The Stone Coat of Arms

The following data is extracted from Stone Family History.

A COAT of Arms is an emblem or a device which is displayed by titled persons, persons of royal blood, and their descendants. Coats of Arms were originally used for purposes of identification and recognition on the field of battle as well as in civil life.

It is claimed by some writers that Coats of Arms, in a crude form, were used by Noah's sons after the flood. There are records of other Coats of Arms, in one crude form or another, at different periods of ancient history. Heraldry, however, as know it today, did not become of much importance until soon after the invasion of England by William the Conqueror, A. D. 1066. Heraldry became of general interest at about the time of the Crusades.

The Stone Coat of Arms shown in the front of this volume is the Arms of the Stones of Blackmore, co. Essex. Coats of Arms very similar to it are used by the Stones of London (granted 1515, confirmed 1614, to Sir Richard Stone, Knt.) and many others. Numerous other branches of the Stone family have Coats of Arms resembling it.

This is the most widely used of all Stone Coats of Arms and has been in existence for many centuries. It is described in BURKE'S GENERAL ARMORY, BURKE'S LANDED GENTRY, BURKE'S PEERAGE AND BARONETAGE and other reliable works on heraldry, in some cases accompanied by illustrations and pedigrees. Crozier records it for Simon and Gregory Stone, who settled in Massachusetts in 1635 and who are the progenitors of most American Stone lines. It has been used for generations by their descendants and by other American branches of the Stone family.

HERALDIC LANGUAGE ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

Arms Argent, three cinquefoils sable, on a chief azure a sun in splendor dor or. On a silver shield, three black star-like figures below a blue band on which is a golden sun.

Crest Out of a ducal coronet or, a griffin's head between two wings gules bezantee. A griffin's head between two wings, red with spots of gold, rising out of a golden ducal coronet.

Sir Bernard Burke, of Heralds College, London, said: "Heraldry is prized by all who can show honorable ancestry or wish to found honorable families."

Besides its family significance this Coat of Arms makes an excellent mural decoration and inspires the admiration and comment of all who see it.

It is quite appropriate that members of the Stone family who have a pride in their ancestry should display the family Coat of Arms, in proper colors.

Source: Stone Family History

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