The Estate Settlement of William Stone
What a BIG SURPRISE it was to learn that the Lucy Stone who married John White in 1784 Henrico County was the widow of William Stone! Of course, this new information prompted lots of new questions and curiosity. In hopes of finding more pieces to the Stone/White puzzle, I turned to William Stone's estate settlement. I was not disappointed.
On April 10, 1781, one of Stone's executors, Smith Blakey, began an accounting for Stone's estate settlement which continued for nine more years. In all, Stone's estate settlement is comprised of 5 pages which provide a bounty of information. The first page (shown below) is so rich in material to be analyzed for genealogical purposes that it will be the focus of this entry. Some of the names and entries from this page are addressed below to help provide a broader image of the Stone's family circle of acquaintances.
Lucy Stone
William Stone did not leave his widow empty handed. In fact, he provided for Lucy quite well. On April 10, 1781, Lucy was paid twice from Stone's estate totaling about 1035£.
Smith Blakey
William Stone appointed Smith Blakey as one of his trusted executors. Blakey owned property on Stony Run Creek which was near Gilley's Creek, where Stone's property was located. Gilley's Creek flows into Stony Run, near Shockoe Bottom. Smith Blakey married Nancy Watkins, daughter of Thomas and Frances Anderson Watkins.
Thomas Stone
Uncannily, William Stone and his brother Thomas Stone died in April 1781. As noted in the above page of William Stone's estate settlement, his brother Thomas Stone was still alive on April 10, 1781. But seven days later, Thomas wrote his last will and testament. His estate was inventoried on April 18. One possible explanation is that both men were somehow mortally injured by the British occupation of Richmond on January 5, 1781. After setting up camp around St. John's church, Benedict Arnold wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson stating that he would spare Richmond in exchange for all the city's tobacco. Jefferson refused and Arnold set the city ablaze destroying many buildings, warehouses, and the foundry on January 6. Below is a map of Arnold's occupation of Richmond prepared by Henry Beebee Carrington and published in his book Battles of the American Revolution 1775-1781. The Stones were living in the Richmond area known as Shockoe Bottom (to the right of the map) at the time of the invasion.
Serafina Formicola owned the famous Eagle Tavern in the City of Richmond. George Washington is known to have stayed at Formicola's tavern while in Richmond and Aaron Burr was arraigned there by Chief Justice Marshall in 1807. Formicola is reported to have come to Virginia with Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia. His first known establishment was a hotel in Williamsburg known as Charlton House. Then, in about 1780, Formicola moved his business to Richmond (the new capital) where he opened the Eagle Tavern. And apparently, he sold bottles of wine as William Stone's estate paid to Formicola 36￡for a bottle of wine.
Joshua Storr
According to Sons of the Revolution in the State of Virginia Quarterly Magazine, Volumes 1-2, Joshua Storr was a native of Yorkshire, England. He settled near Richmond, naming his home "Hunslett Hall" after his early home in Yorkshire. He married Susannah Pleasants, daughter of John and Susannah (Woodson) Pleasants. Joshua was primarily a merchant and apparently also operated a stable as indicated from the above estate settlement for William Stone. Descendants of Joshua Storr owned land in Hanover County at Meadowbridge.
John White
On October 10, 1781, a payment of over 500￡was made to John White. The purpose of the payment isn't stated but this was most likely the John White who three years later married William Stone's widow, Lucy. John White was somehow a member of the Stone family community.
On April 10, 1781, one of Stone's executors, Smith Blakey, began an accounting for Stone's estate settlement which continued for nine more years. In all, Stone's estate settlement is comprised of 5 pages which provide a bounty of information. The first page (shown below) is so rich in material to be analyzed for genealogical purposes that it will be the focus of this entry. Some of the names and entries from this page are addressed below to help provide a broader image of the Stone's family circle of acquaintances.
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| Henrico County VA Wills and Settlements Vol 2 page 142 |
William Stone did not leave his widow empty handed. In fact, he provided for Lucy quite well. On April 10, 1781, Lucy was paid twice from Stone's estate totaling about 1035£.
Smith Blakey
William Stone appointed Smith Blakey as one of his trusted executors. Blakey owned property on Stony Run Creek which was near Gilley's Creek, where Stone's property was located. Gilley's Creek flows into Stony Run, near Shockoe Bottom. Smith Blakey married Nancy Watkins, daughter of Thomas and Frances Anderson Watkins.
Thomas Stone
Uncannily, William Stone and his brother Thomas Stone died in April 1781. As noted in the above page of William Stone's estate settlement, his brother Thomas Stone was still alive on April 10, 1781. But seven days later, Thomas wrote his last will and testament. His estate was inventoried on April 18. One possible explanation is that both men were somehow mortally injured by the British occupation of Richmond on January 5, 1781. After setting up camp around St. John's church, Benedict Arnold wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson stating that he would spare Richmond in exchange for all the city's tobacco. Jefferson refused and Arnold set the city ablaze destroying many buildings, warehouses, and the foundry on January 6. Below is a map of Arnold's occupation of Richmond prepared by Henry Beebee Carrington and published in his book Battles of the American Revolution 1775-1781. The Stones were living in the Richmond area known as Shockoe Bottom (to the right of the map) at the time of the invasion.
Source: Library of Congress
Mr. FormicolaSerafina Formicola owned the famous Eagle Tavern in the City of Richmond. George Washington is known to have stayed at Formicola's tavern while in Richmond and Aaron Burr was arraigned there by Chief Justice Marshall in 1807. Formicola is reported to have come to Virginia with Lord Dunmore, the last royal governor of Virginia. His first known establishment was a hotel in Williamsburg known as Charlton House. Then, in about 1780, Formicola moved his business to Richmond (the new capital) where he opened the Eagle Tavern. And apparently, he sold bottles of wine as William Stone's estate paid to Formicola 36￡for a bottle of wine.
Joshua Storr
According to Sons of the Revolution in the State of Virginia Quarterly Magazine, Volumes 1-2, Joshua Storr was a native of Yorkshire, England. He settled near Richmond, naming his home "Hunslett Hall" after his early home in Yorkshire. He married Susannah Pleasants, daughter of John and Susannah (Woodson) Pleasants. Joshua was primarily a merchant and apparently also operated a stable as indicated from the above estate settlement for William Stone. Descendants of Joshua Storr owned land in Hanover County at Meadowbridge.
John White
On October 10, 1781, a payment of over 500￡was made to John White. The purpose of the payment isn't stated but this was most likely the John White who three years later married William Stone's widow, Lucy. John White was somehow a member of the Stone family community.
Additional pages of William Stone's estate settlement will be addressed in subsequent entries.
copyright©2019 Deborah Thurman Parks
