To Elisha, was left the mantle of Elijah; to the Rev. E. D. Stockton has descended the spirit and the influence of the Rev. E. J. Stockton, his father. The burden of the prayers of Rev. E. J. Stockton was that at least one of his six sons should enter the gospel ministry. That desire was answered in the call of this noble son.

At the age of eighteen the Lord wonderfully impressed him that he should preach the gospel. Several months previous he had accepted Christ as his Savior and had united with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Clarkton, Missouri, in October 1863. Brother Stockton's qualifications from an educational standpoint were meagre, he having attended school only a few months during his early life; but, after joining presbytery, attended a term of High school at Clarkton, Missouri, immediately after the war between the states. He was always a zealous advocate of an educated ministry. He possessed an education "not learned of schools." He has passed through the experiences that many other doubting preachers have gone. While living in Bosque county, Texas, "A Poor Wanderer" as he expresses it, the Rev. O. A. Lackey, father of Rev. J. W. Lackey, found him and told him that he would never have any peace of mind till he yielded fully to the persuasions of the Holy Spirit. He immediately joined Waco Presbytery. This was in the winter of 1878. Later he moved to Boone county, Arkansas, placing his membership with the Washington Presbytery. In the fall of 1885 he was licensed to preach by this Presbytery and in the spring of 1887 was ordained to the whole work of the ministry. From the date of his ordination till now Brother Stockton has devoted the greater part of his time to the gospel ministry. Like many another Cumberland Presbyterian minister he has sometimes been forced to resort to secular employment to make a support for his family. About the time of his licensure he accepted his first charge, and soon after his ordination held his first revival meeting at Bellefonte, Arkansas, in which there were fifty conversions. During his work in Arkansas, he was associated with Rev. E. M. Roach, a strong theologian, who influenced his life very much. On account of bad health he moved to Strawn, Texas, thinking that a high and dry climate might be of benefit. Here he joined Buffalo Gap Presbytery at its Abeline Session. Soon he was engaged in full ministerial work, at one time having seventeen preaching places, and often preaching every night for a week or more. A successful work was at Rising Star, which began with fifteen discouraged members, and soon increased to seventy-five. Full of the Spirit and of work. They soon built a house of worship which was the best in the town. After a six year pastorate, when he resigned the work, there were one hundred members. In speaking of this Texas work, Brother Stockton said; "So in November I left my pleasant work in Texas, to come to this destitute field. For six years I rode over those bleak prairies, through cold and heat, sun and rain, carrying the glad tidings of salvation." The new field here mentioned is the Indian Territory. He moved to Marlow when the country was new, and was an Indian reservation. He was at the organization of Chickasaw Presbytery and remains a member of it to this day. In 1902 occurred the death of his father, at Marlow, Oklahoma, at the ripe age of 84 years. Brother Stockton still resides at Marlow, and has had pastoral care of the Cumberland Flock at that place for the past two years.

He was first married to Miss Isabella W. Agnew, December 24, 1867. She died in November 1889. They reared a family of four children. The second marriage was to Miss Mary J. Ewing, of Marlow. Sister Stockton is in poor health, being almost blind.

Brother Stockton is a strongly devotional preacher. Once while sorely afflicted, almost unto death, his daughter was in an adjoining room singing in a plaintive tone one of the old songs about the Angels Escorting us Home. With the mind of a theologian he began to inquire, "Is That True." Then the expression of David was quoted, "The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that love Him, and fear Him." From these thoughts and the surrounding conditions a vision was evolved. It was twilight, yet the room was filled with a flood of Heavenly light. His daughter touched him on the arm and said, "Papa, here is your supper." The reply was, daughter, I do not care for supper, I am feasting on Heavenly food." Not only is Brother Stockton a believer in God's Spirit, but he carried that Holy Spirit into his sermons. The Holy Spirit is his daily companion. I will close with his own words; "Summing up my somewhat eventful life, I find I have preached nearly thirty-five hundred sermons, and witnessed over four thousand conversions. I am just waiting for the Master to call! Come up higher." In the language of Dr. Richard Beard of precious memory, "all is bright and clear beyond."
[Source: Our Senior Soldiers: The Biographies and Autobiographies of Eighty Cumberland Presbyterian Preachers. Compiled by The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication. The Assistance of Revs. J. L. Price and W. P. Kloster is Greatfully Acknowledged. Nashville, Tenn.: The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1915, pages 205-208.]

Committee on Mortuary report.
The following report was read and adopted.
Rev. E. D. Stockton passed from this life to his Eternal home and also Elder Elbert Wilcox, since the last meeting of Chickasaw Presbytery. We recommend that Memorial service now be held for them.
      J. J. Jones, Chairman

This being the time for the Memorial service to be held for our beloved Bro. Stockton and Bro. Wilcox Rev. J. J. Jones officiated. Many tributes of respect and love were paid to the deceased for their faithfulness to God and his cause.
[Source: Minutes of the Chickasaw Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, September 9, 1926, page 3]