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Janice Stone (Mrs. Ed Stone) wrote after her and Ed's visit to Shuqualak on March 7, 2001:
Up in central Mississippi, not too far from the Alabama border, there is a ghost town—obviously once a thriving railroad town, now virtually a ghost town—called by the Choctaw Indians "Shuqualak."
Ed and I drove into Shuqualak after a four-hour trip on country roads, but weren't ready for what we saw. Most towns in middle Mississippi these days have several gas stations, a McDonald's, or at least some semblance of the modern day. Shuqualak is the exception - it's in the last "pre-ghost town" stage. There's the typical railroad track running in front of a row of downtown stores with the usual water tower across the tracks. But that was where the resemblance ended. The wind blew through the empty Philco store and the abandoned general store, and across the tracks stood a crumbling three-story warehouse, E. F. Nunn & Co., with what was left of the painted letters peeling in the hot sun.
In contrast, there was a brand new building called just "Bank" (?) down the road near the Baptist Church, which seemed to have 2 or 3 customers that day. The two churches were in good repair. On a tiny store front nearby was crudely painted "Town of Shuqualak." One police car was parked in front, a scary reminder of the days of speed traps and jailings you hear about in Mississippi. Across the street was an abandoned building with a tiny bulletin board crookedly hanging on it labeled "City Bulletin Board."
One of the churches was the First Baptist Church with a cornerstone announcing its completion in 1837. That was the church where Rev. Lewis Maxwell Stone conducted services back in the 1800's as one of the first ministers there. He's buried out in thr cemetery with other family members. They were our reason for visiting that windy March day.
The cemetery is down the road a piece, actually outside the city limits by a few hundred feet. Unlike the town, someone has cared and tended it and built a new brick fence with an ornate wrought iron gate to keep its residents safe. After some searching, we came upon the graves of Ed's great-grandfather, Rev. Lewis Maxwell Sone, Lewis's wife, Mary Garrett Stone, their child, Ollie Conrad Stone, and Lewis's father, Col. J. M. Stone, Ed's great-great-grandfather. There was another headstone, but the name had either fallen off or disintegrated over the 100 or so years that have gone by.
What a splendid moment to see Ed standing there among the graves of all his ancestors. I had a wonderful feeling that they were so happy to see us; and more than that, to see how happy we were together. I fely very blessed at that moment. We all could only hope that our great-great-grandchildren will search for us and honor us with a special visit one windy spring day in the distant future.
SHUQUALAK CEMETERY: COL J M STONE FATHER BORN NOV 9 1808 DIED FEB 11 1893 - This is a tall white obelisk shaped monument with the quote, "An honest man's the noblest work of God."
LEWIS MAXWELL STONE CO C 24 ALA RGMT CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY JUL 6 1844 OCT 10 1912
MARY GARRETT STONE MOTHER Born July 12 1847 Died June 14 1902 - This is a monument shaped like a parchment folded in waves and bears the inscription, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." Next to her grave is a baby's grave: Ollie Conrad Stone Born Jan 2, 1887, Died May 3, 1887.
EDWARD SHOLL STONE Oct. 11, 1909 Aug. 24, 1991 - Buried at Calvert, Alabama, behind the Methodist Church; photographed April 17, 1992.