Ohio County, West Virginia      Biography of Elijah James STONE

This biography was submitted by Kerry Armour,
E-mail address:  <cmac4330@chesapeake.net>

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.
Chicago and New York, Volume II
pg.65

ELIJAH JAMES STONE, assistant manager of the department store of
Stone & Thomas, one of the largest and most popular retail mercantile
establishments not only in the City of Wheeling but also in the State
of West Virginia, has the further distinction of having been one of
the gallant young men who represented this state in the nation's
military service in France at the time of the great World war.

Mr. Stone was born at Martin's Ferry, Ohio, March 17, 1890, but he is
a representative of one of the old and honored families of what is now
West Virginia. His grandfather, Elijah James Stone, whose full patronymic
he bears, was a native of Massachusetts and was one of the pioneer
merchants of Wheeling, West Virginia, the business which he here
established having been the nucleus around which has been evolved the
substantial mercantile enterprise now conducted by the firm of Stone
& Thomas. He was associated with his brother-in-law, the late Jacob C.
Thomas, in founding the business at Wheeling, and here he continued as
an honored and representative citizen until his death, which occurred
prior to the birth of his grandson and namesake, the subject of this
sketch. His wife, Elizabeth (Thomas) Stone, likewise died in this city.
Edward L. and Elizabeth (Elson) Stone, parents of him whose name initiates
this review, still maintain their home at Wheeling, where the father is
living virtually retired, he having been succeeded by his only son in
the active supervision of the great department store to the upbuilding
of which he gave his splendid energies for many years. He succeeded
his father in the business, and has lived in Wheeling and vicinity all
his life, his wife having been born in this city and the subject of
this sketch being the younger of their two children. The elder child,
Katharine Elson, became the wife of J. S. Gibbs, Jr., who is engaged
in the insurance business at Wheeling, and she was thirty-one years
of age at the time of her death.

After having profited by the advantages of the public schools of Wheeling,
Elijah J. Stone here continued his studies in Linsly Institute, and
thereafter he attended St. Paul's School at Concord, New Hampshire.
He then entered historic old Yale University, in which he was graduated
as a member of the class of 1911 and with the degree of Bachelor of
Philosophy. At the university he became affiliated with the Chi Phi
fraternity. After leaving Yale Mr. Stone returned to Wheeling and
identified himself actively with the department store of Stone & Thomas,
the modern building of which is situated at the corner of Main and
Bridge streets. Under the original firm name the business has been
incorporated, and its officers are as here noted: W. E. Stone, president;
E. L. Stone, vice president; J. S. Jones, secretary; W. E. Rowns,
treasurer; and E. J. Stone, assistant manager. Mr. Stone is loyal
to his home city, is one of its liberal and progressive young business
men and popular citizens, is a republican in politics, and holds
membership in the Wheeling Country Club, the Fort Henry Club and
the University Club.

In May, 1917, the month following that in which the United States
entered the World war, Mr. Stone enlisted and was sent to Fort
Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Indiana, where he later received
commission as a first lieutenant. On the 10th of September of that
year he was sent overseas as a casual, and in France he attended the
artillery school at Saumur. He then became a member of the Twenty-sixth
Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, with which be was in
service in the Chemin des Dames sector, northwest of Toule, for three
months, next passed two months in the Chateau Thierry sector, and
thereafter was in the Meuse-Argonne sector, where he was stationed
at the time of the signing of the armistice. In each of these sectors
Mr. Stone was with the artillery on the firing line, and in September,
1918, he was advanced to the rank of captain. He returned to the United
States in May, 1919, and received his honorable discharge at Camp Devens,
Massachusetts. After this excellent record of patriotic service Captain
Stone returned to Wheeling and resumed his association with the business
of the company of which he is assistant manager.