Dr. William H. Stone "was born in Wayne county, Kentucky, in the year 1817, and after finishing his education studied medicine, becoming a successful practitioner early in life. When the California excitement swept over the East and South, he, like the thousands of others, took the fever, and in the Spring of 1850 became one of a party of young men, among whom were Judge W. W. Cope and General T. H. Williams, now residents of Oakland, and D. K. Newell, who together started for the new El Dorado. He made the trip over the plains with only the usual incidents common to those early days, arriving in California in August of the same year." He initially settled in El Dorado County, practiced medicine, served as County Treasurer, and became the owner and manager of the Pilot Creek Ditch Works. In 1856, he married Pauline, the daughter of E. H. Watson. They settled permanently in San Jose in 1871, where Dr. Stone invested in real estate. Dr. Stone died at his home in San Jose just before midnight on Thursday, March 23, 1882, after a protracted illness. He and Pauline had 11 children, nine of whom survived their father. (San Jose Daily Mercury, Mar. 25, 1882.)
Dr. William H. Stone's funeral took place on March, 26, 1882, from his late residence on the corner of Fifth and William streets. A large concourse of friends and family followed his remains to their final resting place in the family plot at Oak Hill Cemetery. (San Jose Herald, Mar. 27, 1882.)
Dr. Stone left a significant estate valued at about $96,000, equivalent to about $3 million in 2019 dollars. The probate took many years. In 1886, Dr. Stone's widow, Pauline E. Stone, filed a petition contesting the terms of the will, which had directed that the estate be divided equally between her and the couple's children. She asserted that she was entitled to half the estate as community property under the laws of California. Her petition identified the eight living children as Shelby R. Stone (age 27), Susan M. Davis (25), Pauline J. Stone (23), Clarence L. Stone (21), Martha H. Stone (16), Franklin P. Stone (13), Thomas W. Stone (10), and Clinton E. Stone (7). A ninth child, Anselm L. Stone, died on June 18, 1883, at the age of 16 (San Jose Daily Mercury, Nov. 27, 1886). On Feb. 25, 1887, the Santa Clara County court ruled that Mrs. Stone was entitled to 12/20 of the estate and the surviving children would receive 1/20 each (San Jose Evening News, Feb. 25, 1887). The final asset of the estate to be sold was the Stone Building on the corner of Santa Clara and Lightson street. The executor, George E. Williams, filed a final accounting on July 28, 1899 (San Jose Mercury, July 29, 1899).
The family was back in court after Dr. Stone's son Clarence Lee Stone died on Feb. 5, 1903. Clarence had two wills: in the earlier will, he made bequests to his mother, Pauline Stone (now a resident of Tennessee), his cousin Maggie J. Stone, and George E. Williams of San Francisco, but the bulk of the estate went to his seven siblings. In the later will, however, he named his cousin Maggie J. Stone as the sole beneficiary. Four of the siblings (Susan M. Davis, Pauline J. Stone, Martha H. Dana, and Clinton H. Stone) contested the second will, alleging that Clarence had been of unsound mind because of drug addiction (San Jose Mercury, Nov. 18, 1903, and San Jose Evening News, Dec. 12, 1903). The estate was ultimately distributed to Clarence's siblings, "who have succeeded to the interest of Maggie J. Stone" (San Jose Evening News, Mar. 5, 1904, and Sept. 11, 1904), which suggests that the parties reached a settlement.
Dr. William H. Stone's funeral took place on March, 26, 1882, from his late residence on the corner of Fifth and William streets. A large concourse of friends and family followed his remains to their final resting place in the family plot at Oak Hill Cemetery. (San Jose Herald, Mar. 27, 1882.)
Dr. Stone left a significant estate valued at about $96,000, equivalent to about $3 million in 2019 dollars. The probate took many years. In 1886, Dr. Stone's widow, Pauline E. Stone, filed a petition contesting the terms of the will, which had directed that the estate be divided equally between her and the couple's children. She asserted that she was entitled to half the estate as community property under the laws of California. Her petition identified the eight living children as Shelby R. Stone (age 27), Susan M. Davis (25), Pauline J. Stone (23), Clarence L. Stone (21), Martha H. Stone (16), Franklin P. Stone (13), Thomas W. Stone (10), and Clinton E. Stone (7). A ninth child, Anselm L. Stone, died on June 18, 1883, at the age of 16 (San Jose Daily Mercury, Nov. 27, 1886). On Feb. 25, 1887, the Santa Clara County court ruled that Mrs. Stone was entitled to 12/20 of the estate and the surviving children would receive 1/20 each (San Jose Evening News, Feb. 25, 1887). The final asset of the estate to be sold was the Stone Building on the corner of Santa Clara and Lightson street. The executor, George E. Williams, filed a final accounting on July 28, 1899 (San Jose Mercury, July 29, 1899).
The family was back in court after Dr. Stone's son Clarence Lee Stone died on Feb. 5, 1903. Clarence had two wills: in the earlier will, he made bequests to his mother, Pauline Stone (now a resident of Tennessee), his cousin Maggie J. Stone, and George E. Williams of San Francisco, but the bulk of the estate went to his seven siblings. In the later will, however, he named his cousin Maggie J. Stone as the sole beneficiary. Four of the siblings (Susan M. Davis, Pauline J. Stone, Martha H. Dana, and Clinton H. Stone) contested the second will, alleging that Clarence had been of unsound mind because of drug addiction (San Jose Mercury, Nov. 18, 1903, and San Jose Evening News, Dec. 12, 1903). The estate was ultimately distributed to Clarence's siblings, "who have succeeded to the interest of Maggie J. Stone" (San Jose Evening News, Mar. 5, 1904, and Sept. 11, 1904), which suggests that the parties reached a settlement.
Dr. William H. Stone "was born in Wayne county, Kentucky, in the year 1817, and after finishing his education studied medicine, becoming a successful practitioner early in life. When the California excitement swept over the East and South, he, like the thousands of others, took the fever, and in the Spring of 1850 became one of a party of young men, among whom were Judge W. W. Cope and General T. H. Williams, now residents of Oakland, and D. K. Newell, who together started for the new El Dorado. He made the trip over the plains with only the usual incidents common to those early days, arriving in California in August of the same year." He initially settled in El Dorado County, practiced medicine, served as County Treasurer, and became the owner and manager of the Pilot Creek Ditch Works. In 1856, he married Pauline, the daughter of E. H. Watson. They settled permanently in San Jose in 1871, where Dr. Stone invested in real estate. Dr. Stone died at his home in San Jose just before midnight on Thursday, March 23, 1882, after a protracted illness. He and Pauline had 11 children, nine of whom survived their father. (San Jose Daily Mercury, Mar. 25, 1882.)
Dr. William H. Stone's funeral took place on March, 26, 1882, from his late residence on the corner of Fifth and William streets. A large concourse of friends and family followed his remains to their final resting place in the family plot at Oak Hill Cemetery. (San Jose Herald, Mar. 27, 1882.)
Dr. Stone left a significant estate valued at about $96,000, equivalent to about $3 million in 2019 dollars. The probate took many years. In 1886, Dr. Stone's widow, Pauline E. Stone, filed a petition contesting the terms of the will, which had directed that the estate be divided equally between her and the couple's children. She asserted that she was entitled to half the estate as community property under the laws of California. Her petition identified the eight living children as Shelby R. Stone (age 27), Susan M. Davis (25), Pauline J. Stone (23), Clarence L. Stone (21), Martha H. Stone (16), Franklin P. Stone (13), Thomas W. Stone (10), and Clinton E. Stone (7). A ninth child, Anselm L. Stone, died on June 18, 1883, at the age of 16 (San Jose Daily Mercury, Nov. 27, 1886). On Feb. 25, 1887, the Santa Clara County court ruled that Mrs. Stone was entitled to 12/20 of the estate and the surviving children would receive 1/20 each (San Jose Evening News, Feb. 25, 1887). The final asset of the estate to be sold was the Stone Building on the corner of Santa Clara and Lightson street. The executor, George E. Williams, filed a final accounting on July 28, 1899 (San Jose Mercury, July 29, 1899).
The family was back in court after Dr. Stone's son Clarence Lee Stone died on Feb. 5, 1903. Clarence had two wills: in the earlier will, he made bequests to his mother, Pauline Stone (now a resident of Tennessee), his cousin Maggie J. Stone, and George E. Williams of San Francisco, but the bulk of the estate went to his seven siblings. In the later will, however, he named his cousin Maggie J. Stone as the sole beneficiary. Four of the siblings (Susan M. Davis, Pauline J. Stone, Martha H. Dana, and Clinton H. Stone) contested the second will, alleging that Clarence had been of unsound mind because of drug addiction (San Jose Mercury, Nov. 18, 1903, and San Jose Evening News, Dec. 12, 1903). The estate was ultimately distributed to Clarence's siblings, "who have succeeded to the interest of Maggie J. Stone" (San Jose Evening News, Mar. 5, 1904, and Sept. 11, 1904), which suggests that the parties reached a settlement.
Dr. William H. Stone's funeral took place on March, 26, 1882, from his late residence on the corner of Fifth and William streets. A large concourse of friends and family followed his remains to their final resting place in the family plot at Oak Hill Cemetery. (San Jose Herald, Mar. 27, 1882.)
Dr. Stone left a significant estate valued at about $96,000, equivalent to about $3 million in 2019 dollars. The probate took many years. In 1886, Dr. Stone's widow, Pauline E. Stone, filed a petition contesting the terms of the will, which had directed that the estate be divided equally between her and the couple's children. She asserted that she was entitled to half the estate as community property under the laws of California. Her petition identified the eight living children as Shelby R. Stone (age 27), Susan M. Davis (25), Pauline J. Stone (23), Clarence L. Stone (21), Martha H. Stone (16), Franklin P. Stone (13), Thomas W. Stone (10), and Clinton E. Stone (7). A ninth child, Anselm L. Stone, died on June 18, 1883, at the age of 16 (San Jose Daily Mercury, Nov. 27, 1886). On Feb. 25, 1887, the Santa Clara County court ruled that Mrs. Stone was entitled to 12/20 of the estate and the surviving children would receive 1/20 each (San Jose Evening News, Feb. 25, 1887). The final asset of the estate to be sold was the Stone Building on the corner of Santa Clara and Lightson street. The executor, George E. Williams, filed a final accounting on July 28, 1899 (San Jose Mercury, July 29, 1899).
The family was back in court after Dr. Stone's son Clarence Lee Stone died on Feb. 5, 1903. Clarence had two wills: in the earlier will, he made bequests to his mother, Pauline Stone (now a resident of Tennessee), his cousin Maggie J. Stone, and George E. Williams of San Francisco, but the bulk of the estate went to his seven siblings. In the later will, however, he named his cousin Maggie J. Stone as the sole beneficiary. Four of the siblings (Susan M. Davis, Pauline J. Stone, Martha H. Dana, and Clinton H. Stone) contested the second will, alleging that Clarence had been of unsound mind because of drug addiction (San Jose Mercury, Nov. 18, 1903, and San Jose Evening News, Dec. 12, 1903). The estate was ultimately distributed to Clarence's siblings, "who have succeeded to the interest of Maggie J. Stone" (San Jose Evening News, Mar. 5, 1904, and Sept. 11, 1904), which suggests that the parties reached a settlement.
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