James Stone was the fifth child of James Stone & Eliza born at Varteg, Monmouth & christened April 7th, 1833 at Trevethin, Monmouth.
In 1841 James was living with his parents & brothers & sisters at Hall Fields, Bilston, Wolverhampton.
James was still living at home in 1851 at Old Meeting St, West Bromwich. His father had died by this time, but there were 2 brothers & 4 sisters still at home. James was an iron shearer.
James married Sarah Langstone in Oct-December 1855 at West Bromwich. Sarah was christened May 17th, 1835 at Sedgley, Staffs, the daughter of Sarah & David Langstone.
In 1861 James & Sarah were living at Broadwater, Wolverley, Worcs & James was a tin plate shearer & draper. He was also noted as being a local Methodist preacher. Sarah was a milliner & mantle maker & they had a 2 year old son Thomas L.
By 1871 James & Sarah had moved to Hill Top, West Bromwich & James was now described as a tailor & draper. As well as son Thomas they now had William Henry (9), Alfred E (6) & James Albert (4). They also had a domestic servant Sarah Bullock (16).
The family were still living at West Bromwich in 1881 but now at 18 Dudley St. James was still a tailor & draper & still at home were James Albert & John B (9). They had a general servant Elizabeth Kingston.
Sarah died in West Bromwich in July-September 1888, aged 53.
James remarried at Christ Church, West Bromwich in Oct-December 1890. His second wife was Mary Ann Hodgetts. Mary Ann Bailey was born c1834 at Wednesbury & married Abraham Hodgetts in April-June 1854 at West Bromwich. Abraham was a butcher on the High St in West Bromwich in 1871. In the 1881 census Mary Ann was described as a butcheress on the High St. & although her status was given as married, Abraham was not found at this time. Abraham died aged 52 in Jan-March 1885 at West Bromwich.
In 1891 James & Mary Ann (listed as Aime on Ancestry.co.uk index) were living at 302 High St, West Bromwich & James was still a tailor & draper. Still at home were James Albert, now married & also a tailor & draper, & John B, an apprentice woollen draper. They had a 28 year old domestic servant, Elizabeth Earp, born in Hampshire.
James died in July-September 1895, aged 62, at West Bromwich.
In 1901 widowed Mary Ann was living at 47 Old Meeting St, West Bromwich & was described as retired. She still had the same 38 year old domestic servant born at Hampshire now listed as Betsy Hurp.
Mary Ann died in July-September 1914, aged 80, at West Bromwich.
The children of James Stone & Sarah Langstone were:
st.2.5.1 Thomas Langstone
Stone born Jan-March 1858 at Wolverley, Worcs
st.2.5.2 William Henry Stone
born Jan-March 1862 at Wolverley, Worcs
st.2.5.3 Alfred E Stone born 1864 at West Bromwich
st.2.5.4 James Albert Stone
born Oct-December 1866 at West Bromwich, died April-June 1895 at West Bromwich
st.2.5.5 John Benjamin Stone
born July-September 1871 at West Bromwich