In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1887) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1826
From The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men (1879), Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and bio (1887)
NELSON JONES, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 16; P. 0. Towanda; one of the pioneers of Towanda Township, McLean Co.; born in Clark Co., Ohio, April 5, 1826, where he was raised to farm labor. In the spring of 1848, he came to Smith's Grove, McLean Co., and, in 1849, he and his brother J. R. purchased 600 acres in Towanda Township In 1850, Cyrus Jones purchased a one-thing interest, and the three brothers continued fariuing and stock-raising in partnership until 1854, since which time Mr..Jones has continued the same alone. His capital, upon arriving here, consisted of $842 cash, and one horse and saddle. In 1854, he entered some two hundred acres of land. He now owns nearly one thousand acres, upon which he has three sets of good farm buildings, his large private brick residence being erected in 1869, at an expense of upward of.$12,0UO; his main barn was built in 1873, at an expense of some,?4,500, and, with the house, are second to no f>xrm buildings in the county. He is one of the prominent men of the township, in which he has taken a deep interest since its organization, and is now the second oldest settler and voter of the township. Aside from farming, he is largely engaged in raising and feeding stock, making a specialty of blooded short-horn cattle, feeding yearly some two hundred head of cattle, one hundred hogs, two hundred sheep and som horses, some seasons purchasing as high as seven thousand bushels of corn for feeding, aside from the productions of one hundred acres or more which he raises upon his own farm. His marriage with Eliza A. White was celebrated March 4, 1857. She was born in LaFayette, Ind., Nov. 20, 1830. They have five children, viz.: Ward B.. born June 17, 1858; Lottie G., Aoril 5, 1863; Julia A., Sept. 7, 1866; Elmetta M., June 21, 1869; IVtark C, Sept. 24, 1871. Mrs. Jones is a daughter of George C. White, of whom mention is ma le in the biography of George W. White in this work. Mr. Jones is a son of Abram R. Jones, Sr., who is mentioned in the biography of Frank M. Jones, in this work.
As printed in The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men (1879). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
OELSON JONES. One of the pioneers of ' Towanda Township, and now one of the j largest land-owners of the county, was born in Clarke County, Ohio, April 5, 1826, and was there reared to farm labor. He is the son of Abraham R. and Matilda (Noel) Jones, the former a native of Cayuga County, N. Y., and the latter born in Kentucky. The parents of Mrs. Jones1 moved to Maryland, and when she was seven years of age they moved back to Ohio, where they died. The parents of Nelson Jones lived in Ohio until when they came to this eonnty and made a
-etllcmont at Smith's ( grove. Towanda Township, where the father engaged in farming, and where his demise occurred Feb. 11, 1865; the mother afterward removed to Towanda Village, where she died March 7, 1880. The parents had a family of ten children, and Nelson was the seventh in order of birth.
Nelson Jones was reared to manhood on his father's farm, receiving his primaneducation in the common schools, and afterward supplementing the same by an academical course of five months at Springfield. Ohio. Remaining with the old folk until he attained the age of manhood he started out to do for himself. He came to this county in the spring of 1848, and located at Smith's Grove, and in 1849 he and his brother A. R. purcha.-ed 600 acres of land in Towanda Township. In 1 850, Cyrus Jones purchased a one-third interest, and the three brothers continued farming and stock-raising in partnership until 1854, since which time our subject has been operating by himself. His capital upon arriving in the county consisted of $342 in cash and one horse and saddle. During the year 1854 he entered some 200 acres of land, and is now the owner of 927 acres of good and productive, as well as valuable land, upon which he has three sets of good farm buildings. His large brick residence was erected in 1869, at an expense of upward of $12,000; his main barn wasjbuilt in 1873, and cost about $4,500.
On first coming to the county, our subject worked out harding cattle, and was thus occupied for about two years, and afterward engaged in harding and feeding cattle by himself, and in partnership with his two brothers, as stated. Subsequently he settled on his purchase on section 15, Towanda Township, and there lived until 1870, when he moved into the fine brick residence on section 16, and where he has continued to reside until the present time. Mr. Jones is one of the prominent men of Towanda Township, and has taken a deep interest in its welfare since its organization, and is now the second oldest settler and voter of the township. Aside from farming ho is largely engaged in raising and feeding stock, making a specialty of blooded Short-horn cattle. He keeps about 35 head of horses; 150 head of cattle, and fatten from 100 to 150 head of hogs annually.
Mr. Jones was united in marriage with Eliza A. White, March 4, 1857. She is the daughter of George and Julia (Noel) White, natives of New York and Ohio respectively, and the vocation of the father was that of a farmer. Her parents after marriage settled in Clarke County, Ohio, whence they removed to Tippecanoe County, Intl., and from there came to McLean County in 1850, and made settlement in Towanda Township, where the good mother died March 25, 1865. The father is yet living, and is now a resident of Lawndale Township. Their family of children were twelve in number, and Mrs. Jones was the third in order of birth. She first saw light in what is now Lafayette, Ind., Nov. 20, 1830, and of her union with our subject five children have been born: Ward B., June 17, 1858; Lattie Grant, April 5, 1863; Julia A., Sept. 7, 1867; Elmetta M., June 21, 1869, and Mark C., Sept. 24, 1871. Ward was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Stover, and they are residents of Towanda Township.
Mr. Jones is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics is Republican.
As printed in Portrait and biographical album of McLean county, Ill., containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and bio (1887). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Frank M. Jones George C. White (b. 1842) George W. White
Their biographies name Nelson Jones: Lattie G. Jones
The printed record stops around 1879. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.