George W. Stone and KerrenHappa Swinford Stone
Submitted by Dolores Stone Escalera CHAYNQUEEN@aol.com
George Washington Stone b.1812 in TN d. Jul 23, 1883 in Troup, Smith Co., TX
and Kerrenhappa
(Carrie Ann) Swinford Stone b. 1822 in NC daughter of Seith Swinford of SC and Elizabeth
Cherry of SC.
George & Kerrenhappa came to Texas in 1837 and were the earliest settlers in the part
of the territory, known then as Nacogdoches County and later became Troup, Texas. At the
time the nearest neighbor - save Col.Bowls, John Bowls, and Richard Fields, chiefs of the
Cherokee - was John Long, who resided near Rusk just thirty-two miles away. George was
mustered into the East Texas Militia and also joined the Texas Rangers.
Children of this marriage were: Minerva Nora, Harmon Monroe, Wesley Wiley Alexander,
Adolphus Wakefield, and Sarah Ann. During this time the Cadenheads (occassionally spelled
Cattenhead) lived close by and Phoebe Elizabeth Cadenhead moved in with them. Shortly
afterwards in 1848 George divorced Kerrenhappa on the grounds of adultery. George
Washington Stone married Phoebe Elizabeth Cadenhead and Kerrenhappa (Carrie Ann) later
remarried Henry J.Walters and had several children by him.
The census of Cherokee County on October 10th, 1850 shows that George, age 35, was a stock
raiser, had real estate valued at $1,000 and had remarried. (If the census was correct,
G.W. Stone's birth year would have been 1815.) His new wife was Phobee Elizabeth
Cadenhead, who was listed as 18 years of age and unable to read or write and was from
Alabama. The census listed families in the order of visitation and shows that the visit to
George was no.169. Interesting enough the Cadenheads that had temporarily lived with
George and Kerrenhappa showed up on the census as visit no.167 to T.M. Cattenhead and
visit no.168 to J.F.Cattenhead. During this time he bought thousands of acres of land and
was known as a wealthy farmer. It is thought that he may have been a also a frontier
judge, due to common reference of
[Judge] Stone.
The census of Cherokee County on July 27th, 1860 showed George, age 42, was a farmer with
property valued at $1,200. (If the census was correct, G.W.Stone's birth year would have
been 1818.) Phobee, age 28, was listed as being able to read and write. They had 9
children: George (10yr), Mary E.(7yr), Nancy (5yr), Julia K.(4yr), Martha J.(4yr), Albert
M.(2), Amanda J.(2yr), Octatia (4mo), Thomas J.(4mo). Harmon Monroe (19yr) and Adolphus
Wakefield (18yr) had moved back to live with their father. Phobee's sister, Mary Margaret
Cadenhead (16yr) lived with them in the capacity of seamstress. Rumor was that George W.
Stone had an affair with Mary Margaret, and father a child by her. Additionally, the
Smith's were listed with the occupation of farming, Thomas (18yr), Hamit A(14yr), and
J.Marion (12yr). The Cadenhead families still live nearby.
The census of Cherokee County on August 23rd, 1870 showed George, age 55, was farmer with property valued at $7,700, Phoebee Elizabeth was 36. (If the census was correct, G.W.Stone birth year would have been 1815.) By 1870, they had 13 children: George (19yr), Mary E.(16yr), Nancy (14yr), Julia K.(12yr), Martha J.(died), Albert M.(10), Amanda J.(10yr), Octatia (died), Thomas J.(8yr), Sidney S.(6yr), William (5yr), Sherman (4yr), Alice (2yr). Adeline Stone is listed as a Keeper of House and was the wife of the oldest boy, George. Mary Margaret Cadenhead no longer lived on the farm. Phoebee and George were said to have had 16 children, apparently they later had 3 more children after 1870. They either died or were girls , because haven't been able to trace them yet. George died July 23rd, 1883 and was buried by the Dixie Masonic Lodge of Troup, Texas. He was laid to rest at twelve high with full Masonic honors, and buried in his own field and estate that he loved so well. He left everything to his son Sidney Sanders Stone.
In the matter of Marriage George W. Stone vs Kerrenhappa Stone: From certified copy
the 1848 Rusk Co. Tex. #319 Divorce Decree: George W. Stone vs Kerrenhappa
Stone. Now come the parties by their attorney and announces them ready for
trial and now comes a jury of good and lawful men Ichica Simpsen, T.Allen Sernos, William
Gray, Thomas McClure, John A.Windle, M L Clay, Leonard Tomlinson, Harrison Aleck, William
McGee, William Fallwell, Silas Mercer and Robert W.Smith who being impowered and sworn as
the statute provides upon their oaths so say they the jury find that the parties was
married and that the defendant is guilty of the crime of adultery within the State of
Texas and the county of Rusk. Robert W.Smith foreman. Upon the finding of which facts by
the jury aforesaid, the court pronounced a decree which was ordered to be enacted,
concluding with the following order, It is Ordered and decreed, that bond of Matrimony
heretofore and existing between the said George W. Stone and Kerrenhappa Stone be now and
forever dissolved so far as the said George W. Stone is concerned, and that he pay the
cost of suit. (( During this time period, divorces were granted for only 2 reasons:
adultery or insanity.
From the 1883-1884 Minutes of the Dixie Masonic Lodge, Troup: July 17th,
installation of officers. July 24th, special meeting was called for the purpose of burying
brother G.W.Stone, who died at his home six miles east of Troup (TX), on July 23rd, 1983.
Next is another special meeting, date not given, called for the purpose of burying Brother
Joel Sanders, an honored and respected member, who died at his home at Old Knoxville site.
At each of these funeral meetings committees were appointed to draft resolutions of
respect for the deceased brothers, but if any were offered they were never spread on the
minutes. Brother G.W.Stone lived three miles east and Brother Joel Sanders lived three
miles west of the writer's home and birthplace, and I wish to honor them with a few
remarks before leaving their memories to the past.G.W.Stone, alias Wash, alias Judge
Stone, as he was commonly known, was one of the earliest settlers of Cherokee County,
having settled where his son, Sid S.Stone, now lives, when the territory was part of
Nacogdoches County. At one time his nearest neighbor - save Col.Bowls, John Bowls, and
Richard Fields, chiefs of the Cherokees - was John Long, who resided near Rusk (TX) just
thirty-two miles away. Brother Stone reared a large family and accumulated a fortune. At
his request, and his last will, he was laid to rest with Masonic honors, and at high
twelve, they buried him in his own field and estate that he loved so well. That the
internal and not the external qualifications made the man was the Masonry that Judge Stone
lived.
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See copy of Census of Cherokee County on October 10th, 1850
See copy of Census of Cherokee County on July 27th, 1860
See copy of Census of Cherokee County on August 23rd 1870
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