National Governors Association

JOHN M. STONE, the thirty-first and thirty-third governor to serve Mississippi, was born in Milan, Tennessee on April 30, 1830. His education was limited and attained in the common schools of his native state. After moving to Mississippi, he worked as a station agent for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad at Iuka. During the Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army as captain of the 2nd Mississippi Regiment of Infantry, and was promoted to the rank of colonel for his courageous service. After his military duty, Stone entered into a political career. He first served as the mayor of Iuka, and then was elected Tishomingo County treasurer, a position he held from 1866 to 1868. Stone also served as a member of the Mississippi State Senate from 1869 to 1876, serving as senate president in 1876. After Governor Adelbert Ames resigned from office on March 29, 1876 and Lieutenant Governor A.K. Davis was impeached, Stone, who was senate president at the time, assumed the duties of the governorship. He was elected to a term of his own on November 6, 1877. During his tenure, railroad regulations were sanctioned; a state board of health was founded; a yellow fever epidemic was dealt with; and an agricultural and mechanical college in Starkville was established. After running unsuccessfully for reelection, Stone left office on January 29, 1882. Seven years later, he won reelection to a second gubernatorial term. During his final term, a new constitution was sanctioned; the Mississippi Historical Society was founded; and the state treasury encountered financial difficulties. After completing his term, Stone left office on January 20, 1896. He continued to stay active, serving as the president of the Agricultural and Mechanical College, a post he held from 1899 to 1900. Governor John M. Stone passed away on March 26, 1900, and was buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Iuka, Mississippi.