Elizabeth "Lizzie"(Wilkinson) Stone

Oscar Wesley Stone married Cleria Elizabeth "Lizzie" Wilkinson December 21, 1909. (They stood up with my parents when they were married in 1910.) She was the daughter of Tom and Mary Lou (Gribble) Wilkinson. Oscar was born on Feb. 7, 1892 and died on June 19, 1925. They had two children: Bernadine and Ernestine.

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Earl Stone with Rudolph and "Teaspoon"

I sent a copy of the picture to Flossie Embry Stone, wife of Earl Stone and asked if she knew when the picture was made. She said it was made just before they married in 1916. She gave me the name of the little black boy with the rifle. His name was Rudolph and Uncle Earl's horse's name was Teaspoon. I have heard my mother speak of Teaspoon what a great horse she was. This is one of my favorite pictures - the buggy with lap robe. What gracious days those were!

Lena Stone Criswell

Brothers: Abner Earl and Herbert Lafayette Stone

Sons of Abner Miller and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Brothers Abner "Earl" and Herbert "Hub" Lafayette Stone. They were still having their pictures made in pairs. The Stone family was a very close-knit family. If one had illness or any problems they were all willing to do what they could for each other and are still that way.

Lena Stone Criswell

Edgar Wood Stone - Young Adult

Son of Ab and Dony Stone

This is a picture of Edgar Wood Stone. He was called "Brother" by his siblings and nieces and nephews often called him "Uncle Buddy". I never remember my father referring to him by any other name than "Brother." I can not recognize the house in the background. It may have been the little house just down from the A. M. Stone homeplace where Lee and Mary lived.

Lena Stone Criswell

Bessie Leona (Stone) Embry Saurage

Daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Bessie Leona (Stone) Embry married L. L. "Jack" Saurage. They had one daughter. After the death of Jack Saurage, many years later she married Richard Grigg. She is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery, Temple, Bell County, Texas.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway and her mother, Dony (Taylor) Stone

At Temple, Bell Co., Texas

Alta (Stone) Caraway and her mother, Dony (Taylor) Stone - see the old roadster in the background - and to the right is the Temple High School. This picture was probably made after Grandma Stone moved to Temple, which would have been after 1921. She passed away in 1925.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway with Hat and Fur

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway. This was a picture in our album at home. As a child I was fascinated by the fur piece and the hat.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway, daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone and wife of Richard K. Caraway. This picture was made at the A. M. Stone Homeplace, Blevins, Falls County, Texas.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony Eugenia Stone

Youngest daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Studio picture of Dony Eugenia Stone. This picture may have been made when Eugenia lived in Temple. She was named after her mother and neighbor and good friend of Grandma at Blevins, Mrs. Jennie Adams

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone and Dony (Taylor) Stone with granddaughter, Flora Maxine Stone

This picture of Ab and Dony Stone with granddaughter, Flora Maxine Stone was made at the A. M. Stone homeplace at Blevins, Falls Co., Texas. c 1920

Lena Stone Criswell

Richard K. and Alta (Stone) Caraway

Daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

I don't know where this picture was made but I think it could have been made in Temple since they lived there when they first married - later moved to Dallas. I always liked the satin dress when I looked at this picture in the album at home. She always wore high heels.

Lena Stone Criswell

Audie (Gilliland) and Herbert Lafayette Stone with Daughter, Dony Belle & Maxine

Audie (Gilliland) and Herbert Lafayette Stone with their children. Audie Stone is holding baby Dony Belle and Herbert Stone is holding daughter Maxine at the A. M. Stone homeplace, Blevins, Falls Co., Texas c 1922.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony Eugenia Stone and niece Geneva Meryle Stone

First Day of School at Blevins School

Dony Eugenia Stone was the daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone and Geneva Meryle Stone was the daughter of Charley and Lella (Bowers) Stone, and granddaughter of Ab and Dony Stone. This picture was made on the first day of school. Both were students at the Blevins School - the "white building".

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Earl Stone Family
Port Arthur, Texas 1930

Son of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Abner Earl Stone, Sallie Flossie (Embry) Stone (front left) Edgar Romney, Lucy Earl and Dick Embry Stone at their home in Port Arthur, Texas 1930

Lena Stone Criswell

Edgar Romney and Lucy Earl Stone

Edgar Romney and Lucy Earl Stone, children of Abner Earl and Flossie (Embry) Stone.

Lena Stone Criswell

Jessie Miller Stone and sister Dony Elizabeth "Beth" Stone

Children of Edgar Wood and Gladys Hay Stone Grandchildren of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

This picture was made at Edgar Stone home. This was called the Stevenson place but owned by Ab Stone. The Charley Stone family had lived here until 1922 or 23. Notice the barn and the iron washpot (where water was heated for washing the clothes - a water well was just off the back porch) c early 1930s.

Lena Stone Criswell

Clyta Stone
Shotwell

Clyta Stone married Garvin M. Shotwell

Lena Stone Criswell

Garvin, Clyta (Stone) and baby Garva Lou Shotwell

Clyta Stone Shotwell daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

This picture of Garvin, Clyta and baby was probably made at Eddy, McLennan Co., Texas where they were living at the time.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway and Nephew Ulric Embry

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway daughter of Ab and Dony Stone Ulric Embry son of Charlie and Bessie (Stone) Embry

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway and nephew Ulric Embry. This is an important picture in that it shows a bit of Blevins in the background. That is the Litteral rent house that was across the road between the A. M. Stone homeplace and the smaller house (also painted yellow and white trim) where Lee and Mary lived when I was a child.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony (Taylor) Stone with Children and grandchildren on steps of porch, A. M. Stone Homeplace, Blevins, Falls Co., Texas c 1919

Dony (Taylor) Stone, holding babies (may be grandbabies Maxine and Ulric) - to her left is her daughter, Dony Eugenia - and to her right is her son Culbert to his right is sister Clyta Stone. I can not recognize the boy in the front with the straw hat but it may be Clois Stone.

Maxine is the daughter of Herbert and Audie (Gilliland) Stone Ulric is the son of Charlie and Bessie (Stone) Embry Clois is the son of Charley and Lella (Bowers) Stone Eugenia, Clyta and Culbert are children of Ab and Dony Stone.

Lena Stone Criswell

Children and Grandchildren of Ab and Dony Stone Blevins, Falls County, Texas

L to R:
Clyta Stone, Ulric Embry, Cal Culbert Stone, Flora Maxine (in rocker) and Dony Eugenia. Clyta, Culbert and Eugenia are children of Ab and Dony Stone. The others are grandchildren.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony (Taylor) Stone with her Children A. M. Stone Homeplace
Blevins, Falls Co., Texas

L to R:

Clyta, Dony (Taylor) Stone, Dony Eugenia & Bessie Leona, son Cal Culbert standing in front of Dony. The detached garage can be seen in the back ground. Garage and house all had lightning rods on the roof. Door opening on the back left side of the garage led to the tennis court, the garden and the orchard. One of my favorite pictures.

Lena Stone Criswell

Jessie Miller Stone and sister Dony Elizabeth "Beth" Stone

Children of Edgar and Gladys (Hay) Stone
Grandchildren of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

This is an important picture not only because of the subjects but because it was made at the smaller house down from the A. M. Stone homeplace (where Ab and Dony Stone had lived before the new house was built). Edgar and Gladys Stone lived here at this time until the Charley Stone family vacated the Stevenson place house and they moved there.

Lena Stone Criswell

Flora Maxine Stone

Daughter of Herbert and Audie (Gilliland) Stone Grandaughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Maxine is standing in her yard at home at Blevins. Across the street in the background is the Walter Pratt house which was across the road from the Herbert Stone house. To the left of the Pratt house (right in picture) would have been the Randon & Ola Jacques house which also had at one time been the home of the Witt and Carrie (Bruce) Pass family.

Lena Stone Criswell

Clyta Stone Riding Prince and Nephew Clois Stone Riding Pearl at the A. M. Stone Homeplace, Blevins, Falls Co., Texas

Clyta is riding her pony, Prince. She was the daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone. Clois Stone was the son of Charley & Lella (Bowers) Stone and the grandson of Ab and Dony Stone. The picture was taken in the front yard of the Abner Miller Stone Homeplace - Blevins.

Lena Stone Criswell

Alta Margie (Stone) Caraway and sister Bessie Leona (Stone) Embry and son Ulric Embry

Sisters - Alta Caraway and Bessie Embry with Bessie's son Ulric Embry. The picture was made at the front steps of the A. M. Stone Homeplace, Blevins, Falls Co., Texas c 1920.

Lena Stone Criswell

Ulric Embry

Ulric Embry, son of Charlie and Bessie Leona (Stone) Embry c 1923.

Lena Stone Criswell

Clyta, Eugenia, Ulric and Culbert Children and grandchild of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

Clyta and Eugenia Stone (sisters), Ulric Embry (nephew - son of Charlie and Bessie (Stone) Embry and Culbert Stone (son - holding straw hat in hand).

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone with Granchildren Charles, Clois and Geneva children of Charley and Lella (Bowers) Stone

Grandfather Abner Miller Stone holding grandson Charles Abner Stone, to his right is grandson Clois David Stone and granddaughter Geneva Meryle Stone. This picture may have been in Throckmorton Co., Texas. c 1920

Lena Stone Criswell

Herbert Lafayette Stone and Two of His Children Blevins, Falls Co., Texas

Herbert Lafayette Stone, son of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone and two of his children at their home at Blevins. This house was located across the road from the Walter Pratt and Randon Jacques house. There was a long porch across the front of the house - and a screened back-side porch - with Out buildings for storing feed and harvest from the crops.

Abner Earl Stone and family may have lived in this house at one time.

Lena Stone Criswell

Clyta Stone

Daughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone At House That Became Lee and Mary's House at Blevins, Falls County, Texas.

This picture of Clyta provides another look at the house that built before the A. M. Stone homeplace - and where eventually Lee and Mary lived.

It was painted yellow with white trim just liked the homeplace.

Lena Stone Criswell

Geneva Meryle Stone

Age 10 months
1917

Daughter of Charley and Lella (Bowers) Stone Granddaughter of Ab and Dony (Taylor) Stone

We believe this picture may have been made in Throckmorton Co., Texas at one of the farms Grandfather Stone owned - there is the boardwalk as in picture of Abner, Flossie and Earl Stone. Who had the black dog?

Lena Stone Criswell

Dan Hailey with Ulric Embry

Son of Bessie Stone Embry

A collection of Stone pictures would not be complete without a picture of Dan Hailey, somewhere in the midst. He came to work for my grandfather Abner Miller Stone and continued on working for my father until the 1940s. Here he is shown with Ulric Embry, son of Bessie (Stone) and Charley Embry. He did a little bit of everything that needed to be done - maybe here babysitting. He could cook and helped Grandma in the kitchen. With nine children one could use help. This had to have been the living room rug - only one where the wood floors were exposed and a rug used - all others were covered with linoleum - wall to wall.

Lena Stone Criswell

Abner Miller Stone and two children, Geneva and Charles

Abner Miller Stone and two children, Geneva and Charles

Lena Stone Criswell

1301 North 7th Street, Temple, Texas

Home of Dony (Taylor) Stone

After Grandpa Abner Miller Stone died in 1921, Grandma Dony moved to Temple, taking her underage children with her. She had two daughters and spouses living in Temple at that time. She rented this house and bought a lot across the street from this house where construction began on a house for her. She died in 1925 two months before the house she was building was completed. It was completed and sold. This house had been refurbished and was up for sale when I was by there in the late 1980s.

Lena Stone Criswell

Dony (Taylor) Stone with family and friends at 1301 north 7th St., Temple, Bell Co., Texas

Left to right
Back Row:
Dony (Taylor) Stone, Mrs. Gilliland (mother of Audie Gilliland Stone, wife of Hub Stone, Herbert Lafayette Stone.

2nd Row:
Dony Belle Stone, and Maxine Stone (with hat) daughters of Herbert and Audie Stone, Dony Eugenia Stone (daughter of Dony Stone, Ulric Emby, son of Bessie (Stone) Embry.

Front row:
Cal Culbert Stone, son of Dony Stone;and baby Alta Oleta Stone, daughter of Herbert and Audie Stone.

This photograph was made by Audie Stone in 1924.

Lena Stone Criswell

1302 North 7th. St.
Temple, Texas

This is the house that Dony (Taylor) Stone was having built for her family(across the street from the house she was renting at 1301 North 7th St.)

During all the years that we drove by the house had remained white as she had directed it to be but when we took this picture back in the 1980s, the color had been change to a light brown.

We spoke with the present owner who told us the house had only had two owners in all those years since her death. He said the door openings were made larger than average. He had been told that the reason the openings for the doors were made larger was because a large lady was to have lived in the house. He invited us in to see the house but we thanked him and declined.

Lena Stone Criswell

A group of pictures of the adult children of Abner Miller and Dony (Taylor) Stone

All of the pictures have hand-written captions.

Lena Stone Criswell

Stone Plot
Hillcrest Cemetery
Temple, Bell County, Texas

This is the final resting place of Abner Miller and Dony (Taylor) Stone and three of their children with spouses. Their headstones read:

A. M. STONE
1864 - 1921
and
MRS. A. M. STONE
1874 - 1925

This concludes this picture journey of the marriage of Ab and Dony Stone. I salute their good lives.

- a granddaughter
Lena Stone Criswell

Lena Stone Criswell