Stony Community

by Pauline Schluter
Demonstration Club Collection

Stony is in the western part of Denton County about a mile from Denton Creek. Old settlers settled there to have water for cattle and themselves. It was several years before deep wells were used there. The land is black and sandy loam and very rich land. Stony got its name from the almost solid rock that the town is built upon. About 1/4 mile from Stony there is a rock quarry from which the rock was taken to build the underpass between Stony and Denton on the old Highway 24. On the place where this rock quarry was located there is a rock fireplace, rock cellar and one room still stands and is in use though built almost a century ago. A house of six rooms and bath has been added to the original room.

The Methodist Church at Stony was built in 1888 and was located west of Bob Stewart's place. The site was sold to the church for $1.00. The site where the church now stands in Stony was bought for $5.00. The Baptist Church was built in 1889. The Church of Christ, for which the land was donated was built in 1910.

The first school was built in 1884, having only one room. Early teachers were Henrietta Austin, Mr. Carl and Alvin Ousley. Other buildings in the early days of Stony were grocery stores owned by Newt James and John Smith. Stony also had a hotel and post office. Note: G. D. Lain taught 6 mos. in Stony in the winter of 1885-6 to make money for medical school.

Cemeteries near Stony include one on the Green place, named for the Greens who owned the land. One cemetery is still in use, another one, an Indian cemetery, has 32 graves in it. Old settlers remember the Indian roaming through this community. One white boy was killed by Indians and is buried near Stony.

The Old Chisholm Trail crossed the creek in about a mile of Stony. Aaron Schoolfield walked the trail two different times to drive cattle to market. John Schoolfield bought his half-section of land for $.50 per acre. He built his home there and the land has been handed down to his sons.

C. H. Gray, who now makes his home in Dallas, came to Stony in 1884. He tells of the wild animals such as panthers and bear that roamed the woods of Denton Creek. N. J. Woofter was one of the earliest settlers. He hauled the lumber by oxen from Fort Worth to build his first home. G. R. Foster, an early settler who came to Stony in l88O, still lives here.

Now Stony is very modern with churches, community center, good highways, school busses to take the children to better schools. There is good farm land, many Grade A dairies.

There are nice homes with modern conveniences such as deep wells, electricity, home freezers and T. V. sets.

Pauline Schluter. 99