William J. Stone

William J. Stone

Stone's engraving of the United States Declaration of Independence
Born	1798
Birthplace	London, England
Died	1865
Place of death	Washington, D.C.
Nationality	American
Occupations	Engraver, lithographer, printer, and mapmaker
Known for	Engraving the Declaration of Independence (1823)
Notable commission	John Quincy Adams, United States Secretary of State
Related pages	United States Declaration of Independence John Quincy Adams Peter Force National Archives and Records Administration

William J. Stone (1798–1865) was an English-born American engraver, lithographer, printer, and mapmaker who is best known for producing the 1823 copperplate engraving of the United States Declaration of Independence. Commissioned by John Quincy Adams, then United States Secretary of State, Stone created a remarkably faithful facsimile of the original parchment document, including its text and signatures. His engraving became the basis for the familiar image of the Declaration reproduced in history books and educational materials.

Biography

Early life and career

William James Stone was born in London, England, in 1798. He emigrated to the United States with his family in 1804 and subsequently studied engraving under Peter Maverick in New York City. In 1815, Stone established his own engraving business in Washington, D.C., where he obtained work from government departments and other publishers.

Stone produced engravings, maps, charts, and illustrations. His work included government commissions, and he developed a successful business serving the expanding administrative and scientific needs of the United States.

Engraving of the Declaration of Independence

By the early 1820s, the original engrossed parchment of the Declaration of Independence was deteriorating, with its ink and signatures becoming increasingly difficult to read. In 1820, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned Stone to produce a full-size engraved facsimile of the document.

Stone spent approximately three years engraving the text and signatures onto a copperplate. The plate was completed in 1823 and bore an inscription identifying Stone as its engraver and recording Adams's authorization. The resulting impression reproduced the appearance of the original parchment with exceptional fidelity.

The United States government arranged for 200 copies to be printed on parchment. On May 26, 1824, Congress authorized their distribution to surviving signers of the Declaration, government officials, public institutions, and educational establishments. Recipients included John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, President James Monroe, former President James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette.

Stone's engraving became one of the most influential reproductions of the Declaration. The image commonly seen in books and other historical publications is often derived from his work rather than directly from the original parchment, which has continued to fade.

Engraving technique

The precise method Stone used to reproduce the original document remains uncertain. Suggested explanations include hand tracing, mechanical tracing, and techniques for transferring ink impressions from the parchment. Although the possibility of a wet-transfer process has attracted particular attention because of concerns about the deterioration of the original, the surviving evidence does not establish exactly how Stone produced his engraving.

After the initial production, the inscription at the top of the copperplate was removed and a different imprint, reading “W.J. STONE SC. WASHN.,” was added near the bottom. Later impressions were printed on paper, including impressions associated with the publication of Peter Force's documentary collection, American Archives.

Only a small number of the original parchment impressions are known to survive. Stone's own impression was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by his widow in 1888.

Later work and death

Stone continued to work as a printer and engraver in Washington, producing maps and other materials for government agencies. He also participated in scientific and cultural organizations, including the National Institute for the Promotion of Science, of which he was a founding member.

Stone died in Washington, D.C., in 1865. His engraving of the Declaration of Independence remains an important record of the document's original appearance and a major contribution to the preservation and dissemination of American founding history.

See also

• Declaration of Independence
• John Quincy Adams
• Thomas Jefferson
• Peter Force
• National Archives and Records Administration
• Engraving