Fred and Annie Maye Stone

Fred Ray and Annie Maye were children of William Gayland Stone and Mary Pearl Evans of Itawamba County. The Stone and Evans families were prominent members of the Tremont community. William was the son of John Henry Stone, Jr. and Florence Emmaline Cowden while Pearl was the daughter of John Thomas Evans and Elizabeth Ann Bishop.

In addition to Fred and Annie Maye, there was another child of the family, Julia Grace, who was not yet born when this photograph was taken. Since Fred was born in August 1901 and Julia was born in July 1904, you can guess that the photo was taken about 1902 or 1903.

Annie Maye, who married Mautimer D. Robinson, grew up to be a family historian and is well-known for her history of the Stone family, a copy of which I found at the research library of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Washington, DC. In her history, she wrote about her father: "William Gayland Stone was a merchant and farmer. He was a life-long resident of Tremont, Miss. At the time of his death, at the age of 31, he was studying to become a Methodist minister. He died August 24, 1908 and is buried in the Stone Cemetery at Tremont beside his wife, Mary Pearl Evans Stone, and two sons, Fred Ray, and an infant son."

Annie Maye was only nine years old when her father died. Her grandfather, John T. Evans, was appointed guardian for the Stone siblings in this 1908 court filing:

Itawamba County, Mississippi
Chancery Court
Minor Heirs of William G. Stone, deceased
Guardian's Bond
J. T. Evans, principal, and C. M. Robinson, L. Q. Stone, in the amount of $250
September 30, 1908
M.D.L. Spearman, Notary Public
(Note: C. M. Robinson was Carlton McKindrey Robinson while L. Q. Stone was Lucien Quincy Stone, a brother to William.)

John T. Evans made an annual accounting each year to the court for the financial affairs of the children.

Itawamba County, Mississippi
Motion Docket Book B
1887-1914

In Re Guardianship of Annie May Stone, Fred Ray Stone and Grace Stone, minors, J. T. Evans Guardian, Fred #1229, Grace 1229A, Annie May 1229B
Now comes the above named Guardian J. T. Evans and moves the court to approve his 1st annual acct. in each of the above named minors, Annie May Stone, Fred Ray Stone and Grace Stone. J. T. Evans

The Estate Packets (1229, 1229A, 1229B) found at the Itawamba County courthouse contain the accounting made by J. T. Evans as guardian for his grandchildren. Below is the accounting for Annie May Stone for one year. The other children had similar accounting and amounts.

Annual Accounting, October Term 1909
Beginning amount on hand as per Inventory $125
Interest on same since Jan. 2d 1909 to date $ 9.68
Balance on hand Oct. 11, 1909 $134.68
No disbursements by guardian

Fred Ray Stone died in Florida in 1960 while Julia Grace Stone, the wife of Earl Underwood, died in Itawamba County in 1976. Annie Maye Stone, the oldest of the siblings, died in 1979.