…Holland and Springfield Township Recollections
Spencer Historical Society President Karla Miller submitted this story as part of the village’s centennial celebration this year.
Each month, the column will feature one of a dozen mayors the village has had over the past 100 years. This month’s story is about Joseph Stone.
The eighth mayor of Holland was Joseph Slayden Stone born July 25, 1905 in Cumberland, Tennessee, to Franklin Hardeman Stone of Kentucky and Ira Addie Slayden of Tennessee. He was one of 11 children.
In 1927, Joseph married Vallie Emelene Hodges, born April 19, 1907 in Montgomery County, Tennessee, to John Riley Hodges and Mary Agnes Ferrell, both of Tennessee.
Joseph and Vallie had a son, Charles Robert Stone, who was born September 17, 1928 and died December 15, 1935 in Wayne County, Michigan, at age 7 of cancer. Charles is buried in Montgomery County, Tennessee, with his grandparents.
Another son, John Hardeman Stone, was born in Michigan on September 21, 1930. John was found in the 1935 and 1940 Michigan census, age 9, in third grade with Joseph, 35, a salesman for an equipment company, and Vallie, 33, a housewife.
Joseph’s World War II draft card lists Vallie Emelene Stone (wife), address 1115 Detroit Avenue, Toledo, with him working for Sun Electric Company, 3012 Clagbourn Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, Cook County.
In the early 1940s, Joseph moved his family to a farm on McCord Road, Springfield Township, Lucas County.
The 1950 census has it listed as the first house north of the railroad tracks on the west side of the road. Joseph was a salesman for Sun Electric until 1950.
In 1958, Joseph aided in organizing the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce. He then founded J. S. Stone & Son, a building and construction firm, retiring in 1961.
Joseph Stone served as the mayor of Holland in 1960 and 1961. He also was president of the Holland Strawberry Festival during the 1950s.
He and his son, John “Jack” Stone, a 1948 graduate of Holland High School, designed and developed the Spring Meadows Senior Community on the original family property in 1985 on Clarion Avenue, Holland.
Vallie Emelene Stone, 79, died April 4, 1987 at Spring Meadows Extended Care Facility, Clarion Avenue, Holland, where she had resided for the last four years of her life.
Vallie was past president of Holland Mother’s Club and had retired in 1971 from the Westgate Lion Store after 10 years. She is buried at Springfield Township Cemetery, Holland.
Joseph Stone, 82, died the following year on January 10, 1988, at St Luke’s Hospital in Maumee. He had been living with his son John Stone’s family on Clark Street Holland. He is buried at Springfield Township Cemetery, Holland.
Editor’s Note: This is the eighth in a series of stories on mayors of the Village of Holland. Holland-Springfield- Joseph Stone
