Ellen M. Stone

Ellen M. Stone (1846–1927) was an American Protestant missionary, teacher, and author. She was stationed in Bulgaria and Macedonia, then part of the Ottoman Empire. Kidnapped in the course of her work, the incident was described as "America's First Modern Hostage Crisis". The circumstances in connection with her capture by brigands, September 3, 1901, on a mountain road in Macedonia, and her subsequent detention by them for nearly six months, pending the payment of her ransom, were given wide newspaper publicity. Her narration of these events was published in McClure's, May–October, 1902.

Early life and education Ellen Maria Stone was born in Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts, July 24, 1846. Her parents were Benjamin F. and Lucy (Waterman) Stone. teaching English branches, while learning the new language.

The Board of Foreign Missions appealed for aid and was obtained and paid over only after the brigands had consented to a month's grace in order to allow additional subscriptions. It was not, however, until five months after their capture that the two were released. Their captors, fearing Ottoman soldiers, moved Stone and Tsilka from place to place until, through arrangements with John G. A. Leishman, American Minister at the Sublime Porte, a spot not far from Salonika was agreed upon where the money was paid and the victims were freed

Return to the U.S.

After her return to the U.S. in April 1902, she lived quietly in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Some part of her time was given to lecturing on missionary subjects, including her own personal experience in the missionary field.

She was a member of the American Board of Missions, Woman's Board of Missions, Religious Education Association, and the International Missionary Union.

Selected works via HathiTrust