Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer

Wellington County, Ontario GenWeb - Pioneer - STONE, Frederick W

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Pioneer - STONE, Frederick W.

Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County

Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906

STONE, Frederick W . (d.), was b. Barton-on-Heath, Warwickshire, Eng. ; d. 1895. He was the second son of Edward and Elizabeth Stone. His ancestors for several generations had owned and occupied land in Oxfordshire, and his father and elder brother lived for some years at Cumnor Place, associated with the romantic history of Amy Robsart. Mr. Stone received a good education at a private school at Chipping Norton in Oxfordshire, and at the age of 18 came to Canada with the Arkells, and took up 200 acres, lots 3-6, con. 9, Puslinch, which he later increased to 248 acres. Some years later finding farming somewhat unprofitable he went to Eng. with the idea of going to Calcutta, where his mother's brother John Jeffris Hooper, offered him and opening in the business as an East India merchant, however, he changed his mind and returned to Canada and opened a store on the Brock road near the city limits of Guelph, still retaining his farm. His business prospered and he gradually acquired the estate of 583 acres, 550 of which were sold to the Ontario Government in 1873, for the O.A.C. His Puslinch estate on lot 1, con. 8, was named "Moreton Lodge." in honor of his mother, who was b. and d. at the age of 88, at Moreton Eng., where the family had lived for nearly two centuries. The family are claimed to be a branch of the Gloucestershire family of Hoopers, to which the martyred Bishop Hooper belonged.

In 1851 he purchased a Wingfield herd of Shorthorns from the late John Howitt, and in 1854 commenced to import thoroughbred stock. The first installment was lost on the ocean, but he continued, and many subsequent importations were made, down to 1875. He exhibited Shorthorns with great success for many years, securing the herd prize for Durhams on several occasions at the Provincial exhibitions of Canada, whilst in the United States he took a gold medal with the bull "Third Grand Duke." Another noted animal, "Grand Duke of Moreton," after winning many prizes was sold for $1,000. when six years old.

In 1860 Mr. Stone was present at the show of the Royal Agricultural Society of Eng. at Canterbury, and was so much pleased with the pedigreed Hereford cattle there, that he requested his brother to purchase some of them for him at Lord Bateman's sale, and in August of that year they were shipped.

Among the more notable Herefords bred by Mr. Stone were "Sir Benjamin" and "Sir Charles," the latter of which was sold to the late T. L. Miller, noted stockman in the U.S., for $1,000 in gold.

At the Provincial Exhibition in 1879, Mr. Stone gained a great many prizes and medals, including the Governor-General's gold medal to the exhibitor receiving the greatest number of prizes for cattle. This medal was presented to Mr. Stone by H. R. H. the Princess Louise. Mr. Stone also imported the first Suffolk horses, and Yorkshire and Berwickshire pigs into Ontario, as well as the first English and Silver pheasants, Dorking chickens, and Aylesbury ducks. He had a nursery where he grew over 100 varieties of roses, as well as fruit trees, Austrian pines, Norway Spruce, etc.

Mr. Stone's extensive stock business is now owned by the F. W. Stone Stock Co., a private company. Mr. Stone did not seek municipal or parliamentary honors, however, during his absence in Eng., he was put forward as a candidate for South Wellington in the Dominion House, in opposition to David Stirton, but was not elected. He was for a long time an active member of the Board of Agriculture of Upper Canada, and in 1861 was unanimously elected President of the Arts and Agricultural Association of Canada. He was for many years President of the Wellington Mutual Fire Insurance Co., and representative at Guelph of the Canada Life Assurance Association up to the time of his death. He was for many years an active Magistrate at Guelph, and was church warden of St. George's Church, when his old friend Archdeacon Palmer was Rector.

In 1842 Mr. Stone m. Miss Eliza Clarke, a step-dau. of John Caulfield, of Puslinch. Mr. and Mrs. Stone celebrated their golden wedding in 1892, and Mrs. Stone's death occurred two weeks later. They had a family of five sons and six daughters, of whom four daughters and two sons survive.

From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906