The House History

Thomas & Maria Stockton

      The Stockton home was constructed in 1872 by Thomas and Maria Stockton. 

      Colonel Thomas Baylis Whitmarsh Stockton was born in New York on June 18th, 1805.  In his military career he served as a topographical engineer and as Colonel of the 1st Michigan Volunteers in the Mexican-American War.  He then formed Stockton’s Independent Regiment, which was recognized as the 16th Michigan Infantry in the Civil War.

      Colonel Stockton was captured by Confederate forces and sent to Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. Since the Colonel was the uncle to General James Longstreet's wife, a prisoner exchange was arranged.  He was then released after only two months.

     In 1850 he was a founding member of the Genesee County Agricultural Society and many of the early county fairs were held on the Stockton's property.  Colonel Stockton retired in 1863, however, he continued to work as a recruiter for the Union Army.

     Colonel Stockton’s wife, Maria Smith, was the daughter of Jacob Smith (the first European settler in Flint).  Maria inherited a large tract of land along the banks of Thread/Swartz Creek and the Flint River.

     Maria Stockton was a founder and the first President of the Ladies’ Library Association in 1851.  This group evolved and later became Flint’s first public library, which, was a first of its kind in Michigan.

     The Stocktons were very prominent and influential members of the Flint community.  They donated 20 acres of land to the Michigan School for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind.  Today the school is called Michigan School for the Deaf and still is located on the original property, however, it was joined by Luke M. Powers Catholic High School in 2013.

Thomas and Maria Stockton lived at the Stockton House until their deaths, the Colonel’s in 1890 and Maria’s in 1898.

In 1920, Thomas Stockton, grandson of the Colonel and Maria, sold the home to the Archdiocese of Detroit for the establishment of a hospital to be operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph. 

A three-story, thirty room extension to the rear of the home was added. In total, the building provided room for 52 hospital beds. 

The sisters made their own quarters in the attic. They installed a small chapel on the second floor as well as a human powered elevator which was raised and lowered by pulling on ropes. 

The property served as St. Joseph Hospital until 1936 when it was moved to a larger site on Kensington Avenue in Flint.

 Learn more about Michigan School for the Deaf history by CLICKING HERE.

Learn more about Luke M. Powers Catholic H.S. by CLICKING HERE.