| James Riley Stone | |
| State: | Wisconsin |
| State Assembly: | Wisconsin |
| District: | Sauk County |
| Term Start: | January 3, 1949 |
| Term End: | January 5, 1959 |
| Predecessor: | George J. Woerth |
| Successor: | Walter Terry |
| Office1: | Sheriff of Sauk County, Wisconsin |
| Term Start1: | August 15, 1945 |
| Term End1: | January 3, 1949 |
| Appointer1: | Walter Samuel Goodland |
| Predecessor1: | Clayton H. Wilcox |
| Successor1: | James W. Hayes |
| Party: | Republican |
| Birth Date: | 17 October 1886 |
| Birth Place: | Sully County, South Dakota, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Reedsburg, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Restingplace: | Green Wood Cemetery, Reedsburg |
| Children: | 9 |
| Alma Mater: | University of Wisconsin |
| Profession: | Farmer |
| Allegiance: | United States |
| Branch: | Wisconsin National Guard United States Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1917 - 1918 |
| Rank: | 1st Lieutenant, USA |
| Battles: | World War I |
James Riley Stone Sr. (October 17, 1886February 25, 1978) was an American farmer, businessman, and Republican politician from Reedsburg, Wisconsin. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly for five terms, representing Sauk County from 1949 through 1959. He also served four years as sheriff. At various times his name was abbreviated as either James R. Stone, J. Riley Stone, or just Riley Stone.
James Riley Stone was born in Sully County, South Dakota, in October 1886. As a child, he moved with his parents to Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where he resided for most of the rest of his life. He was educated in the Reedsburg public schools for elementary and high school, and went on to attend the University of Wisconsin. He graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University's College of Commerce (now the Wisconsin School of Business) in 1907.[1]
Stone was involved for some time in the Wisconsin National Guard, and when the United States became involved in World War I, he was selected for service in the United States Army.[2] He initially served as an enlisted soldier in the 341st Infantry Regiment - a mobilized Wisconsin National Guard unit - but after a series of transfers, ended up serving as a first lieutenant in the 75th Field Artillery Regiment.[3]
After the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and the Volstead Act, creating a legal framework for alcohol prohibition, Stone was appointed the federal prohibition director for Wisconsin.[4] After several years in that role, in 1925, he was appointed postmaster at Reedsburg.[5] [6]
Stone was also involved with his father in a large farm real-estate business. By 1930 they owned ten farms which were rented to tenants, and Stone later purchased two dairy farms for his own use.[7] After the implementation of the New Deal, Stone served for ten years as an agent of the Federal Land Bank. Through his farm interests, he was also an active member and officer in the Sauk County Farm Association.[8] [9]
Stone first served in county office in 1945, when he was appointed sheriff of Sauk County by Governor Walter Samuel Goodland, to fill a vacancy.[10] He was subsequently elected to a full term as sheriff in 1946, running on the Republican Party ticket.[11]
Two years later, Stone chose to enter the race for Wisconsin State Assembly in Sauk County, launching a primary challenge against George J. Woerth, who had previously been a member of the Wisconsin Progressive Party. Stone narrowly defeated Woerth in the September 1948 primary, and went on to win the general election with 73% of the vote.[12] [13] He was re-elected four times, but was unsuccessful seeking a sixth term in 1958. He was defeated in the Republican primary by Walter Terry, who went on to succeed him in the Assembly.[14]
Stone remained active in local politics after leaving the Assembly, and served several terms as member and later president of the Reedsburg school board.[15] [16]
He died at his home in Reedsburg on February 25, 1978, at age 91.[1]
James Riley Stone was the second of three children born to James Aschel Stone and Mary "Minnie" Louise Stone ( Corwith). James R. Stone's mother was born and raised in Sauk County, Wisconsin, before her marriage to James A. Stone and their brief move to South Dakota. After their return to Wisconsin, James A. Stone served on the Sauk County board of supervisors.
Stone married Vera A. Milhaupt, of New Holstein, Wisconsin, on October 10, 1916.[17] They had nine children, though one son died in childhood, and were married for 61 years before his death in 1978.[1] Vera died three years later, at the time of her death, they had 30 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.[18]
Four of Stone's sons served in the armed forces, three in World War II, one in the Vietnam War:
Their other children also had notable public service:
| colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, November 5, 1946
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Primary | Republican | 3,072 | 54.69% | Rep. | 2,545 | 45.31% | 5,617 | 527 | ||||
| General | Republican | 9,279 | 72.97% | Dem. | 3,304 | 25.98% | 29,741 | 5,103 | |||||
| Soc. | 133 | 1.05% | |||||||||||
| 1950 | General[26] | Republican | 7,637 | 61.24% | Dem. | 4,756 | 38.14% | 12,470 | 2,881 | ||||
| Soc. | 77 | 0.62% | |||||||||||
| 1952 | General[27] | Republican | 11,303 | 66.36% | Dem. | 5,730 | 33.64% | 17,033 | 5,573 | ||||
| 1954 | General[28] | Republican | 7,374 | 62.94% | Dem. | 4,341 | 37.06% | 11,715 | 3,033 | ||||
| 1956 | Primary[29] | Republican | 2,741 | 50.95% | Rep. | 2,479 | 46.08% | 5,380 | 262 | ||||
| Rep. | 160 | 2.97% | |||||||||||
| General | Republican | 10,390 | 66.32% | Dem. | 5,276 | 33.68% | 15,666 | 5,114 | |||||
| 1958 | Primary | Republican | 1,570 | 55.40% | Rep. | 1,264 | 44.60% | 2,834 | 306 | ||||