Jacob Jones

As printed in 1903

JACOB JONES.

Jacob Jones, a member of the grocery firm of Jones Brothers of Richland, Keokuk county, Iowa, was born in Blount county. Tennessee. March 14, 1848, and is a son of Hezekiah and Jerusha ( Bales) Jones, who were married in Tennessee, and moved to Keokuk county in 1851, locating on a farm two miles north of Richland. Later Mr. Jones was engaged in a grocery business at Pleasantplain, Iowa, for some thirteen years, returning then to his farm, where he now resides at the age of eighty years. The mother of our subject was born and reared in Tennessee and was married in Greene county, and is now seventy-nine years of age. Both she and her husband were reared in the Society of Friends, her father, David Bales, being a very prominent member. He lived to the age of one hundred years. The Jones family is of Welsh descent. The family born to the parents of our subject numbered ten children, their names being as follows: Abigail, who died, when about fifty-six wars old; David H., who is a farmer near Pleasantplain, Iowa; Jacob and Isaac, who were twins, the latter of whom died at the age of twenty-eight years; Rebecca A., who is the wife of Ezra Hadley, of Jefferson county, Iowa: William W., who resides in Richland township, on the old homestead; Emma, who was the wife of T. A. Hill, passed away at the age of twenty-five years; H. Morgan, who is a member of the firm of Jones Brothers: Lewis E.. who is a resident of Pleasantplain; and Joseph John, who died at the age of two years.

Jacob Jones was reared on the farm in Richland township and obtained his education in the local schools, supplemented with four terms at Penn College, at Oskaloosa, Iow-a, where he took a complete commercial course. ' After finishing school he engaged in teaching for eight terms, all but one in Keokuk county, and then began in the grocery business in the capacity of a clerk. He remained for three years with Swearingen & Stalker in Richland, and later was with other firms, thus thoroughly mastering every detail of the trade. Thus equipped, in 1884 he formed a partnership with T. A. Hill in the grocery business, but six months later Mr. Hill withdrew7 and Morgan Jones, a younger brother of our subject, took his interest, and since that time the firm style has been Jones Brothers, and has grown into one of the leading houses in Richland.

On September 18. 1888. Mr. Jones was married to M. Sue Paxton, who was born in Virginia and is the daughter of George W. and Edith (Price) Paxton. Four children have been born to this union, namely: Florence L., Frances E., Harold J., and an infant. Mr. Jones was reared as a Friend and is an earnest worker for the interests of the Society and is active in the Sabbath-school. Since he was three years old he has lived in Richland township, and since attaining years of discretion has cast his influence in the direction of education and morality and has furthered as far as possible all legitimate temperance movements. In politics he is a Republican and at different times has served in the town council. Mr. Jones is a good citizen and as such is universally held in esteem.

As printed in A genealogical and biographical history of Keokuk County, Iowa .. (1903). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.