The Jones Families of Clay County, Iowa

Nature seems to have intended that man should enjoy a period of rest in the evening of life. In youth one is filled with hope and enthusiasm, in mature years his energy and determination are tempered by sound judgment and experience and therefore, if he is persistent in his labors, success will attend him and then when the evening shadows fall he will find it possible to enjoy a period of rest from labor. Such has been the history of Mr. Jones who, for the past six years, has lived retired in Everly, although for a long period he was one of the active and energetic farmers of Sioux township. Moreover he is entitled to special mention in this volume from the fact that he is one of the pioneer settlers and aided in reclaiming the district for the purposes of civilization. He came to the county in 1867 and found here a region that was wild and unimproved, giving little indication of the progress that was soon to transform it into a thickly settled region. However, some years were to pass before Clay county was to take its place among the leading counties of the commonwealth and in those years men of resolute spirit and undaunted energy found it necessary to labor indefatigably in order to convert the raw prairie into productive fields.

]\Mr. Jones has ever borne his full share in the work of public progress and his life history cannot fail to prove of interest to many of our readers. He was born in Oneida county. New York. January 13. 1829.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

T. H. JONES.

The commercial interests of Spencer find a worthy representative in T. H. Jones, proprietor of a department store of that city. He is accounted one of the most progressive merchants there, employing modern business methods in the development of his trade and carrying a line of goods that makes his establishment one of the most attractive stores of Clay county. Moreover, in matters of citizenship, he is progressive, having ever been loyal to the interests of city, state and nation since the days of his early manhood, when he responded to the country's call for aid and joined the Union army.

Moreover, Mr. Jones is of that type of men which President Roosevelt states is the strongest element in our American manhood — the man who is born in the east and reared and educated in the west. Mr. Jones is a native of Avon, New York", his natal day being November 10, 1842. His parents, Joshua and Hannah Jones, were also natives of the Empire state and the former followed the occupation of farming as a life work. Removing, westward to Wisconsin, he made his way to Racine in 1850. and in that locality purchased a farm, which he cultivated and improved until his death, which occurred when he was but fifty-four years of age. His wife survived him ten years and died at the age of sixty-four. They held membership in the Baptist church and Mr. Jones was called to various township offices, wherein he proved a competent and loyal incumbent. The family numbered eight sons and two daughters, of bom four are now living: Esther Ann, the widow of Ezra Search, of Racine, Wisconsin; William W., a resident of Sacramento, California; Thomas Harvey, of this review; and Mary Elizibeth, the wife of Peter Etchells, of Racine, Wisconsin.

T. H. Jones spent his youthful days on his father's farm in Wisconsin and was early trained to habits of thrift, industry and economy — habits which have borne rich fruit in later years. After acquainting himself with the common branches of learning in the district schools he began earning his own living by working as a farm hand by the month. He was only eighteen years of age, however, when he enlisted as a soldier of the Civil war. being enrolled in 1861 as a member of Company H, Twenty-second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which he served for fourteen months and was then discharged on account of illness. Returning, to Wisconsin, he cultivated rented farms for two or three years, after which he was married and in 1870 came to Clay county, Iowa. Here he secured a soldier's claim of one hundred and sixty acres, in Summit township, and partially improved it. At the time of his arrival here the county was still a frontier district, with much land unclaimed and uncultivated, while the progressive spirit of the cities had advanced but little beyond the conditions of villagehood. After carrying on farming pursuits for several years Mr. Jones removed to Spencer, where he conducted a restaurant for some time. He afterward established a grocery store and with this as the nucleus has developed his present enterprise, until it is today a large department store, in which he furnishes employment to thirteen salesmen. It is now one of the most extensive mercantile interests of the county, attractive by reason of its well-selected line of goods, its tasteful arrangement and its reasonable prices. Mr. Jones demands that the most honorable business policy shall be followed at all times and he is not slow to reward faithful service on the part of his assistants.

Pleasantly situated in his home life, Mr. Jones wedded Miss Mary Jane Secor. a daughter of Dorence and Permelia Secor. They have two sons in the family, Charles E. and Theodore M., who are with their father in the store, and one child died in infancy. The elder son married Lillian Hardin and they have two children. Dale G. and Charles H. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Congregational church and has won many friends during the period of her residence in Spencer. !Mr.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DAVID O. JONES.

For many years general farming and stock raising have commanded the attention of David O. Jones, who resides in Royal, Clay township, this county, where he bears the reputation of being an enterprising and up-to-date citizen as well as one of the most substantial and highly respected farmers. He was born in Dodge county, Wisconsin, November 13, 1847, a son of Owen B. and

Anne (Edwards) Jones, the parents being natives of Wales. The father came to the United States in 1841 and located in Wisconsin, where he took up land and engaged in farming and in that state he is now living retired at the age of eighty-six years. Throughout his long life he has always supported the republican party, his allegiance to its principles being such that he has never had any inclination to become disloyal to his party. He is also gifted with the high religious nature common to the Welsh people, being a zealous Christian, and all his life he has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married in Wisconsin and his wife departed this life in the year 1893 in Columbia county, that state, where her remains were laid to rest. They reared a family of six children: John O., a farmer of Howard county, Iowa; Edward O., who follows the same pursuit in Fillmore county, Minnesota; Owen O.. a carpenter of Dodge county, Wisconsin; Ann, who became the wife of Robert LewMS, a farmer of Fillmore county, Minnesota; Mary, wife of John Williams, who lives on a farm in Columbia county, Wisconsin; and David O., the subject of this review.

After acquiring his education in the district schools o'f Dodge county, Wisconsin. David O. Jones remained at home with his father and assisted in the duties of the farm for about four years when he repaired to Louisa county, Iowa, and there engaged in farming for one year. In 187 1 he came to Clay township, this county, where he took up eighty acres in section 18, cultivating this land until 1890, when he removed to his present farm of four hundred acres in sections 18, 8 and 7.

His property is highly improved, composed of the best quality of soil, provided with two sets of substantial buildings and is acknowledged to be one of the finest farms in Clay township. He and his son are the owners of a quarter section in Murray county, Minnesota. He devotes most of his acreage to producing hay and grain but also pays some attention to stock raising, keeping on hand some of the best breeds of horses and cattle, feeding the latter for marketing.

In March of the year 1873, he wedded Miss Rachael Williams, a native of Louisa county, Iowa, and a daughter of Richard and Anne (Arthur) Williams, natives of Wales, her father having come to the United States at an early date. He settled in the county of her nativity and remained there actively engaged in farming until his death. Her mother, who still lives in Louisa county, Iowa, came to this country when she was thirteen years of age and was twice* married, the first time to Richard Williams, by whom she had two daughters: Mary, wife of Hupling Richard, an agriculturist of Louisa county: and Rachael, the mother of Mrs. Jones. To her second union were born: William, of Colorado, where he operates a ranch; and Lewis, a banker of Louisa county, Iowa; and one daughter, Jane, who became the wife of John Pugh, a ranch owner of Carson county, Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Jones had three children, two of whom died in infancy. The son, John O., married Celia Richards. In politics Mr. Jones gives his allegiance to the republican party, to which he has been loyal since casting his first vote and he has served for the past eight years as trustee of Clay township. He is a man of high morals and noble purposes, and considering his religious obligations his first duty in life, he and his wife attend divine services at the Methodist Episcopal church, of which they are liberal supporters. TMr. Jones is an energetic man, having always been inspired by the spirit of progress, and his long years of success and his present prosperity are due to his own exertions.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

C. B. JONES.

There is always a measure of satisfaction in nothing the progress made by self-reliant characters, men who, not depending upon higher educational advantages nor upon assistance from others, but rather upon their own resources, push onward with patience and perseverance, guided by a fixed purpose which they finally reach, and the attainment of which brings him to a place of affluence. Such careers are possible in every walk of life, and it makes no difl:"erence what vocation one follows, if he desires success and expects to accomplish it he nuist be possessed of certain qualifications, without which he will eventually ])n)ve a failure in anything he may undertake — these qualifications are willingness to work, patience and perseverance. A career fraught with these elements of character is that of C. B. Jones, who by unremitting energy and careful management is now in possession of one of the finest farms in Logan township, Clay county, on which for many years he has been producing excellent crops and engaging in stock raising.

Mr. Jones was born in Clay county, Indiana, November 29, 1852, and is a son of David and Lucinda (Dyer) Jones. His father, who served as a captain throughout the Alexican war, was a native of Kentuckv, and when a small boy located in Clay county. Indiana, where he owned an extensive tract of land, which he kept under a high, state of cultivation, until he retired to enjoy the fruits of his longyears of honest toil He and his wife arc now Hving in Cahfornia. ]Mrs. Jones is a native of North Carohna. but they were united in marriage in Indiana. They reared a family of thirteen children, namely: Mary EHzabeth, wife of A. R. Esterbrook. an agriculturist whose farm is near Kingsburg, California: Lisha. who l:came the wife of John Barnhart, who is proprietor of a large farm in Monmouth, Cahfornia: Redmond, who is an agriculturist residing near ClaMi-n. Washington: Allen and Jane, twins, the form.'r operating a farm in Boone county, Iowa, while the latter is the wife of L. K. Hurler, who is engaged in general farming near Kingsburg. California: Debias. a prominent contractor and bidder of Walla, Oregon: Etta, wife of J. R. Haskell, residing on a farm near Kingsburg, California; Annie, who became the wife of Fred Guy. a conductor on the North Western Railroad: John, who resides with his father in California: Maggie, who was united in marriage to Dell Richardson, an agriculturist of I'ucblo, Colorado: Jefferson, who operates a farm in Clayton, Washington: Lucy, wife of Francis (iipsen. who resides on a farm in Laton. California: and C. B.

In the common schools of Boone county. Iowa. C. ]' Jones acquired his education, in the meantime working on his father's farm where, after com]:)letting his studies, he remained until lie was twenty-eight years of age. when lubegan farming for himself in Humboldt county and remained there until is. lie then located in Logan township. Clay comity. Iowa, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 2= which he has supplied with all modern improvements. He has a comfortable residence, all the necessary oiitl)buildings for the shelter of train and stock, and mculern machinery to facilitate the work of the fields. Mr. Jones ma\' well be proud of his farm, which is one of the neatest and best kept in the township, the fields responding to hi care and labor in rich and abundant harvests.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.