Roy P. Stone, a Name to Remember

There’s nothing square about the “Square”at William, Central and Main Streets. It’s a convergence of diagonals, resulting in long lines of cars waiting at the traffic lights. Yet here, unnoticed by most passersby, is the Roy P. Stone Square marker, a memorial to one of the most remarkable men in our town’s history. The youngest of 10 children in the Stone family, Roy never made it past age 19.

I heard about Roy the other night at the Stoneham Historical Society as historian Dolly Wilson told the stories of 18 men from our town who perished in World War I, the 508 men and 10 women who served, and the hundreds of others who worked and collected clothes and money to aid the war effort.

Born in Wakefield, Roy was just three when his father died. In 1914 his mother brought the children to live in Stoneham. At age 15 Roy was working as a foreman’s assistant at the T. J. Jones factory. One afternoon, sitting on Franklin Street, he was struck by a potato hurled “from across the street” and knocked unconscious. A year later he and a friend, while riding motorcycles, suffered bruises and cuts in a collision with a car.

In June of 1917 Roy was working as a cutter in the factory when he enlisted in the Army. He was assigned to Company A, 104th Infantry, 26th Division. Also known as the Yankee Division, these soldiers were the first Americans to arrive on the French battlefields.

Meanwhile, at 103 Central St., in Stoneham, Roy’s mother had put out five blue stars, indicating that five of her children were serving. Roy’s sister, Ruth, was an Army nurse, and three other brothers were in the Army, including Otis, who was cited for bravery in the 2nd battle of the Marne.

On July 19, in the last year of the Great War, while leading his squad into battle, Corporal Roy Stone was shot and killed. He is buried in the Laurel Cemetery in Reading.

The next time you’re waiting for the light to turn green, see if you can spot the Roy Stone memorial marker. Better, yet, to see it as you’re walking by. Take a moment to remember a young man from our town who grew up the hard way. He loved life, but didn’t hesitate to serve when called, giving all for his country and those he left behind.

Thanks to Dolly Wilson for telling this story, and to those who erected the site marker at Central and William Streets. May we always remember.