William J. Stone was an accomplished American engraver, lithographer, and sculptor, known particularly for his exacting work in reproducing the Declaration of Independence. Born in London, England, Stone emigrated to America as a young child in 1804. His career began in New York City, where he studied under Peter Maverick, a well-regarded engraver of the time. By 1815, Stone had established his own engraving firm in Washington, D.C., and quickly became a trusted craftsman for the federal government, which commissioned him for many important projects.
Stone is best remembered for his 1823 copperplate engraving of the Declaration of Independence, an undertaking commissioned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, who was a personal friend and political ally. At that time, the original Declaration, penned in 1776, was deteriorating due to age and handling. Adams sought a precise reproduction that would allow for the preservation of this founding document in its most accurate form. Stone’s work on the engraving took nearly three years, during which he had the original Declaration in his shop for close study. He labored meticulously to create a faithful reproduction, achieving what many scholars regard as a virtually perfect copy. Historian Seth Kaller has noted that Stone’s engraving is “as close to an exact copy of the original manuscript as was humanly possible at that time, before the use of photographic imagery.”
Stone’s approach to copying the Declaration has led to speculation that he may have used a “wet” or chemical transfer process to capture fine details from the original, possibly hastening its degradation. However, there is no concrete evidence to confirm this theory. What is known is that Stone’s work included tiny distinguishing marks to indicate it as a copy and to showcase the precision of his engraving technique. His reproduction became the definitive representation of the Declaration as it appeared at the time of signing. On April 11, 1823, Adams recorded a visit from “Stone the Engraver, who has finished his facsimile of the original Declaration of Independence.” By May 10, the original document had been returned to Adams for public display, and Stone’s engraving was ready for production.
The Department of State, represented by Daniel Brent, ordered 200 facsimile copies of Stone’s engraving on May 28, 1823, requesting that he print the copies on vellum and then return the plate to the Department for future use. Stone completed this order, producing 201 copies in total—200 for the government and one for himself, as was customary for engravers of the time, though perhaps not formally authorized in this case. The copies he made on heavy wove paper are believed to be proof prints, created before he began work on the more expensive vellum copies.
In 1824, Congress directed John Quincy Adams to distribute the vellum facsimiles, marking an important moment in the preservation of the Declaration’s legacy. Each of the surviving signers of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Charles Carroll of Carrollton, received two copies. Additional copies were distributed to key figures, including President James Monroe, Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins, former President James Madison, and the Marquis de Lafayette, each of whom received two copies. Congress divided twenty copies between the Senate and the House of Representatives, and various government departments were allocated twelve copies each. Additional copies were sent to the President’s residence, the Supreme Court chamber, state governors, and prominent universities, ensuring that Stone’s facsimiles were widely accessible as enduring representations of the Declaration.
Stone’s plate became the basis for all subsequent facsimiles of the Declaration. The original imprint on these first editions read: “ENGRAVED by W.J. STONE for the Dept. of State by order of J.Q. Adams, Sec of State July 4, 1823.” In later prints, Stone’s original top imprint was removed, and a shorter one reading “W.J. STONE SC WASHn” was added at the bottom left, below George Walton’s printed signature. This modification has helped collectors and historians distinguish between the original and later reproductions.
After his work on the Declaration and several other federal commissions, Stone retired from the engraving business in 1840 to focus on more personal artistic endeavors. He passed away in Washington, D.C., in 1865. Stone’s legacy endures through his masterful reproduction of the Declaration of Independence, which remains the closest visual representation of the original manuscript and a testament to the care taken to preserve the nation’s foundational texts.
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