The Jones Families of Mahaska County, Iowa

ROBERT M. JONES.

Robert M. Jones owns a farm of eight hundred and fifty-three and three-fourths acres, his home being on.section 6, Pleasant Grove township. He has always resided in the middle west, his birth place being Hendricks county, Indiana, and his natal day May 12, 1843. His paternal grandfather was Allen Jones, his father, James G. Jones. The latter was born in Kentucky, February 11, 1810, and after arriving at years of maturity wedded Elizabeth Gibbons, who was born in South Carolina, February 7, 1809, her parents being Francis and Susannah (Cox) (iiblons, both of whom were born in 1780, while their marriage was celebrated in isoo. When a young man of about twenty-one years James G. Jones removed to Indiana and it was in that state that he was married. He followed farming in Hendricks county until 1857. when he came to Iowa, settling upon a farm of four hundred acres in Poweshiek county. The land was all new and he built the first dwelling upon the place, making his home there until his death, which occurred in 1876, at which time his kind was divided among his children. His w idow resided in Poweshiek county for a few years after her husband's death and then came to Pleasant Grove township. Mahaska county, to make her home with her son, R. M. Jones, with whom she lived until called to her final rest in January, 1893. I" their family were ten children: Nancy S., who became the wife of llamilton I'oster and died in Nevada, while on the way to California. Wiley N., living in

Poweshiek county; David A., who makes his home in the state of Washington; C. E., of Arkansas; Elizabeth C, the wife of James Wonnan, living in Kansas; Robert M.; F. A., who resides in this township; Alexander A., who died in Oklahoma; Sarah A., who became the wife of Jesse Darland and died in Kansas; and Mary E., who married David Rice and died in Pleasant Grove township.

Robert M. Jones pursued a common district school education and lived with his parents until twenty-four years of age, when he began operating a ditching machine. He afterward returned to Indiana for the benefit of his health and spent about four years visiting among friends and relatives there. He then returned to Iowa and engaged in farming on forty acres of land given him by his father. In 1879 he came to Mahaska county and purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he soon sold, however, and about 1880 bought two hundred acres where he now resides. This land had never been improved. Nearly all of it was timber and with characteristic energy he began clearing and cultivating it. He built the frame house which he now occupies and he has since bought land from time to time until his possessions aggregate eight hundred and fifty acres, making him one of the large and prosperous landowners of the county. Much of his land is in pasture and he raises cattle on an extensive scale formerly feeding as high as three hundred head in a year, but not raising so many now. He also carries on general farming, owns a steam threshing outfit and does his own threshing and sometimes threshed for others.

Mr. Jones was married November 22, 1886, to Miss Sarah Ann Hart, who was born in Kansas, June 9, 1871, a daughter of Absalom and Amanda (Shion) Flart, who were natives of Ohio and are now living in Union township, Mahaska county. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have become the parents of nine children, of whom

Mary died at the age of five years, and Robert at the age of one year and three months. Palmer, Annie, Lizzie, Wesley, James, George and William are still at home.

Mr. Jones is a man of strong determination and energy, who carries forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. He has encountered difficulties and obstacles in his path ]jut has overcome these by his resolute will and unfaltering energy) and has worked his way steadily upward to success. In politics he is a democrat but has filled no office save that of school director, preferring to concentrate his attention upon his business affairs. His example should serve as a source of emulation and encouragement to others, showing what may be accomplished if one has the will to dare and to do.

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

FRANCIS A. JONES.

I'francis A. Jones, who owns and operates a good farm of two hundred and four acres on section is. Pleasant Grove township, was born in Hendricks county. Indiana. February 19. 1845. 'i'"' parents being James and Elizabeth ( Gibbons) Jones, of whom mention is made in connection with the sketch of Robert M.

Jones on another page of this work. He was eleven years of age when with his parents he came to Iowa and in the district schools he.acquired his education. He continued to assist in the operation of the home farm until twenty-seven years of age, when he went to Missouri, where he purchased a farm, residing thereon for two years. He met with reverses, however, and lost his farm, after which he returned to Iowa. In 1883 he purchased the property upon which he now resides, becoming owner of two hundred and forty-four acres on section 18, pleasant Grove township. The place was but little improved. There was a small house, sixteen by twenty-four feet, which Mr. Jones has since enlarged and remodeled, making it into a comfortable residence. He has also built a barn and other out buildings for the shelter of grain and stock. He has since sold forty acres of land but still retains possession of two hundred and four acres, constituting one of the valuable and productive farms of the county, the land responding readily to the care and cultivation which he bestow upon it. He carries on general agricultural pursuits, raising both stock and grain. He has always been a hard worker and in fact his close application and unfaltering industry have somewhat impaired his health. All that he possesses is due to his own efforts and his example should serve as a source of emulation and encouragement to others, showing what may be accomplished through diligence and perseverance.

On the 22d of June, 1875. Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Maria Belle Foster, who was born in Davis county, Iowa, a daughter of Joseph and Nancy (Jones) Foster, the former a resident of Texas. The mother, however, died in Idaho. They came to Iowa in 1854, settling in Davis county, where they lived for many years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jones have been born thirteen children, of whom three are now living: Mary Susan, the wife of Lafayette Tolles, a resident of this township; Jennie May, the wife of John S. Small, of Pleasant Grove township; and Nlary Melissa. at home. Ten died in infancy.

In his political views Mr. Jones has always been a democrat but has never had a desire for office. He has served as school director and he and his family are members of the Baptist church. In manner he is unassuming but possesses sound judgment and is considered one of the substantial farmers of Pleasant Grove township.

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

WILLIAM G. JONES.

william G. Jones, a prominent member of the Oskaloosa bar and state senator from this district entered upon the practice of law in February. 1885. His rise has been rapid since he entered upon his novitiate, for his position today is that of a recognized leader in the ranks of the legal fraternity in this part of the state. He was born in what is now Garfield township, Mahaska county, on the 226. of October. 1861.

His father. John G. Jones, was born in Vales and came to the Lnited States about 1830, at which time he settled in Pennsylvania. He was a poor boy and eagerly embraced every opportunity to earn an honest living. In 1852 he went to California and for a short time was employed in gold mines. He then came to Mahaska county and with the money lie had saved in the west he made a partial payment on a tract of land of one hundred acres in (garfield township, which he cultivated and im- ])rove(l. He retained the ownership of this farm for about forty years hut spent fifteen years of that ti;ne in a mercantile Inisiness in Beacon. Eventually he sold his store in 1875, and removed to Colorado, where he superintended a coal mine for about eight years. On the expiration of that period he returned to Beacon, where he lived for a time, and also resided for a while in Oskaloosa, making his home in the latter city from 1887 until 1894, during a part of which period he was president of the old Farmers & Traders Bank. His activity and ability made him a prominent factor in commercial and financial circles and he also became recognized as a local leader in the ranks of the republican party. He served at one time as a member of the board of supervisors. Fraternally he was connected with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, and he held membership in the Welsh Congregational church. He occupied a prominent position in the regard of neighbors and friends and his life was at all times characterized by fidelity to duty and to high principles. In his business affairs he pros- ])ered and in connection with a syndicate became the owner of several thousand acres of land in Colorado. He married Margaret G. Jones, a native of Wales, who came to the United States in her maidenhood and located in Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Baptist church and is now living in San Jose, California, at the age of seventy-two years, but Mr. Jones passed away in 1897. at the age of sixty-nine years. In their family were the following children: Sarali who is the wife of Thomas Ingels, a ranchman of California; Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. Joseph Bevan, a physician, who was prominent in his profession and died in Oskaloosa several years ago; William G., of this review; Emma, the wife of John Parry, fire commissioner of San Francisco; Winifred, the wife of Frank Perry, a grocer of Spokane, Washington; John T., a clothier of Kansas City, Missouri; and one who died in infancy.

William G. Jones was reared upon his father's farm. His birth occurred in a double log cabin upon the old homestead, which had been purchased by his father when he located in Garfield township. The son attended the district schools and continued his studies in the school of Beacon, being graduated from the high school there and also from Oskaloosa College in the class of 1882. Determining upon the practice of law as a life work, he entered the law department of the Iowa State University in 1883 and completed the course by graduation in 1884. He entered upon the practice of his profession in February, 1885, has since been an able member of the Oskaloosa bar. His efiui]:)ment was usually good and his success therefore came soon. He possesses those qualities, natural and acquired, which are indispensable to the lawyer. His mind is analytical, logical and inductive, and he has, moreover, a ready capacity for hard work. He brought to the starting point of his career an excellent presence, an earnest, dignified manner and marked strength of character, combined with a thorough grasp of the law and ability to apply its principles accurately.

In December. 1890, Mr. Jones was married to Miss Jennie L. Wcxsd, who was born in Delaware county, Iowa, in 1863, and is a daughter of Hiram D. Wood. Her father was a pioneer farmer of Delaware county and is now engaged in merchandising. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have one child. Byril M.. born in 1895. Mr. Jones is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and of the Order of Foresters. In politics he is a republican and for one term served as city solicitor of Oskaloosa. He has made a close and earnest study of the political issues and questions of the day and his fitness for leadership has led to his selection to positions of honor and responsibility. He represented the county in the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth general assemblies, and in the fall of 1903 was elected state senator, in which capacity he is now serving. He has been interested in much constructive legislation and has furthered many measures introduced into the house and senate for the welfare of his constituents and of the state at large. His practice has not been restricted to any one branch of the profession and his experience in the trial of difficult law cases and the brilliant record of results attained leave no room for questions of his ability. He actively interests himself in public affairs and participate earnestly in any effort to propagate a spirit of patriotism and of loyalty to American institutions and wherever there is a public-spirited attempt to drive corruption or other unworthiness out of public office he is to be found working with the leaders of the movement.

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