William's History of Frederick County
John
R.
StonerJohn
R. Stoner was probably the best known
agriculturist of Mechanicstown district, Frederick
county. He was born near Union Bridge in Carroll County,
Md., April 22, 1825, and died September 8, 1908. He was
a son of Daniel and Nancy (Roop) Stoner.
The Stoner family is descended from five brothers
hearing that surname, who left their native land,
Germany, in the middle or fore-part of the eighteenth
century, and emigrated to this country, locating in the
vicinity of Union Bridge and Antietam, Md.
David Stoner, the grandfather of John P. Stoner, was
a native of Frederick County, Md. He was a life long
farmer, and as a business man was very successful. He
was the owner of one of the farms afterwards possessed
by John P. Stoner. In religion, he was for forty-four
years an active member of the German Baptist Church,
serving as an elder much of this time.
Daniel Stoner, son of David Stoner, was born in
Johnsville district, Frederick County, in 1787, and
lived to be ninety-three years of age. He was mustered
into the service in the War of 1812, but was not called
into action. He spent his active life in farming. In
politics, he was an old-time Whig. Like his father, he
was influential in the German Baptist Church. Mr. Stoner
was married to Nancy Roop, daughter of John Roop. She
was born in 1797, and died at the age of fifty-five
years.
John Roop was a well-to-do farmer of Westminster,
Carroll County, Md. Daniel and Nancy Stoner were the
parents of ten children: William, deceased, was a
farmer, conducted a tannery, and later was engaged in
business at Westminster, Md.; David, unmarried was
commissioner of Carroll County for fourteen years and
was very successful as an agriculturist; Abraham,
deceased, was a wealthy farmer of Ohio and later of
Missouri; Emanuel, deceased, was engaged in the nursery
business at Westminster; Samuel, deceased. was a farmer
in Carroll county: Daniel, a resident of Ohio; Jacob,
lives at Union Bridge, Md.; John R.; Mary Ann, married
Joseph Lerew, deceased, of Harrisburg, Pa.; and Lydia,
the wife of Augustus Little, a farmer in Johnsville
district, Frederick County.
John P. Stoner, son of Daniel and Nancy (Roop)
Stoner, was a very ambitious student, made rapid
progress in his school work, and was particularly
proficient in mathematics. It was his intention to enter
the legal profession, but his mother’s influence and
other considerations led to his abandoning the idea.
Instead, he devoted his energies to agriculture and
investments, and was very successful. Soon after
attaining his majority he located on a farm a mile and
a-half from Thurmont, which he ever after made his home.
On this home place there stands a substantial brick
residence and two large barns, beside sheds and other
farm buildings. From time to time he added to his
original purchase, and at his death was probably the
largest land owner in Frederick county.
He was the possessor of a number of fine farms; four
lying in one body, his homestead, containing 800 acres:
one of 176 acres in Emmitsburg district: one of 145
acres at Rocky Ridge; one of 175 acres near Union
Bridge, in Carroll County, Md. and two mountain tracts.
His farms were well stocked, and it was said he was the
owner of the largest number of head of live stock in
that section of the county.
Mr. Stoner was successful in the management of these
various tracts, and was a hard worker all of his life,
In his investments he was also very fortunate. He was
one of the promoters and directors in the W. F. and G.
Railroad Company. He was unassuming and modest in
manner, and was very highly esteemed by all who knew
him. As a citizen, he was public spirited, and he
displayed much foresight in business dealings.
In politics, Mr. Stoner was a Democrat, that he was
never induced to accept public office, though often
urged to do so, persistently adhering to his frequently
repeated resolution to live and die as a plain, loyal
citizen. On November 28, 1876, Mr. Stoner was married to
Martha R. Stansbury, daughter of Nicholas and Amelia
(Phillips) Stansbury, and a grand-daughter of Abraham
Stansbury. They were the parents of two sons: John T., a
farmer, residing in Carroll County, Md., who married
Blanch Stoner, but has no children; and William J., who
married Gertrude Bouzer, daughter of Daniel and Eugenia
(Harmon) Rouzer, of Thurmont.
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William's History of Frederick County
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