Julius Orlando Stone was born April 3, 1840, at Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, and passed away at Wilsonville, Nebraska,  July 2, 1940, at the age of 100 years, 2 months and 29 days.

At the age of 21 he enlisted in the army of the Civil War and served his country in the 14^th New Hampshire Volunteers, serving till the close of the war, and mustered out July 8, 1865. During this service he was in the battles of Winchester, Fisher\'s Hill and Cedar Creek.

He married Olive Maria Bourne ( born October 24,1842, Richmond, New Hampshire) at Rindge, New Hampshire on October 28, 1858 (she was 16 when they married and he was 18) She was the daughter of Daniel and Marie (Ballou) Bourne. She passed away in October, 1917, after a long illness.

In 1867 they moved to Marion, Iowa, where they remained eight years and in 1875 moved their family to Wilsonville, Nebraska, and took a homestead one-half mile west of the present town site. In later life they moved into the town of Wilsonville for the remainder of their life.

On the trip from Iowa to Nebraska he walked every step of the way(466 miles; he was 27 and she was 25 years old) as the load was heavy and the team was light. Horatio and Sarah Bourne accompanied them on this trip. On the homestead he and the neighbors prepared to fight the Indians in the early day of the country and the sod house for years was called the "Old Stone Fort." They later built a one and a half story frame house that still was still standing in 1953. Before the railroad came to Wilsonville, he freighted goods with his team and wagon from Kearney to Wilsonville.

Grandmother (Olive Marie) Stone endured all the hardships of pioneer life. She reared eleven children and was noted for her hospitality. During her last illness she was carried in a chair to the parlor to have the family picture taken. Nine children were in that picture and the pictures of the two who had passed on.

Grandfather\'s 100^th birthday was celebrated by inviting all the children and families to spend the day with him. Seven families were represented. About 80 relatives and friends were there. Less than three months later he passed away.

The last three years of his life was spent in a wheelchair. His mind was alert to the last. Most any time of the day you could hear him singing the old songs of the church. He was a Free Methodist.

In 1919 he married Mrs. Pricilla Rhamy, who passed away in 1927.

In 1935 he married Anna Hepler and she lived in Beavever City, Nebraska. 11 children