Stone, Benjamin Bellows Grant, Papers

Collection Type
Papers
Year Start
1861
Year End
1875
ID

SC10630

Quantity

1 box (0.25 cubic ft.)

Access

Open to research

Acquisition

Gift: Frank M. Thomas, February 1936

Processed By

Sharon Wolff, Student Assistant (University at Albany), Manuscripts & Special Collections, July 2014

View Catalog Record

Biographical Note:

Benjamin Bellows Grant Stone (1829-1906) was born and raised in Belmont, Massachusetts. He had a passion for painting and was a minor artist of the second generation of the Hudson River School landscape painting movement. He was married to Mary Allen (DuBois) Stone. In 1862 he enlisted for a three-year tour of duty with the 14th Massachusetts Regiment of Infantry, which was later re-organized as the 1st Massachusetts Regiment Heavy Artillery. He mustered in as a second lieutenant on March 20, 1862, and was promoted to first lieutenant on August 23, 1863. He received an honorable discharge because of disability on December 1, 1863. After the war, he and his wife moved to Catskill, New York, where he painted until his death.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers, spanning the years 1861 to 1875, cover Stone's personal life, his military career, and his artistic pursuits. Papers related to his military career include letters of recommendation for war service because of his skill as a landscape artist; requests for leave; general and special orders; and his commission and discharge papers. The letters of recommendation contain high praise from prominent artists of the Hudson River School movement: Frederic Edwin Church, Asher Brown Durand, and Robert W. Wier.

Post-war correspondence (1872-1874) is from friends and family members. Included are Stone's diaries from 1869 and 1875, and a letter book spanning several years beginning in 1864 which contains several loose pages.   

Ancillary personal papers contain glimpses into his artistic pursuits and interests; including three claims of copyright for paintings and correspondence regarding a patent application Stone had filed for a "Liquor Thief," apparently a device used to sample liquor while still in a cask. Of some note is an advertisement for the Photo-Plate Printing Company, of which E. Bierstadt is superintendent. This is most likely Edward Bierstadt, a landscape photographer who was the brother of Albert Bierstadt, another prominent member of the Hudson River School movement.

Box and Folder List:


 

Box

Folder

Description

1

1

Correspondence attesting to Stone's skill as a draughtsman and recommending him as a topographist for military service, 1861.

  1. To [Benjamin] F. Butler from [Merrill] G. Wheelock, Boston, [Mass.], October 30, 1861
  2. To [Benjamin] F. Butler from [Robert] W. Wier, West Point, [N.Y.], November 4, 1861
  3. To [Benjamin] F. Butler from Joseph Ames, Boston [Mass.], November 5, 1861
  4. To Benjamin Stone from Frederic E. Church, New York, [N.Y.], November 7, 1861
  5. To Benjamin Stone from H.S. Kendrick, West Point, [N.Y.],  November 7, 1861
  6. [To Benjamin F. Butler]from [Asher] B. Durand, New York, [N.Y.], November 8, 1861
  7. To Stone from [Richard] Delafield, New York, [N.Y.], November 8, 1861
  8. To [Benjamin] F. Butler from R. Williams, Readville, [Mass.], November 10, 1861
  9. [To Benjamin F. Butler] from Thomas Hicks, New York, [N.Y.], November 11, 1861

1

2

Stone's officer's commissions, 1862-1863

  1. Commission for Junior Second Lieutenant, 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, March 19, 1862
  2. Commission for First Lieutenant, 14th Massachusetts Heavy Artillery Regiment, August 8, 1963

1

3

General military papers, 1862-1863

  1. Muster-out roll, August 29, 1863
  2. Approved request for 20 days leave of absence due to illness ("dumb ague"), September 28, 1863
  3. Approved request for 20 days leave of absence due to illness ("dumb ague"), October 19, 1863 (2 copies)
  4. Document declaring Stone unfit for duty due to miasmatic anemia, November 16, 1863
  5. Request for notice given of any United States property from the Ordnance Office, November 30, 1863
  6. Clothing receipt, December 7, 1863

1

4

Documents regarding Stone's military service and his discharge, 1863-1864.

  1. To Stone from William Schouler, Adjutant General, Boston, [Mass.], June 6, 1863
  2. H.A. Rolfe, Fort Woodburg, Va., December 14, 1863
  3. To Stone from J. Piatt, Washington D.C., January 6, 1864
  4. Alonzo G. Draper, Washington, D.C., February 11, 1864
  5. Commendations from several different sources, February 15 and 16, 1864, March 19, 1864 
  6. To Stone from O.G. Sage, Penfield, Monroe [County], [N.Y.], September 12, 1864
  7. To Stone from Gardiner Tufts, September 27, 1864
  8. To Stone from Alonzo G. Draper, Bolton, Va., September 28, 1864
  9. To Stone from O.G. Sage, Penfield, [N.Y.], October 20, 1864
  10. To Stone from Henry J. Mills, Newark, N.J., December 20, 1864

1

5

General and Special Orders, 1862-1864

  1. Special Order number 3, guard detail for March 12, 1862
  2. Special Order number 125, 8 days leave of absence for "important private business," February 2, 1863
  3. General Order number 26, orders designed to improve the competency of the regiment members on guard duty following an inspection, issued on April 2, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  4. Special Order number 15, declaring an investigation in response to complaints about high prices at the regimental supply store, issued on June 20, 1863 by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  5. Special Order number 13, orders regarding prisoners sentenced to hard labor, issued on June 21, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  6. General Order number 5, recalling troops assigned to private property, issued on June 21, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  7. General Order number 17, requiring peddlers and the like to dispose of their wares under the eye of the guard before visiting the camp, issued on June 22, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  8. General Order number 18, instructing post commanders to comply with a previous order regarding ammunition orders, issued on June 23, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  9. Circular regarding rations and ammunition requisitions, issued on June 28, 1863, by command of F.W. Taggard and  T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  10. General Order number 20, directions to cease discharging weapons for amusement near picket lines, issued on June 28, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  11. General Order number 24, orders to trim underbrush within one hundred yards of a fort to prevent sneak attacks, issued June 28, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  12. General Order number 8, announcement of inspection, issued June 29, 1863, by command of T.R. Tannatt, signed by G.F. Perkins
  13. Special Order number 328, 30 days leave of absence due to illness, August 25, 1863
  14. Special Order number 241, extract from discharge papers for Stone, November 30, 1863

1

6

Post-war correspondence with family and friends, 1871-1874

  1. To Stone from Ned, [Troy, N.Y.], November 28, 1871
  2. To Bell [Benjamin Stone], Washington, [D.C.], January 11, 1872
  3. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet] L. Stone, Belmont, [Mass.], June 19, 1872
  4. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet L. Stone], Belmont, [Mass.], July 6, 1872
  5. Note arranging a meeting, Kent, Conn., July 12, 1872
  6. To Stone from R. Hewitt, New York, [N.Y.], September, 1872
  7. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet] L. Stone, Belmont, [Mass.], September 14, 1872
  8. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet] L. Stone, Belmont, [Mass.], September 15, 1872
  9. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet L. Stone], Belmont, [Mass.], October 6, 1872
  10. To Stone from R. Hewitt, New York, [N.Y.], October 14, 1872
  11. To Stone from [Thomas] Nast, Morristown, N.J., October 22, 1872
  12. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet L. Stone], Belmont, [Mass.], November 15, 1872
  13. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from[Harriet L. Stone], Belmont, [Mass.], December 8, 1872
  14. To Stone from Alex M. Agnew, New York, [N.Y.], March 24, 1873
  15. To Stone from J.S. Rowley, Hastings-upon-Hudson, [N.Y.], September 24, 1873
  16. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from Sister Mary, Belmont, [Mass.], October 21, 1873
  17. To Stone from H.J. Rollins, January 4, 1874
  18. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet L. Stone], Belmont, [Mass.], January 5, 1874
  19. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from [Harriet] L. Stone, April 22, [18-?]; sketch of two ships attached.
  20. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from Minnie, a note regarding her father's passing, undated
  21. To Bell [Benjamin Stone] from Sister Mary, undated

1

7

Letter book, 1864-1878; content includes retained copies of letters he had written and a register of outgoing letters. (ca. 140 p.; 37 cm.)

1

8

Pocket diary for 1869. (ca. 120 p.; 10 cm.)

1

9

Pocket diary for 1875. (ca. 250 p.: 15 cm.)

1

10

Ancillary personal papers, 1867-1873.

  1. New York Daily Tribune clipping, May 9, 1867
  2. Description of "The Triumph of the Cross", a series of paintings by Geo. Inness. Note on the back written by P. [Pat] dated May 13, 1867
  3. Copyright claim for "Catters Kill Falls," painting by Stone, June 17, 1867
  4. Copyright claim for "Fawn's Leap," painting by Stone, June 17, 1867
  5. Copy-right claim for "Catskill Mountain House," painting by Stone, June 17, 1867
  6. Catalogue for oil painting auction, May 23, 1872
  7. Acknowledgment of receipt of submitted patent papers from patent solicitors Alexander and Mason, August 27, 1872
  8. Notice of rejection of a patent application from U.S. Patent Office, October 23, 1872
  9. Notice of second rejection of a patent application from U.S. Patent Office, October 29, 1872
  10. Notice of final rejection after re-examination of patent application from U.S. Patent Office, November 13, 1872
  11. Notice of final rejection of a patent application from patent solicitors Alexander and Mason, NoveLmber 18, 1872
  12. Request from E.E. Roberts and Co. for more information regarding an invention submitted, January 28, 1873
  13. [Wedding] Invitation cards, undated
  14. Advertisement for Photo-Plate Printing Company, undated
  15. Description of "The Domes of the Great Yo Semite [sic]", painting by Bierstadt, undated. Note on the back written by Pat, undated