Papers : 1786-1873.

            Joel Stone was born in Guilford, Connecticut.  Later, his family moved to Litchfield, and eventually he became a general merchant in Woodbury, Connecticut.  He was known as a Loyalist from the early days of the American Revolution, and as a result all his property was confiscated by the rebels.  He fled to New York where he served as a Volunteer with the Loyalist forces in Governor Wentworth's Corps. In 1778, he was captured and imprisoned, but escaped and made his way to New York where he found refuge.  Here he established a business and became a captain in the City Militia. 
After the peace, he spent several years in England in an attempt to gain compensation for his losses which finally took the form of a military pension.  He settled first at Cornwall, and later on the Gananoque River in Upper Canada where he became the leading resident of the settlement and is acknowledged as the founder of the town of Gananoque.   He established several businesses, and held both civic and judicial offices until 1815, when he turned most of his business interests over to his son-in-law, Charles MacDonald.  From 1809 until 1821, he was the Colonel of the 2nd Regiment of Leeds Militia, and in this position he was responsible for the defence of the Gananoque area during the War of 1812 - 1814.
Joel Stone was married twice, first to Leah Moore in New York City during the Revolution, and later to Abigail Dayton.  His son, William Stone, was the Collector of Customs at Gananoque from 1803 until his death in 1809.  His daughter, Mary, was the wife of Charles MacDonald, who became the town's leading merchant.  Joel Stone died on 20 November 1833 at the age of 84 years.             

            The Joel Stone Papers are arranged in six series and include:  Correspondence (1787-1833); Militia papers (1802, 1812-1826); Commission of the Peace (1809-1832); Customs administration, Port of Gananoque (1803-1830); Miscellaneous accounts and receipts (1796-1842); and Miscellaneous documents (1786-1820).  A large portion of the material relates to military affairs between 1787 and 1833, and sheds light on local defence during the War of 1812; also includes a number of letters which were exchanged between Stone and Lt. Col. Nathaniel Coffin, Adjutant-General of the Upper Canada Militia from 1815 to 1837.  
Detailed Contents
A. Correspondence, 1787-1833

letters to Joel Stone, arranged in chronological order; letters to and from William Stone, Collector of Customs, Gananoque re. Customs
B. Militia Papers

General and regimental orders, 1813-21
Miscellaneous papers relating to 2nd Regiment, Leeds Militia, including draft memorial by Stone with schedule of losses in War of 1812, 1802, 1812-15, 1826
C. Commission of the Peace, 1809-32

routine papers and prosecutions
D. Customs administration, Port of Gananoque, 1803-30

E. Miscellaneous accounts and receipts, 1796-1842

F. Miscellaneous documents

roads commission:  record of survey/Elizabethtown and Yonge Townships Road, Jan. 9-10, 1800; notice concerning road statute labour, May 29, 1820, Gananoque
indenture of election, Leeds County, June 2, 1812
memorandum listing persons in favour of Gourley in the Township of Kitley, n.d.
typewritten letter from E.B. Little halves to Mr. Aiken, Surveyor, Midland District, Kingston, April 18, 1795, concerning Stone's tenancy of Howe Island
memorial re. Confiscated land of Stone from State of Connecticut, 1786 (bottom of page ripped off)
notice of marriage of Daniel Landon and Margaret Grant from Stone, J.P., 1815
            

            Preliminary Inventory, and Calendar of the Correspondence section, produced by Douglas Library at Queen's University is available in print and as a PDF under the electronic finding aid section.  The document listing (calendar) of the Correspondence section is organised into 2 sections:  letters to Joel Stone, and letters from Joel Stone; as well as, a separate listing arranged in order as on the film, both include a brief summary of content for each document.            

Researchers may wish to consult the microfilm of the Joel Stone Papers, 1774-1933, which are held by the Archives of Ontario and available in the Loyalist Collection at MIC-Loyalist FC LFR .S6J6P4