In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography (1902)
FRED W. JONES.
Fred W. Jones, a prominent railroad contractor and builder of Mount Vernon, is a native son of this city. After attending the public schools here he matriculated in the academy at Denmark, Iowa, where he received excellent educational advantages. In 1867 he became identified with railroad work, first as a brakeman, and later served as a baggage master, conductor and express agent. In 1869 he came to Mount Vernon, entering the office of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad with his father, Goshorn A. Jones, who was manager of the road, and our subject was thus engaged until 1 87 1, when he took his first contract in railroad building. He was employed to build an extension of the road from near Millersburg to Black Creek, a distance of ten miles, and in the following year he was put in charge of the main survey department of the road, having charge of the road bed, bridges and construction on the northern division of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad. After remaining with that company for a time he became identified with the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus road, now a part of the former system.
In 1875 the headquarters of that road was removed to Mount Vernon from Akron, where it had been located since 1869, and Mr. Jones was put in charge of the entire road, which position he continued to fill until 1882, and in that year his father was made receiver of the road. Since retiring from that position our subject has been engaged in railroad contracting and in this undertaking he has indeed met with a very high degree of success. He is a wide-awake, progressive, active and energetic business man, and his name is closely associated with advancement along the line of his chosen occupation.
Mr. Jones was married, in Holmes county, Ohio, to Miss Mira Wholf, a daughter of David Wholf, of Pennsylvania, and they have five children, namely: Carrie, the wife of O. Patterson, of Denison, Iowa; G. A., a prominent railroad builder and contractor of Mount Vernon; Mary B., at home; Fred R., who is engaged in business with his brother, G. A. Jones, business being carried on under the name of Jones Brothers; and Frank B., who is attending school. The family enjoy the hospitality of the best homes of the city, and their own pleasant residence is the center of a cultured society circle.
As printed in The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1902. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.