David Stone
Encyclopedia
David Stone was the 15th Governor
of the U.S. state
of North Carolina
from 1808 to 1810. Both before and after his term as governor, he served as a U.S. senator
, between 1801 and 1807 and between 1813 and 1814.
, the son of a farmer. He attended Windsor Academy
and later the College of New Jersey, where he graduated with honors. Returning to North Carolina, Stone studied law in Halifax
and was granted his law license in 1790. He married Hannah Turner and began the construction of a large manor house on land given him by his father, Zedekiah Stone. This is now a historic site, Hope Plantation.
In 1789, Stone was a member of the convention in Fayetteville
which ratified the United States Constitution
. He proceeded to represent Bertie County in the North Carolina House of Commons until 1795, when he was named to the North Carolina Superior Court
.
In 1798, Stone stepped down from the court to serve in the United States House of Representatives
for one term; during the contested 1800 presidential election, he cast his vote for Thomas Jefferson
when the election was sent to the House for a final decision.
Re-elected in a bid for a second term in the House, Stone resigned when he was elected to the United States Senate
by the North Carolina General Assembly
in late 1800. He resigned his seat in the Senate in 1807 to return to the state Superior Court, but was there for only a year before being elected Governor of North Carolina
by the legislature in November 1808.
As Governor, Stone was an ardent supporter of agricultural and industrial development, as well as of the expansion to the education system to both sexes and all social classes. Stone was re-elected in 1809 but was defeated for a third one-year term in 1810 by Benjamin Smith. Following his defeat, Stone served in the North Carolina House of Commons for a year before being named to the U.S. Senate once again in 1813.
Stone's second term in the U.S. Senate lasted only a year; he was censured by the NC General Assembly for failing to support the administration during the War of 1812
. Stone resigned his Senate seat in December 1814, retiring to his Wake County plantation, where he died in 1818 and is buried.
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
from 1808 to 1810. Both before and after his term as governor, he served as a U.S. senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, between 1801 and 1807 and between 1813 and 1814.
Biography
Stone was born in Bertie County, North CarolinaBertie County, North Carolina
-External links:**...
, the son of a farmer. He attended Windsor Academy
Windsor Academy
Windsor Academy is a private school in Bibb County, Georgia. It was founded in 1970 to serve students in the area south of Macon, around the same time that many other segregation academies were created...
and later the College of New Jersey, where he graduated with honors. Returning to North Carolina, Stone studied law in Halifax
Halifax, North Carolina
Halifax is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Halifax County...
and was granted his law license in 1790. He married Hannah Turner and began the construction of a large manor house on land given him by his father, Zedekiah Stone. This is now a historic site, Hope Plantation.
In 1789, Stone was a member of the convention in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
which ratified the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. He proceeded to represent Bertie County in the North Carolina House of Commons until 1795, when he was named to the North Carolina Superior Court
North Carolina Superior Court
The Superior Court is North Carolina’s general jurisdiction trial court. It has jurisdiction over all felony cases, cases involving over $10,000, and appeals of misdemeanor and infraction cases from the North Carolina District Courts....
.
In 1798, Stone stepped down from the court to serve in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for one term; during the contested 1800 presidential election, he cast his vote for Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
when the election was sent to the House for a final decision.
Re-elected in a bid for a second term in the House, Stone resigned when he was elected to the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
by the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
in late 1800. He resigned his seat in the Senate in 1807 to return to the state Superior Court, but was there for only a year before being elected Governor of North Carolina
Governor of North Carolina
The Governor of North Carolina is the chief executive of the State of North Carolina, one of the U.S. states. The current governor is Bev Perdue, North Carolina's first female governor.-Powers:...
by the legislature in November 1808.
As Governor, Stone was an ardent supporter of agricultural and industrial development, as well as of the expansion to the education system to both sexes and all social classes. Stone was re-elected in 1809 but was defeated for a third one-year term in 1810 by Benjamin Smith. Following his defeat, Stone served in the North Carolina House of Commons for a year before being named to the U.S. Senate once again in 1813.
Stone's second term in the U.S. Senate lasted only a year; he was censured by the NC General Assembly for failing to support the administration during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. Stone resigned his Senate seat in December 1814, retiring to his Wake County plantation, where he died in 1818 and is buried.